Are you missing out on £2,500 for hiring your first apprentice?

Recruit your first apprentice this summer!

Grants of up to £2,500 are on offer for businesses with 249 or fewer employees to recruit an apprentice. If your business is based in Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield or York you can apply for the apprenticeship grant for employers (AGE) from Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

A core grant of £2,000 is on offer when a business takes on their first apprentice, subject to meeting the grant eligibility criteria. An additional top up grant of £500 is available if the Apprenticeship is at level 4 or above as defined by the Educations and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). The apprentice must be employed to fill a newly created post within the organisation and be aged 19-24 years old.

Choose GK Apprenticeships as your ESFA approved training provider and we’ll help you every step of the way from recruiting your apprentice to applying for the grant. So why not use your grant to cover the recruitment fees or help you buy some new equipment for your apprentice.

If successful, the grant will be paid directly into the businesses nominated account by BACS. The grant will be paid after 13-week evidence (including an Apprenticeship Progress Review Document) is submitted and verified.

Act now, the funding is limited and once it’s gone, it’s gone.

View the different apprenticeship standards that are on offer and contact us to speak to a sales person and find out more about recruiting an apprentice with us.

T’s & C’s (including eligibility information)

• Business must employ 249 or fewer employees (across all franchise / subsidiary / partner organisations combined)
• Business has NEVER had an apprentice or accessed apprentice funded/part funded apprenticeship training
• Business falls within a Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield or York Local Authority postcode and the apprentice is employed to work at a site within one of these local authorities
• Business is employing the apprentice in a newly created post
• Apprentice is aged 19-24 years old (must be this age on the first day of training)
• Apprenticeship is with a training provider who is registered and approved by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)
• Apprenticeship course is an ESFA recognised Apprenticeship Framework or Approved Standard
• Apprentice is paid the National Minimum Wage (NMW) relevant to their age from their start of employment (and will continue to be paid NMW during apprenticeship period)
• Apprentice is paid a minimum of 30 hours per week
• Apprentice is eligible for Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funding support
• Apprentice is free to be an apprentice, not taking part in any full-time education or training elsewhere
• Business is committed to employing the apprentice for a minimum of 12 months or for the whole time it takes them to complete their apprenticeship, whichever is the longer
• A business can only claim for one grant and this will be subject to all eligibility criteria being evidenced and verified.
• It is important to note that the grant is not guaranteed and subject to funding availability and verification of all the evidence required.
• What happens if the apprentice decides to leave? If the apprentice leaves or is dismissed it is the businesses responsibility to inform the LEP immediately. If the apprentice has not completed a continuous 13 weeks in employment (for a contract of 30 hours or more) and training simultaneously, their claim will be void. As a minimum the business is required to provide at least twelve months employment to the apprentice and for the whole duration of their Apprenticeship Training programme/course, subject to satisfactory performance as an employee.

A business is not eligible for the LEP AGE grant if:

• A business is paying the Government Apprenticeship Levy
• A business has previously accessed any apprenticeship grants or apprenticeship funded/part funded learning
• The apprentice began their employment more than three month prior to the training start date
• The business has not registered the apprentice with the HMRC as being employed by the business (Payslip evidence)
• The business cannot provide the evidence requested, at various stages throughout the application and assessment process (see Information for businesses document and Step by step guide)