ESFA: Apprenticeship service transition, acting on user feedback

We had planned that all employers would be able to use the apprenticeship service to access apprenticeship funding from April 2019.

Having listened to feedback about the scale and pace of the apprenticeship reforms that we have introduced since May 2017, we want to make sure that future changes are introduced in a gradual, well-managed way. This is to give time for employers and training providers to prepare to take full advantage of the new approach and to keep stability in the marketplace.

To ensure a more gradual transition, we will extend current contracts for training providers delivering training for employers that do not pay the apprenticeship levy for 12 months, from April 2019 to March 2020.

Over the summer, we will work closely with employers and training providers to plan what a gradual transition should look like. We will provide further details in the autumn, including what this will mean for providers with existing contracts and plans to develop the apprenticeship service for all employers.