£2,000 boost for small businesses who take on young apprentices

Small and medium-sized businesses to receive £2,000 for every young person taken on as an apprentice 

Refreshed apprenticeships.gov.uk website to make it easier than ever for businesses to get help with hiring apprentices. 

Part of government’s wider drive to deliver 50,000 more youth apprenticeships as it continues to create opportunity for young people across the country

Smaller businesses backing the next generation will receive £2,000 for every new young apprentice they take on, opening more doors for young people into skilled careers across the country. 

Backed by the Federation of Small Businesses, the move will help non-levy paying employers, which are typically small- and medium-sized enterprises, to cover the costs of taking on a young person as an apprentice, building the talent pipeline they need to thrive and grow.  

To make it as simple as possible for smaller businesses, they do not need to apply for the payment, and it will instead be passed onto them via their apprenticeship training provider. 

Small and medium sized businesses are vital for driving growth in every postcode, and this payment will help them better support young people in their local area, enabling people to access a wider range of career opportunities that might otherwise have been out of reach. 

As part of ongoing efforts to improve the apprenticeship system for apprentices and businesses a new and improved apprenticeships.gov.uk will serve as a one-stop shop for businesses looking for clear, practical guidance on hiring apprentices, from eligibility criteria through to funding and support.   

Employers will be able to calculate how much funding support they are eligible for and hear from real businesses on their apprenticeship experiences, while young people can browse a range of opportunities by interest and access a step-by-step journey of how to apply for an apprenticeship.