Hiring an Apprentice in England: A Step-by-Step Checklist for US Employers

To hire an apprentice in England, your UK employing entity needs an apprenticeship service account, a funded apprenticeship standard with an approved training provider, a signed apprenticeship agreement and a three-party training plan. You must pay at least the apprentice minimum wage, release the apprentice for a published number of off-the-job training hours during paid time, and keep them employed through the final assessment. Here is the sequence, step by step.

The guidance applies to employers in England; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own systems, which this article does not cover. Sources are the Department for Work and Pensions guidance How to take on an apprentice (updated August 1, 2026), GOV.UK’s Employing an apprentice pages and the Apprenticeship funding rules for August 2026 to July 2027, version 3.

1. Confirm the hire fits the rules

An apprenticeship in England is a real job: the government’s employer factsheet describes it as a way for people over 16 to earn while they learn, at levels from Level 2 (GCSE equivalent) up to Level 7 (master’s degree level). Before you post a role, check that:

• the person is 16 or older by the end of the summer holidays and not in full-time education;
• they have the right to work in England and will spend at least 50% of their working hours in England, which the funding rules say also applies to remote and hybrid workers;
• they are employed by your UK entity or a connected company or charity under HMRC’s definition, and are on the PAYE payroll scheme declared in your apprenticeship service account;
• the role is relevant to the apprenticeship, and they work enough paid hours to complete it (durations assume 30 hours a week; part-timers can take longer);
• their employment contract will last until the end of the apprenticeship, including the end-point assessment.

2. Set up funding before you recruit

Every new start must be funded through the apprenticeship service. Your route depends on whether your UK pay bill, including connected companies, exceeds £3 million, the threshold for paying the Apprenticeship Levy:

• Non-levy employers reserve funds up to 3 months ahead of the expected start date, naming the course and start month. A reservation expires if unused within 3 months of its start date.
• Any employer can apply for a levy transfer from a larger company; it covers 100% of training and assessment up to the funding band maximum, for a new start.
• Above the funding band maximum, the employer pays the difference in full.

3. Pick the program, provider and price

Approved apprenticeships are designed by employer groups with Skills England, and each one maps to a specific occupation. Search for a provider with the Find apprenticeship training service and agree a total price that includes end-point assessment. The DWP guidance says assessment should not exceed 20% of the funding band maximum. If the candidate already has relevant skills, the provider must reduce both the content and the price; if fewer than 8 months or 187 hours of training remain, the program cannot be funded as an apprenticeship.

4. Paperwork: three documents, not one

1. Employment contract, covering pay, hours and conditions, long enough to finish the apprenticeship.
2. Apprenticeship agreement between employer and apprentice, a legal requirement under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. Under paragraph 72 of the funding rules it must state the apprentice’s name and workplace, the standard and level, start and end dates of the apprenticeship and of the practical training period, the practical period’s duration, and the off-the-job training time. If it is incomplete or unsigned, the provider cannot be funded.
3. Training plan signed by employer, apprentice and provider. It lists the planned content and schedule, total off-the-job hours, the delivery model, who delivers what, any English and math qualifications, progress review arrangements, how complaints are handled, and the employer’s written commitment to release the apprentice in working hours.

Practical details from the funding rules: the agreement and training plan must be separate documents; one person cannot sign as both employer and apprentice; there must be an identifiable line manager; and the provider needs a copy of the agreement. Templates for both documents are available on GOV.UK.

5. Pay, time off for training and other conditions

• Minimum pay: GOV.UK sets the apprentice National Minimum Wage at £8 per hour for ages 16 to 18 and for those 19 or older in their first year; afterwards, the standard minimum for their age applies.
• Paid training: apprentices are paid for working hours, off-the-job training and English and math study within the apprenticeship.
• Off-the-job hours: for starts since August 1, 2025, each standard publishes a minimum number of hours, with an absolute floor of 187 hours. Training normally happens in working hours; if it must happen outside them, the apprentice must agree and be compensated with time off or extra pay.
• Minimum length: the training period must last at least 8 months.
• Vacation: at least 20 days’ paid holiday a year plus bank holidays.
• Payroll tax relief: no employer National Insurance contributions on eligible earnings for apprentices under 25.

6. Support, reviews and final assessment

The employer factsheet lists your ongoing duties: on-the-job training, mentoring and supervision, and an induction on policies, procedures and safe working. The provider holds progress reviews at least every 3 calendar months. At least 6 months before the apprentice reaches gateway (the readiness check before assessment), an end-point assessment organization must be chosen and a price agreed. Assessment is independent, and the apprentice must remain employed until it is completed, with time allowed for resits. Since February 2025, some standards are switching to a new apprenticeship assessment model, so ask your provider which one applies.

When a step does not fit neatly into your situation, you can ask the Apprenticeships in England knowledge base directly, for instance “Is there a cap on how much we can be charged for end-point assessment?” For HR teams weighing up document-based assistants more broadly, see RAG for legal, HR and compliance teams.

Extra funding worth knowing about

• £1,000 to the employer for apprentices aged 16 to 18, or 19 to 24 with an EHC plan or care experience, paid via the provider in two halves (day 90 and day 365, or day 242 for shorter or foundation programs).
• £2,000 hiring payment for non-levy employers taking on new employees aged 16 to 24, for training starting from October 1, 2026; earliest payment from January 2027.
• £2,000 incentive per foundation apprentice, in three installments.
• £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for 18 to 24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for 6 months or more, paid by DWP.

Official sources: How to take on an apprentice, Employing an apprentice and the Apprenticeship funding rules 2026 to 2027. General information only, not legal advice.