From 1 April 2021, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will reset reservation levels for employers who do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy.  This will enable employers to make up to 10 new reservations to fund new apprenticeship starts in the financial year 2021-22.  ESFA will continue to monitor the number of reservations used by employers who do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy and will keep this under review.

Funds transferred from employers who pay the levy to other employers through the apprenticeship service are not included when measuring the number of reservations.  Employers who do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy can reserve funds for training and assessment in the ‘finance’ section of their apprenticeship service account.  They can also give training providers permission to do this on their behalf.  Find out more

Employers can reserve funds up to 6 months in advance.

From 1 April 2021, we are extending the reservation period for employers who do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy from 3 to 6 months.  This means that from 1 April, these employers will be able to reserve funds up to 6 months before an apprenticeship is planned to start.  This will give employers greater flexibility when planning their apprenticeship programmes and reassure them that funding for apprenticeships is available for a longer period.  Find out more