Employment and redundancy in apprenticeships

Overview

Sometimes, apprentices may unfortunately lose their jobs around the same time that their training provider's apprenticeship funding agreements with ESFA are terminated.

This situation can be challenging because the apprentice loses support from their employer and may also lose support from their training provider.

In some situations, DfE can offer support to apprentices affected by this issue.

Employment in Apprenticeships

To continue your apprenticeship, you must be employed and have a contract of employment that lasts until you finish the apprenticeship, including the end-point assessment.

If you have lost your job, your apprenticeship funding will stop, and you will need to find a new employer who will support your apprenticeship. You will not be able to resume your apprenticeship until you have found new employment.

Once you find a new employer, they should identify a new training provider who can deliver the rest of your apprenticeship training and assessment.

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

If you have been made formally redundant, there may be other options for you to consider.

Redundancy

If you have been made formally redundant, and your training provider can continue delivering training to you, ESFA will continue to fund your apprenticeship training for at least 12 weeks following your redundancy. This is to give you time to find alternative employment so that you can continue with your apprenticeship.

If you identify a new employer, they should identify a new training provider who can deliver the rest of your apprenticeship training and assessment.

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

If you are unable to secure a new employer or your training provider can no longer offer training due to the termination of their apprenticeship funding agreements with ESFA, you may still be able to finish your apprenticeship training and assessment if either of the following conditions apply:

• You have less than 6 months of training left to complete
• You have finished 75% or more of your training

If you believe the above conditions apply you should contact DfE for support by following these steps using the Customer Help Portal:

• When prompted with the "Is this enquiry about a specific organisation?" screen select "yes" and provide details of your previous provider.
• When asked "What is your enquiry about?" select "Provider Closure."
• On the enquiry details screen, you will be prompted to specify the nature of your enquiry.
• In the "Add a short title" box, type "Request for support following redundancy and provider closure."
• In the "What is your enquiry?" box, include the following information at least:
• Summarise your situation, including details like your previous employer’s name, the date you were notified of your redundancy, your official redundancy date, and confirm what date your employment contract ended
• Confirm how much of your apprenticeship you have completed
• Describe the actions you have taken to find a new employer.
• Tell us whether you have found a new employer yet and if not, if you plan to do so
• Attach a copy of your redundancy notice and any other relevant documents.

Please note DfE need you to share the above information so we can understand how we can help you. DfE will review your enquiry and advise if the conditions apply based on your personal circumstances and if they do, DfE will help you and attempt to identify a new training provider to support you.

If you have been made redundant but the conditions above do not apply you will need to find a new employer who will support your apprenticeship. You will not be able to resume your apprenticeship until you have found new employment.

Once you find a new employer, they should identify a new training provider who can deliver the rest of your apprenticeship training and assessment.

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

Searching for new employment opportunities

To search for employment opportunities so that you can continue with your apprenticeship you can use Find an apprenticeship.

This service can help you find apprenticeships and employers local to you.

You can also set up alerts to be notified when new opportunities become available.