Financial incentives for hiring an apprentice or trainee

25 May 2021

From 1 June, businesses in England can now apply for a £3,000 payment for each apprentice they take on as a new employee between 1 April and 30 September 2021.

The payment will be made directly to you, the employer, and you can choose how you spend this incentive. This payment can be claimed in addition to the existing £1,000 available to you for hiring an apprentice aged 16 to 18 years old and those under 25 with an education, health and care plan or who has been in the care of their local authority.

Please note: You must have an apprenticeship service account if you want to apply for an incentive payment. For more information on how to apply for the apprenticeship incentive, please visit GOV.UK.

You can also claim £1,000 per young person placement (up to 10 incentive payments per employer, per region) for Traineeship work placements between 1 September 2020 and 31 July 2022. Further information is available on GOV.UK.

As the economy recovers from the impact of Covid-19, apprenticeships and Traineeships will be more important than ever in helping businesses to recruit the right people and develop the skills they need to recover and grow – both now and in the long-term.