Apprenticeship funding rules and assessment plan guidance, 2026 to 2027
The rules employers and training providers must follow to get funding for training and assessing apprentices in England.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
The draft apprenticeship funding rules for 2026 to 2027 are for information only.
If you have any feedback on the draft rules, please email fundingrules.comments@dwp.gov.uk by Wednesday 6 May 2026. We will review all feedback and publish an updated version in May.
The 2026 to 2027 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2026 and 31 July 2027.
These rules apply to:
- employers
- employer-providers
- main providers
There are different funding rules for different apprenticeship start dates. You must follow the funding rules that apply to each apprentice.
We have published the rules for other years separately.
The summary of changes explains the specific rules that are changing from 1 August 2026.
The guidance on the reforms to apprenticeship assessment is aimed at supporting employers, providers, and assessment organisations in understanding and applying the changes to apprenticeship assessment announced in February 2025.