My apprenticeship training provider is no longer able to provide training: What do I do next?

Overview

If a training provider you work with has its apprenticeship funding agreements with ESFA terminated, they may no longer be able to deliver apprenticeship training for your apprentices.

This means that you will likely need to find another provider to help your apprentices complete their apprenticeship programme.

How will I find out?

If this happens to your provider, DfE will write to notify you about the termination of their funding agreements at the earliest opportunity. DfE will advise you how the termination affects your apprentices and their apprenticeship programme.

If any of your apprentices are taking a break from their apprenticeship programme at the point your provider’s funding agreements are terminated, DfE will write to them directly to explain the situation. The communication will advise them to get in touch with you, their employer, when they are ready to resume their apprenticeship.

Options and support available

As apprenticeships are employer-led, it is your responsibility to decide which provider you contract with to deliver apprenticeship training to your employee(s).

It is also your responsibility to find and appoint a suitable alternative apprenticeship provider if the current provider you work with has its apprenticeship funding agreements with ESFA terminated.

Your apprentices are not responsible for finding a new provider.

If your provider has its apprenticeship funding agreements with ESFA terminated and your apprentices still need to complete their apprenticeships, the following support options are available to you:

Completion with current provider

Where providers are still delivering training under a termination notice period, it may be possible that your apprentice could complete all of the mandatory elements of their apprenticeship training, up to Gateway, during the notice period given to your provider.

If so, you may agree with the provider that existing delivery arrangements can continue with them.

Providers can continue to support an apprentice through the end-point assessment (EPA) after the termination date of their funding agreement has passed, providing the apprentice has completed all their apprenticeship training and have passed through Gateway before the termination date is reached.

To find out if this option is available to you, please speak to your provider.

Note: If your provider has ceased trading, entered liquidation or administration, or has received an immediate notice of termination from ESFA they will no longer be able to deliver training to your apprentices and you should immediately proceed to identify a suitable alternative apprenticeship provider.

Employer-led transfer

You are responsible for finding and appointing a suitable alternative apprenticeship provider that can help your apprentice complete their apprenticeship.

You can search for eligible providers using the Find Apprenticeship Training service on GOV.UK.

You must undertake your own due diligence before entering a contractual relationship with a provider.

You are responsible for managing your organisations apprenticeship funds in the apprenticeships service.

Guidance for managing your apprenticeship funding in the apprenticeship service is available on the Get help with the apprenticeship service page on GOV.UK.

DfE will track which provider your apprentices transfer to using the data providers submit to us to claim apprenticeship funding.

DfE exceptional support offer

If you have attempted but have been unsuccessful in finding and appointing a suitable alternative apprenticeship provider and have exhausted your options, you can request exceptional support from DfE in specific scenarios.