The benefits of apprenticeships to your business
Apprenticeships can help businesses access funding for training, develop a skilled workforce, motivate employees, and address skills shortages, making them a valuable investment for employers.
They can help with retention, performance, and job satisfaction providing a positive and profitable impact on the business.
To discuss how our apprentices can help boost your business, please get in touch and request a call back today!
How does apprenticeship funding work?
How It Works
Whether you’re a levy-paying employer or a small non-levy business, we work with you to understand apprenticeship funding, minimise risk, and maximise the return on your investment. The Apprenticeship Levy, introduced in May 2017, is a government initiative aimed at increasing training opportunities and enhancing essential industry skills.
Understanding the Apprenticeship Levy
Employers with an annual payroll over £3 million pay a 0.5% levy into a digital account that can be used exclusively for apprenticeship training. Think of it as a dedicated training fund paid into monthly; if you don’t use it, you lose it. Levy-paying employers can also choose to gift unused funds.
Support for Non-Levy Employers
For employers with a payroll under £3 million, the cost is far lower: you pay just 5% of the apprenticeship training fee while the government covers the remaining 95% through co-investment. If funding still feels daunting, we can guide you through options such as Levy transfers.
WE DON’T BELIEVE IN ‘ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL’
We’ll work together to make sure you have everything you need to succeed!
An apprenticeship is a real job, with hands-on experience and training while you learn.
Want to know more? Request a call back via the button below!
What our community is saying
Apprenticeships Aren’t Just for New Starters!
Did you know your current team can benefit from apprenticeships, too? Apprenticeships aren’t only for school leavers, they’re a fantastic way to upskill your existing employees, helping them gain the skills needed for promotion or new responsibilities.
Investing in apprenticeships for your team boosts productivity, fills skills gaps, and supports career progression, all while aligning with your organisation’s goals. Talk to us about how our apprenticeship programmes can develop your current employees and strengthen your workforce.
How to get started:
STEP 1
Schedule a consultation
Book a call with our Partnerships & Growth team to discuss your business goals, workforce needs, and the apprenticeship programmes that best fit your organisation.
STEP 2
Receive your custom apprenticeship plan
We create and send you a tailored plan outlining recommended apprenticeship pathways, training options, timelines, and projected outcomes for your business.
STEP 3
Launch your apprenticeship programme
Once you’re happy with the plan, we handle the onboarding steps, finalise agreements, set up training, and support you in getting your apprentices enrolled and ready to start.
Ready to take the next step? Simply fill out the form provided, and we'll be in touch to schedule a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your question remains unanswered, fill out the enquiry form and our team will get back and answer any questions.
-
Work with extraordinary teams in incredible workplaces across the UK
Meet lifelong friends and make unforgettable memories
Apprentice benefits such as discounts from travel and NUS discounts
Apprenticeship clubs and workshops/masterclasses and webinars
Access to mentors, industry experts and teachers
No university debt! With many universities charging around £9000 a year for tuition, plus adding in any cost-of-living loans, and you could be looking at a debt of around £45,000+ before you even start work! An apprenticeship allows you to pursue a career whilst earning a salary.
-
There are so many benefits to having an apprentice in your teams, including:
☂️ Attracting new talent
☂️ The diversification of your teams
☂️ Upskilling current staff - improved retention
☂️ A cost-effective (Levy funded)
-
The Apprenticeship Levy was brought in by the government in May 2017. It is a form of taxation designed to help companies offer more apprenticeships as training opportunities boosting essential training and industry skills.
The levy is a tax paid by employers who have an annual payroll of more than £3 million. These funds are then stored in a digital account which can be accessed to help pay for apprenticeship training costs.
Think of it as a bucket of money set aside for training that you automatically pay into each month from your payroll. Those funds support the development of your new and existing employees, but there is a catch, if you don’t use it… you lose it! It can not be used for anything else.
-
here are a few rules the MUST be followed when taking on an apprentice. The main are:
☂️ You must provide the minimum apprenticeship length of 12 months for each apprentice.
☂️ Adhere to minimum age-based pay for apprentices. You can pay more then mini wage if you wish.
☂️ Support off the job training. This is 6 hours per week irrespective of the hours work by the apprentice.
☂️ Must provide a genuine job for the learner so they can receive meaningful training and development of the job.
☂️ Sign an apprenticeship agreement with us. We can not start an apprentice.your apprenticeship will be right for you. That you are learning new skills at the right level and job position.
-
Your funds will expire 24 months after the date submitted, at which point unused funds will default back to the government.
-
Essentially, it's where one levy-paying employer agrees to transfer a proportion of their levy funds to another employer. They can then use this fund in full to train an apprentice. Want to know how it could work for you?
-
As an employer, you can choose how much to pay your apprentice, but it must be above the minimum rate set by the government. We always recommend paying a fair living wage.
Remember the miniumum wage is age dependant. National Minimum Wage*
☂️ Apprentice rate - £4.81
☂️ 18 to 20 years - £6.83
☂️ 21 to 22 years - £9.18.
☂️ 23 and over - £9.50
*Accurate as of June 2022
-
All employers must support the off-the-job-training element of their apprenticeship programme (this means allowing apprentices to receive formal training within their contracted working hours).
The minimum volume of hours no longer links to working hours (like the previous 20% off the job training rule). Off-the-job training now consists of a minimum of six hours per week – a consistent figure, irrespective of the hours worked by the apprentice.
Off-the-job training must:
☂️ Be relevant to the apprenticeship programme.
☂️ Be separate from the normal day-to-day job role and working environment.
☂️ Focus on developing new knowledge, skills, and behaviours.
☂️ Take place during normal paid working hours.
-
yes, you can use the levy to fund apprenticeship training for existing employees. It is not just for new staff.
Remember: The levy must be used to fund apprenticeship training only. It can not be used to fund other training activities.
Your levy funds expire after 24 months, so it’s advisable to use them where you can..
-
An apprenticeship agreement is signed by the employer and apprentice before the start of the programme and outlines key details about the apprenticeship. It’s a legal requirement and acts as a contract of employment between the apprentice and employer. Apprentices younger than 18 will need to get a parent or guardian to sign on their behalf.
-
All eligible employers will have to pay the 0.5% apprenticeship levy amount at the end of every month. This is collected automatically by HMRC through the employer’s PAYE system alongside income tax and national insurance contributions.
Employers must declare the apprenticeship levy each month from the start of the financial year.
These Levy contributions then appear in a digital account which can be used by the employer to arrange and pay for apprenticeship training.
-
The apprenticeship levy can only be used within England, as apprenticeship legislation differs across the devolved nations.
For this reason, levy funded apprenticeships must work at least 50% of their time within England. The amount of levy you can access is directly linked to the proportion of your employees living in England.
Non-levy paying employers can use the levy through a transfer of funds from a levy paying employer.
Employers can transfer up to 25% of their annual levy fund to another business.