Access Funding

Funding routes

Which funding applies to you?

Apprenticeship Levy

Payroll over £3m? Your levy contributions fund apprenticeship training. We help you spend it before it expires — and arrange levy transfers for your supply chain.

How the levy works

Adult Skills Fund (ASF)

Fully funds courses for eligible employees — typically those without a Level 2 or 3 qualification, or returning to learning. Covers a wide range of vocational programmes.

ASF eligibility

Skills Bootcamps

DfE-funded intensive training of up to 16 weeks. Employers contribute just 10% for existing staff or 30% for new hires — the rest is government-funded.

Find a bootcamp

Levy calculator

Estimate your levy allowance

Enter your annual payroll and number of employees to estimate your levy allowance and see which funding routes apply to your business.

1 Enter your details

Annual payroll

Number of employees

Your payroll is below the £3m threshold — you don't pay the Apprenticeship Levy. You may still be eligible for the 5% co-investment route. Speak to our team to find out more.

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Levy-paying employer

Your levy pot is held in your Digital Apprenticeship Service account and can be spent on any apprenticeship standard. Unspent funds expire after 24 months.

2 Your estimated levy allowance

Annual levy pot

—

Monthly pot

—

Expires after

24 months

How it's calculated

Annual payroll—

Levy rate (0.5%)—

Government 10% top-up—

Annual allowance offset− £15,000

Net annual levy pot—

Levy transfer allowance

Max transfer to supply chain (25%)—

Remaining for your own apprentices—

This is an estimate only. Your actual levy amount depends on your PAYE bill as declared to HMRC and does not account for any existing spending via your Digital Apprenticeship Service account. Contact our employer engagement team on 01924 789761 for a personalised funding review.

Funding Breakdown

What each route covers

Levy-paying employer

0% training cost for apprenticeships
Levy funds sit in your DAS account
Expire after 24 months if unspent
Transfer up to 25% to supply chain

Non-levy employer

5% contribution to apprenticeship costs
0% for 16-18 year olds (under 50 staff)
£1,000 incentive for hiring 16-18 apprentices
No DAS account needed — we handle claims

Smaller employers

100% funded for eligible learners
No employer contribution required
Available regardless of payroll size
Covers Level 1-3 vocational qualifications

Common Questions

Funding - answered plainly

Expired funds can’t be reclaimed, but we can help you set up a plan to use future contributions before they lapse — including identifying suitable apprenticeship standards for your team.

Yes — apprenticeships are open to any employee of any age, including long-serving staff who want to upskill or change direction within the organisation.

Most programmes have rolling start dates. Short courses can begin within days of enquiry. Apprenticeships typically take 4-6 weeks to set up once a candidate is confirmed.

AEB funds learning for adults aged 19+ who meet residency requirements and don’t already hold the qualification level they're studying at. Our team will check eligibility for you before enrolment.

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Acme Inc

Not sure what funding you qualify for?

Our funding advisors offer a free eligibility check - no obligation, plain English.

Telephone: 01924 789761
Email: businessengagement@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk