New Apprenticeship Grant

Leeds City Region LEP Apprenticeship Grant for Employers replaces the national apprenticeship grant incentive for businesses in West Yorkshire and York as agreed in the first stage devolution agreement with government in March 2015 for West Yorkshire.
The scheme supports businesses recruit young people, aged 16-24, into employment with financial support.

The LEP Apprenticeship Grant for Employers provides a core grant of £1,200 per apprentice. An additional incentive payment of £800 per apprentice is available.

If applicants meet the criteria for both the core grant and additional criteria they may be eligible for a total grant of up to £2,000 per apprentice. If eligible, applicants can claim up to three grants for three apprentices during the time the grant is available – so a potential £6,000 in total.

Applicant businesses must be based in Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield or York.
Applicants must employ less than 250 employees – whereas the national grant is currently for businesses with less than 50 staff.
The offer starts on 1 August 2015 and ends 31 December 2015 and the fund is limited.

In order to access the additional incentive payment of £800 per apprentice, applicants will need to meet any of the following additional criteria:
• If the Apprenticeship is offered as an Advanced or Higher Apprenticeship.
• If the business is within one of the following LEP priority sector subject (Apprenticeship framework) areas:
o Construction, Planning and the Built Environment;
o Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies;
o Information and Communication Technology;
o Science and Mathematics.
• If the business agrees to pay its apprentice the ‘living wage’ or as a minimum the ‘national minimum wage’ relevant to their age (which is above the national Apprenticeship wage).

Applications can be made at any time although the programme ends on 31 December 2015.
See the website for more details.