Barnsley College supports employers across the region to access apprenticeship funding worth up to £2,000

Barnsley College is supporting more employers across the region to access apprenticeship funding worth up to £2,000.

Launched in  August 2020, the UK government introduced a new funding incentive of up to £2,000 to employers recruiting new apprentices that was available until the end of January. However, this initiative has been extended to Wednesday 31 March 2021 in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s November spending review.

Helen Weatherston, Head of Business Development at Barnsley College, said: “The funding comes in recognition of the huge value that apprenticeships deliver to businesses across the country and it will support the UK’s economic recovery from COVID-19.

“The effects of the pandemic will be with us for longer than anyone initially anticipated, so the extension of the scheme is positive news as it will help to support employers, the workforce and students alike, for a while longer.”

In order to qualify for the incentive payment, the apprentice must not have been employed by the same employer within six months prior to the apprenticeship start date, and their contract of employment must start between 1 August 2020 and 31 March 2021 (inclusive). There is no limit on the number of incentive payments that an employer can claim, provided they meet the required criteria set out by the government.

The funding awarded is based on the age of the apprentice hired. For apprentices aged 16-24 the payment will be £2,000 and for apprentices aged 25 and over the payment will be £1,500. This incentive is additional to the existing funding available prior to August. Payments are made via the Apprenticeship Service, a government portal where employers can find, fund and manage their own apprenticeship programmes.

All non-levy employers (with a wage bill below £3million) are required by the government to register onto this system by April 2021 in order to apply for any funding towards apprenticeships. Barnsley College’s Business Development team can support this process; it is straight-forward and takes only ten minutes to complete.

For more information about apprenticeships and the support available to employers, visit www.barnsley.ac.uk/employers or email [email protected]