Supporting apprentices when their training provider exits the market

Overview

This guidance is for training providers supporting apprentices who need to transfer due to another training provider exiting the market. It explains your responsibilities and how apprenticeship funding applies in these situations.

Contents

1. Taking on transferring apprentices
2. Key actions when onboarding
3. How funding works when apprentices transfer
4. Agreeing the price for the remainder
5. Prior learning
6. Co-investment
7. Additional payments
8. Important restrictions
9. Data handling

10. Summary

     

1. Taking on transferring apprentices

You can support transferring apprentices without DfE approval, provided that:

• You hold the appropriate DfE funding agreement 
• You are approved to deliver the same apprenticeship standard
• You can deliver any required qualifications
• You complete checks on eligibility and recognise prior learning

2. Key actions when onboarding

When taking on a transferring apprentice, you must: 

Carry out an initial assessment, including reviewing prior learning 

• Obtain and review evidence of training already delivered 
• Adjust the programme (content, duration, and price) to reflect prior learning 
• Agree a new Total Negotiated Price (TNP) with the employer for remaining delivery including the cost of apprenticeship assessment (assessment) 
• Put in place a new employer contract and commitment statement
• Record the learner as a restart, not a new start, in the ILR 
• Ensure: 
  • Minimum duration requirements are met (including previous time on programme)
  • Off-the-job training is appropriate for the remaining delivery

3. How funding works when apprentices transfer

• Apprenticeship funding does not restart when a learner transfers 
• Some funding will already have been used by the previous training provider 
• The total funding available across all episodes of the same apprenticeship is capped at the funding band maximum (FBM)

Important

• You can only claim funding from DfE up to the remaining amount within the FBM, taking account of funding already paid to previous training providers 
• You may agree a higher price for the remaining training 
• Any amount above the funding band must be paid directly by the employer and cannot be funded through the apprenticeship service

4. Agreeing the price for the remainder

The new TNP must reflect: 

• The training still required 
• Adjustment for prior learning 
• Cost of assessment

5. Prior learning

You must: 

• Assess the apprentice’s existing knowledge, skills and behaviours 
• Review evidence from previous learning 
• Map this against the apprenticeship standard 

Where prior learning is identified: 

• The duration and cost must be reduced accordingly 
• You must not duplicate training already delivered

6. Co-investment

• Co-investment applies to the new TNP where relevant 
• If the employer has already paid co-investment to a previous training provider; they should not be required to pay the same contribution again, where evidence exists 
• Where the employer has already paid all required co-investment to a previous training provider, you may seek approval from DfE via the Customer Help Portal to use LDM361 code in the ILR to reflect this and avoid duplicate collection

7. Additional payments

• Employer and provider eligibility for additional payments is not affected by transfer 
• You can claim payments that were not already earned by the previous training provider 
• All claims must meet funding rules and eligibility criteria

8. Important restrictions

• You should only record apprentices on your ILR where there is eligible training activity still to be delivered 
• Apprentices who have reached gateway to completion and have no further training to deliver should not be recorded on your ILR as there is no eligible learning remaining
• You may support apprentices who are at gateway to completion with their apprenticeship assessment (end-point assessment) however, any assessment costs not already paid by the previous training provider to the assessment organisation must not be claimed through the ILR
• Where appropriate, apprenticeship assessment costs may be claimed via the Earnings Adjustment Statement (EAS), subject to prior approval from DfE via the Customer Help Portal

9. Data handling

• You must not accept or use apprentice or employer data from other organisations without appropriate permission 
• You must comply with data protection requirements and your funding agreement

10. Summary

When apprentices transfer due to provider exit: 

• Funding is limited to what remains within the funding band 
• You must reassess the apprentice and adjust delivery accordingly 
• A new price must reflect remaining eligible training and assessment costs only 
• Employers may need to pay additional costs directly (if applicable) 

• Accurate ILR/Apprenticeship Service (AS) recording and evidence retention are critical for audit and compliance

   

Need support?

Please contact the the Apprenticeship Service if you are having issues. 

If you have a specific query about that is not covered by this information or the guidance, please contact us using the Customer Help Portal.