All apprenticeships must be registered through the Apprenticeship service to receive funding. This guide provides you with a comprehensive overview of what is required so you can get started creating your apprenticeship account. Remember an apprentice can help your business thrive and diversify, so let us help you find the right person or people for your business.

 

What do you need before you set up your apprenticeship service account?

You’ll need the following:

• An email address you have access to.
• The Government Gateway login for your organisation (or you can use the accounts office reference number and employer PAYE scheme reference number if your annual pay bill is less than £3 million).
• Authority to add PAYE schemes to the account.
• Authority to accept the employer agreement on behalf of your organisation.

To set up the account, you will be asked to:

• Create an account.
• Add a PAYE scheme on behalf of your organisation.
• Accept the employer agreement with the ESFA.

 

How do I set up a Government Gateway login for my organisation?

If your business doesn’t already have a Government Gateway login, then you can use the instructions below to make one for your organisation. Use your Government Gateway to register your apprenticeship account. Navigate to the HMRC login page to begin.

1. Click the Green ‘sign in’ button.
2. You will be directed to the page entitled ‘sign in using Government Gateway’.
3. Underneath the two boxes, click ‘create sign in details’.
4. Enter email address when requested.
5. You will be emailed with a confirmation code. Use this code to confirm your email address.
6. Follow the online steps entering the appropriate information as prompted.
7. You have now been issued with a User ID for your Government Gateway account.
8. You will then be requested to choose which type of account you need. Select the relevant type from the list: ‘organisation’, ‘ individual’, and ‘agent’.
9. Complete the details requested by HMRC based on the type of account you select.

 

Now, how do I create my apprenticeship service account?

1. Navigate to the Apprenticeship website and select ‘create an apprenticeship service account’.
2. Select Create on the Manage Apprenticeships website to start with a blank application page.
3. Register using an accessible email address.
4. A code will be sent to your email address to verify it.
5. Use your Government Gateway or Employer PAYE scheme to confirm your account.
6. You will then need to confirm your organisation using:
   1. Companies House number or
   2. Charity House Number or
   3. Public Body Name
7. The above will help if you want to search for your organisation manually, or if your organisation cannot be found
8. You will then be prompted to accept your Employer Agreement. Make sure you have the authority to do so.

 

How can I now reserve funds for my apprentice’s training and assessment?

You must reserve funding before seeking an apprentice. It’s the most time-efficient way to get your apprenticeship up and running.

Reserving apprenticeship funds is a mandatory process for all non-levy funded apprenticeships. All funding must be reserved in advance of adding the apprentice’s details. By reserving the funding this means your business will have the funding available to them, to support training and assessment for their apprentice.

Once the reservation has been secured, the training provider can work with their provider to add the details. The details necessary will be a Training Provider, an Apprentice Name and a Unique Learner Number. These details will need to be checked and approved by both the employer and their training provider before the training takes place.

 

To begin reserving funding you must navigate to your now completed employer account. The following options will be available to you.

Apprenticeships

Apprentices

Here you can add apprentices, update details of existing apprentices and authorise payments to training providers.

Recruitment

Here you can recruit an apprentice by creating a vacancy. The vacancy will be advertised on ‘Find an Apprenticeship’.

Training Provider Permissions

Here you can set training provider permissions and control what tasks they can do on your behalf.

Find apprenticeship training

Here you can search for apprenticeships and see details of approved providers who can deliver the training.

 

Finances

Your funding reservations

Here you can reserve and manage funding

Your finances

Here you can view your financial transactions, connect with other employers and receive transfer funds.

 

Making your reservation

To make a reservation, you will need to know which month the apprentice will start.

1. You will be asked which apprenticeship training the apprentice will take. If you know then click yes, if not then click no.
2. If yes, you will be asked to choose the apprenticeship training from a drop-down list.
3. You will then be directed to choose when the apprenticeship will start. You are given a list of options, choose which from the options matches your start time.
4. The service will then check that funding is available and if it will ask you to reserve funding now.

After the reservation has been made you can change the apprenticeship training course. If the start date needs to change outside of the three-month dates that are offered, a new reservation date is required. Please note an apprenticeship can start on any date on the months offered and can start within 2 months of the dates offered.

 

Once the funding has been reserved, you will be directed to a confirmed funding page. You can choose from the options of where you want to go next. These are:

• Recruit an apprentice
• Find a training provider
• Add apprentice’s derails
• Go to Homepage