Apprenticeship funding rules
The rules employers and training providers must follow to get funding for training and assessing apprentices in England.
Applies to England
There are different funding rules for different apprenticeship start dates. You must follow the funding rules that apply to each apprentice.
2025 to 2026 rules
The 2025 to 2026 apprenticeship funding rules will be released in May 2025. In a change for this year, we are not publishing a draft version of the funding rules in March. This approach allows us to incorporate the latest policy developments before publication.
During the March to May period, we will engage with the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), the Association of Colleges (AoC) and our expert providers to ensure the rules are as clear as possible.
The changes for 2025 to 2026 will focus on several priority areas, including operational developments such as finalising the implementation of new foundation apprenticeships and off-the-job policy.
The 2025 to 2026 funding rules will introduce updates across:
- active learning policy, with adjustments to support more flexible delivery models and maintain learner engagement
- prisoner apprenticeships, clarifying processes and eligibility to expand apprenticeship access for prisoners
- changes to end-point assessment (EPA), implementing modifications following announcements made during National Apprenticeship Week
- eligibility criteria, updating eligibility guidelines to ensure greater clarity and consistency
- English and maths clarifications, providing further guidance on English and maths requirements to support all apprentices
These rules apply to:
- main providers and employer-providers receiving funding for delivering apprenticeship training and on programme assessment in England
- employers of apprentices accessing apprenticeship funding in England
All apprenticeships starting on or after 1 August 2025 will be subject to these rules unless otherwise specified.
2024 to 2025 rules
The 2024 to 2025 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025.
View the .
These rules apply to:
- employers
- employer-providers
- main providers
The explains the specific funding rules that are changing from 1 August 2024.
2023 to 2024 rules
The 2023 to 2024 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2023 and 31 July 2024.
View the .
These rules apply to:
- employers
- employer-providers
- main providers
The explains the specific funding rules that are changing from 1 August 2023.
2022 to 2023 rules
The 2022 to 2023 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023.
View the funding rules for:
Other documents
You can also view:
2021 to 2022 rules
The 2021 to 2022 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2021 and 31 July 2022.
View the funding rules:
Other documents
You can also view:
2020 to 2021 rules
The 2020 to 2021 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2020 and 31 July 2021.
View the funding rules:
Other documents
You can also view:
2019 to 2020 rules
The 2019 to 2020 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2019 and 31 July 2020.
View the funding rules:
Other documents
You can also view:
Previous rules
View the previous funding rules for apprenticeships that started:
Contact us
Complete our survey to help us make the funding rules clearer.
Training providers
For help and support you can:
- use our enquiry form
- email us at SDE.servicedesk@education.gov.uk
- telephone us on 0370 267 0001
- contact your provider management advisor
Employers
For help and support, use our enquiry form or phone us on 0800 015 0600.
Updates to this page
Last updated
-
Updated the 2024 to 2025 apprenticeship funding rules. The summary of changes explains all the changes from version 1 of the funding rules.
Update history
2025-03-26 09:30
Added section on 2025 to 2026 rules.
2025-02-17 14:02
Updated the 2024 to 2025 apprenticeship funding rules. The summary of changes explains all the changes from version 1 of the funding rules.
2024-06-17 09:30
Updated the 2023 to 2024 apprenticeship funding rules. The updated summary of changes explains all the changes from version 3 of the funding rules.
2024-05-15 16:00
Added updated versions (version 1) of the 2024 to 2025 apprenticeship funding rules and summary of changes.
2024-03-28 09:30
Added the 2024 to 2025 apprenticeship funding rules and a summary of changes.Updated the 2023 to 2024 apprenticeship funding rules. The summary of changes explains all the changes from version 2 of the funding rules.
2023-10-31 12:00
Updated the ‘2023 to 2024 apprenticeship funding rules’. The summary of changes explains all the changes from version 1 of the funding rules.
2023-05-12 10:00
Updated the ‘2023 to 2024 apprenticeship funding rules’. The changes are listed in the summary of changes document.
2023-03-31 12:00
Added the 2023 to 2024 apprenticeship funding rules and a summary of changes.
2022-10-31 11:26
Updated links to the digital format of the latest rules have been added.
2022-10-06 14:00
We have published version 2 of the funding rules for 2022 to 2023 and have updated the summary of changes document.
2022-07-26 12:48
We have updated the apprenticeship performance-management rules for training providers under ‘other documents’ in the ‘The latest rules (2022 to 2023)’ section.
2022-07-20 13:41
We have published the 2022 to 2023 apprenticeship funding rules (version 1) in PDF, following feedback from the recent clarification exercise. The changes we have made are set out in the summary of changes which can be found on the apprenticeship funding rules page on GOV.UK.
2022-05-27 13:13
We have published the draft version of the funding rules for 2022 to 2023 to give you the opportunity to provide feedback on how we can make them clearer or better understood.
2022-05-25 13:59
We have published version 3 of the funding rules for 2021 to 2022 and have updated the summary of changes document.