How does reserving funding work?
How it works
Smaller employers that do not pay the apprenticeship levy can now reserve apprenticeship funding for training and assessment in their apprenticeship service account.
The funding will cover 95% of the cost of the apprenticeship (up to the funding band maximum), smaller employers will need to pay the remaining 5% directly to the training provider. The 95% funding is paid directly by the government to the training provider. This is also called ‘co-investment’.
What do I need to do to reserve funding?
- Establish the apprenticeship standard and training provider that you will be using
Establish the start date of the apprenticeship programme is. You will be able to reserve funding for a window of 3 months – your apprentice must start on their apprenticeship programme within this 3 month window. Most of the University of Brighton Apprenticeship programmes will start in September 2020. Some will begin in October 2020 and we also have some programmes that have an additional intake in January and March.
For a September start, you will be able to reserve funding in July, August and September. For an October start, you will be able to reserve funding in August, September and October.
Funding availability is not guaranteed and we would therefore advise you to reserve funding as early in these windows as you are able.
Set up an apprenticeship service account using the following link
https://accounts.manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk/service/index
You’ll need:
- an email address you have access to
- the Government Gateway login for your organisation (or you can use the accounts office reference number and employer PAYE scheme reference number if your annual pay bill is less than £3 million)
- authority to add PAYE schemes to the account
- authority to accept the employer agreement on behalf of your organisation
You will be asked to:
- create an account
- add a PAYE scheme on behalf of your organisation
- accept the employer agreement with the ESFA
Once your account is set up you will be able to reserve funding for your apprentice or grant permission for the university to do this on your behalf.
For further guidance please contact apprenticeships@brighton.ac.uk.
Catherine Johnson • 29/05/2020