Apprenticeship funding rules are the rules employers and training providers must follow to get funding for training and assessing apprentices in England.
The Department for Education have published an update in regard to the 2025 / 2026 Apprenticeship funding rules. The 2025 to 2026 apprenticeship funding rules will be released in May 2025.
In a change from previous years a draft version of the Funding Rules will not be published in March.
During the March to May period, the Department for Education will engage with the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), the Association of Colleges (AoC) and their expert providers to ensure the rules are as clear as possible.
The changes for 2025 to 2026 will focus on several priority areas, including operational developments such as finalising the implementation of new foundation apprenticeships and off-the-job policy.
The 2025 to 2026 funding rules will introduce updates across:
- active learning policy, with adjustments to support more flexible delivery models and maintain learner engagement
- prisoner apprenticeships, clarifying processes and eligibility to expand apprenticeship access for prisoners
- changes to end-point assessment (EPA), implementing modifications following announcements made during National Apprenticeship Week
- eligibility criteria, updating eligibility guidelines to ensure greater clarity and consistency
- English and maths clarifications, providing further guidance on English and maths requirements to support all apprentices