Following last week’s SCTP members’ conference, in which questions were asked of the ESFA about the apprenticeship levy transfer changes, Ben Payne from the ESFA has sent SCTP further clarifications around this issue.
The transfers allow eligible levy-paying employers to transfer up to 25% of the annual value of funds entering their digital accounts to other employers. Employers who pay the apprenticeship levy and have unused apprenticeship funds can transfer to any other employer, for example employers they currently work with, other employers in their industry, an Apprenticeship Training Agency (ATA) or they could find suitable employers through regional partners. Both sending and receiving employers need to be registered on the apprenticeship service. The transferred funds can only be used to pay for the training and assessment cost of the apprenticeships agreed with the receiving employer. Funds are paid monthly for the duration of the apprenticeship and the transfers can only be used to pay for apprenticeship standards and for new starts. Further information is available here.