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Not sure how apprenticeship funding works? You're not alone.

This page breaks down the key funding options available to Hertfordshire employers; from the apprenticeship levy and government incentives to local support schemes designed to make hiring an apprentice as straightforward as possible.

 

Funding options explained 

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    What is a levy transfer?

    If your business pays the apprenticeship levy, you can transfer a portion of your unused funds to another organisation to help fund their apprenticeship training. Rather than letting those funds expire and return to the government, a levy transfer puts your money to work in your supply chain, sector or local community.

    The current levy transfer is 50%, giving levy-paying employers significantly more flexibility to support other businesses.

    How does it work?

    • You can transfer up to 50% of your annual levy funds to another business
    • The receiving organisation pays nothing towards the cost of apprenticeship training
    • Transfers can go to any business, whether they pay the levy or not, as long as they have an apprenticeship service account
    • The receiving organisation gains access to all training providers on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers
    • You can send funds and still receive transfers at the same time

    For full government guidance visit: gov.uk/guidance/transferring-your-apprenticeship-levy-to-another-business

    Where could your levy funds go?

    There are no strict rules on who you transfer to — the choice is yours. Popular options for Hertfordshire employers include:

    • Supporting SMEs within your supply chain — such as facilities, catering, payroll or retail partners
    • Targeting sectors with known skills gaps — including engineering, digital, health & social care and education
    • Funding apprenticeships in local schools — such as teaching assistants, office and business roles
    • Supporting voluntary and community organisations to access apprenticeship training they couldn't otherwise afford
    • Working with Job Centre Plus to help people move from unemployment into an apprenticeship or paid role

    Hertfordshire success stories

    Viatris & Rapid Response - supporting ambulance support workers

    Viatris used their levy funds to train seven Level 3 Ambulance Support Workers at Rapid Response, a registered ambulance service and medical training academy. The partnership helped address a critical shortage of trained drivers in the health and social care sector — a cause Viatris were proud to support.

    Pitney Bowes & Sporting Futures - investing in education

    Pitney Bowes partnered with Sporting Futures Training to gift their unspent levy to smaller organisations in the education sector. The result was 11 apprentices funded across the UK, with Pitney Bowes gaining direct insight into the impact of their investment by visiting learners in training.

    As Angela Holland from Pitney Bowes put it — meeting the apprentices and seeing their training first-hand made the partnership feel genuinely worthwhile, going beyond just financial support to changing the lives of young people on the programmes.

    University of Hertfordshire & JHP Electrical - funding leadership development

    The University of Hertfordshire transferred a portion of their levy to JHP Electrical, a local SME, fully funding two members of staff through a Level 5 Operations Management apprenticeship with Together Training. For a small business with no previous management training budget, the levy transfer opened a door that would otherwise have been closed.

    Ready to transfer your levy or find out more?

    Our team of skills and apprenticeship specialists can guide you through the process, help you identify suitable partner organisations and support you every step of the way.

    📧 [email protected]

    Or register your enquiry using the button in the sidebar.

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    BACK THE FUTURE  - APPRENTICE DECENT WAGE PLEDGE

    Apprenticeship minimum wage rates can act as a barrier, putting talented young people off applying for programmes simply because the pay isn't enough to live on.

    The Back the Future campaign is a national movement of employers, training providers and intermediaries committed to changing that by pledging to pay their apprentices a fair and decent wage above the legal minimum.

    Joining the pledge is a straightforward commitment; there are no entry qualifications or complex requirements, just a genuine desire to invest in your apprentices and support social mobility. Businesses of all sizes across a wide range of sectors have already signed up, from small local employers to large national organisations.

    As a Hertfordshire employer, taking the pledge sends a clear message to potential apprentices that you value their contribution from day one, helping you attract better candidates, improve retention and build a more motivated workforce.

    Take The Pledge

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    FIND TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT SCHEMES FOR YOUR BUSINESS

    As an employer, navigating the range of government training and employment schemes available can feel overwhelming.

    This free tool from the Department for Education makes it straightforward - helping you quickly identify the schemes most relevant to your business, whether you're looking to recruit new employees, upskill your existing workforce, or explore flexible funding options.

    From apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps to the new Growth and Skills Levy, which builds on the apprenticeship levy to give employers and learners a more flexible offer. 

    The tool brings everything together in one place so you can make informed decisions about training without having to search across multiple government websites.

    It takes just a few minutes to use and requires no registration:

    Find Schemes For My Business

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