Through the Apprenticeship Levy we are able to fund both newly recruited Apprentices and existing members of your team through their course of study with no financial impact on teams or divisional finances.
What is the Apprenticeship Levy scheme?
The Apprenticeship Levy is a tax on UK employers that was introduced in 2017. It was designed to increase the number of apprenticeships in the country and improve the quality of training available to apprentices.
The levy is paid by all employers with a payroll of over £3 million per year. The amount paid is 0.5% of their annual pay bill, minus an allowance of £15,000. This means that only large employers pay the levy.
The money collected from the levy is used to fund apprenticeship training and assessment. Employers who pay the levy can access the funds to pay for apprenticeship training and assessment, and they can choose the training provider they want to work with. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy can also access funding for apprenticeship training and assessment, but they need to contribute 5% of the cost of training, with the government covering the remaining 95%.
Overall, the Apprenticeship Levy is designed to encourage more employers to offer apprenticeships and to improve the quality of training available to apprentices. It provides a dedicated fund for apprenticeship training and assessment, which can be accessed by employers of all sizes.
How can I access this funding?
To access funding the individual should first discuss the apprenticeship with their line manager or the apprenticeship team. They will be supported to identify an apprenticeship standard that is relevant to their job role or career aspirations to find an approved training provider. Procurement of the training is the responsibility of the apprenticeship team.
Once the Trust agrees to use the apprenticeship Levy funds to pay for the individual's apprenticeship training, the training provider will work with the employer to set up the apprenticeship and register the individual on the relevant apprenticeship standard. The training provider will then invoice the employer for the cost of the apprenticeship training and assessment, which will be paid for using the employer's levy funds.
It's important to note that the availability of levy funds for an individual's apprenticeship training and assessment is ultimately at the discretion of the Trust. Please visit HR49 (apprenticeship policy) for procedures for accessing levy funds. It's important for individuals, teams and divisions discuss this with the Trust apprenticeship team before pursuing an apprenticeship.
Staff should not approach an apprenticeship provider directly.
Funding and Mersey Care
The apprenticeship Levy within the Trust is managed and held by Organisation, Effectiveness and Learning (OE&L) as part of trust wide support services.
This department of the Trust is tasked with the integration of apprenticeship into the workforce, working alongside divisional leads to maximise apprenticeship opportunities. As a ring fenced funding stream, the apprenticeship Levy enables us to do this, by being the only funding stream within the NHS organisation that can only be spent on study. This restriction guarantees that the allocated funding for the study can only be used for that purpose and cannot be mis-spent or otherwise utilised.
Furthermore more this ensures that no division within the Trust will need to pay for apprenticeship study for any apprentice regardless of their course of study. The only financial implication that may impact on a division will be the salary and backfill costs of that apprentice.