Apprenticeship guidance and ESFA’s post-16 provider relief scheme

Updated guidance on the apprenticeship programme

These are difficult times for employers, apprentices and providers of apprenticeship training and assessment.

As part of the cross-government efforts to respond to the impact of COVID-19, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is implementing new measures, until further notice, to make it easier for apprenticeships to continue and complete in a different way if they need to, or to break and resume an apprenticeship later when that becomes possible.

The new guidance sets out guidance and some temporary flexibilities that we are introducing to the programme during the pandemic, and provides answers to questions related to these changes and other common questions. Our information should be read alongside government’s COVID-19 guidance and support for businesses.

This guidance and these measures start immediately and apply until further notice. Click here to read the guidance.

ESFA post-16 provider relief scheme

ESFA recognises that training providers are faced with enormous challenges in continuing to deliver education and training during this period of uncertainty as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

In line with Cabinet Office guidance they are introducing payment measures in the form of a provider relief scheme.

The purpose of the scheme is to retain capacity within the apprenticeships and adult education sector to deliver the skills they will need to support economic recovery post-pandemic. As part of that, they also want to support training providers to maintain delivery to and support for existing learners and employers and enable new learners to enrol.

Click here for more information about the relief scheme.