How we work at 360 Apprenticeships
As a public sector funded recruitment agency, looking for an apprentice with us is completely free for all employers. Partnering apprentices with Grade 1 and 2 training providers, we ensure that each apprentice is delivered the best training towards their Apprenticeship.
What happens once I hire an Apprentice?
Once you have hired an apprentice you will need to draw up a contract of employment. This contract needs to include the hours the apprentice will work every week (maximum of 40 hours), hourly wage and holiday entitlement including bank holidays. Before the apprentice starts we will discuss employer commitments and ensure that they are with the relevant training provider. Within the first weeks of the apprentices start date, the training provider will visit the work place and sign them to the apprenticeship scheme.
Government Funding
Once you hire an apprentice, you are entitled to funding for the training of the apprenticeship course. If you hire an apprentice between the ages of 16 – 18 and have a work force below 50 employees, the government will cover the full cost of the apprenticeship. You will also receive £1000 for training costs, pay etc. Any businesses that hire apprentices aged 19 or over will have to pay 5% toward the training. The government will then contribute the other 95% of funding.
During 2020 – 2021, employers could receive extra funding for all apprentices with the COVID grant. If you hired and placed an apprentice on your payroll between October 2021 and January 31st 2022, You will be able to claim this grant up until the close off date of March 31st 2022.
You will receive these grants in 2 instalments; 50% 90 days after enrolment and 50% after a full year (12 months). To learn more, the link below will go into more detail:
Apprenticeship Wages
The minimum wage to pay an apprentice is £4.30 hour, yet you do have the option to pay over the minimum apprenticeship wage. We suggest that a minimum of £5 or above is more desirable to candidates.
If you are looking for someone with a bit more experience, A higher wage (doesn’t need to be minimum) will attract the right candidates. This way you know you are going to find the right people and garner more applications. Once an apprentice has completed 12 months of their apprenticeship, you must pay the apprentice the national minimum working wage depending on their age.
Tax Relief on Apprentice’s Wages
As of 2019/2020, employers no longer have to pay any tax relief for apprentices. If the Apprentice earns less than £12,500 a year, they are earning under what is known as personal allowance. If you employ an apprentice you may not need to pay employer Class 1 National Insurance contributions (NICs) on their earnings below £827 a week (£43,000 a year).
Do I qualify to receive an Additional Payment?
Under the new funding rules, if you recruit an apprentice aged 16 – 18 when they sign up to the apprenticeship scheme, you will be eligible for an Additional Payment of £1,000. This is separate pay from the Levy, funding or co-investment. This additional payment is to help with the training of the apprentice, and is a separate payment made to the employer by the government.
Apprenticeship Levy
To be eligible for the full funding of an apprentice, you must not be paying into the apprenticeship levy. The Apprenticeship Levy is a compulsory tax which calculates to 0.5% of your annual pay bill. Designed by the government, the aim is to fund three million apprenticeships across England. All employers who have a yearly pay bill of £3 million or more, will have to pay this tax whether you hire an apprentice or not.
Once an employer starts to pay this tax, they are entitled to a fixed annual allowance of £15,000 which can go towards training if they hire an apprentice. To access these funds, you will be able to do this through the Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS). However, you only have 24 months to use these funds once they have entered the account.