Change Employer - EPA Referred

Ugh, this is where the lack of detail about retakes really bites us in the bum. This has reminded me that the conversation I was having with the Service Desk back in November never reached a satisfactory conclusion, so I've chased it up.

The main issue here is which employer should "pay" for the completion payment...

Hi Both, 

Any luck ? 

Wouldn't the first employer be liable for the completion payment as the outcome (pass/fail) is irrelevant to the completion payment.

The question then would be around EPAO payment arrangements for retakes. Does the original assessment price include a second attempt, or is it an extra charge. Extra fees would depend on if the training and assessment price was below the maximum fee band level. If not then the extra cost above the fee band maximum would be funded by the new employer.

Steveh - I would be interested in what the Service Desk come back with as we are just atthe point where our apprentices are reaching EPA in larger numbers and already I can see these types of queries occurring.

Response from Service Desk as below.....

We would advise that where an apprentice fails the end-point assessment but they wish to resit this, the fail is not recorded as it is not the final outcome. 

Resits for end-point assessments can be charged by the end-point assessment organisation, however, they are not an eligible cost for apprenticeship funding. These costs need to be met by the employer as per apprenticeship gateway and resits for end point assessment:

The employer has responsibility for the majority of their apprentice’s training. Employers are expected to financially support apprentices until completion, including paying the cost of resits, when necessary. Resits are ineligible costs and are not funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).

Please note that any additional learning required to resit the end-point assessment may be funded as per 2020/2021 main provider funding rules:

P110.3 Additional learning required to retake an end-point assessment.

Thanks Carrie - that's good to know.

I had asked previously about apprentices resitting training modules and was advised that the costs could be covered by ESFA funding, by renegotiating total training price, with any costs above the fee band maximum covered by the employer.

However it appears that doesn't apply to EPA resits, as per your guidance above.

Many thanks.

Not even answering the question, as per.

They have now convinced me that Completion isn't recorded until the learner is "finished" (despite "finished" not being defined anywhere in the rules) their resits, but no further news on complex situations like this (or when someone says they *definitely* don't want to resit and then two months later changes their mind...)