How to Take On an Apprentice: Funding 2026

How to Take on an Apprentice: Funding & Steps 2026

Taking on an apprentice is one of the most cost-effective ways for a trade to grow — the government funds most or all of the training, and you get to build the exact skills your business needs. With a shortage of skilled trades across the UK, growing your own is often smarter than fighting over the few qualified people on the market. It’s a real commitment of time and mentoring, but the funding support and the payoff of a loyal, trained hand make it worth understanding properly. Here’s how it works and how to get started.

Why apprentices make sense right now

The trades are short of people. Experienced sparkies, gas engineers, plumbers and builders are in demand and expensive to poach, and the pipeline of new talent hasn’t kept up. An apprentice lets you sidestep that fight: you take on someone keen, train them to your standards, and in a few years you have a skilled worker who knows how you do things.

There’s a loyalty dividend too. Someone you trained from the start, who you invested in, tends to stick around far longer than a hire who came for the money and will leave for more. For a small firm trying to add a second or third pair of hands, an apprentice is often the most sustainable way to grow.

What an apprenticeship actually is

An apprenticeship is a genuine job with structured training attached. The apprentice works for you and earns a wage, and alongside that they study towards a recognised qualification — usually spending most of their week working with you and the rest with a training provider (a college or training company).

Apprenticeships run to a set standard for each trade, covering the skills, knowledge and behaviours they need, and end with an assessment that confirms they’re competent. So it’s not cheap labour with a certificate bolted on — it’s a real route to a qualified tradesperson, with the on-the-job learning happening under you.

The funding: the part that surprises people

This is where a lot of small firms get it wrong by assuming it’s unaffordable. For most small businesses, the government funds the great majority of the training cost.

If you’re a smaller employer that doesn’t pay the apprenticeship levy (which only larger payrolls pay), the government covers the bulk of the training and assessment costs, with the employer contributing only a small share — and in a number of cases, particularly for younger apprentices or smaller employers, that employer contribution can be reduced or fully covered. There are also incentive payments available at times for taking certain apprentices on.

The exact percentages, caps and incentives change, so the one essential step is to check the current position on gov.uk’s apprenticeship guidance for employers, or ask a training provider to spell out what you would pay for your apprentice. What stays true year to year is that the training bill for a small firm is far smaller than most trades expect.

What you do pay directly is the apprentice’s wage. There’s an apprentice rate within the National Minimum Wage that can apply in the first year and for apprentices under 19, with normal minimum wage rates applying after that — check the current rates on gov.uk, and many good employers pay above the minimum to attract and keep the right person.

The steps to take one on

1. Work out what you need

Be clear on the trade, the level and the day-to-day role before you start. What will they actually do in year one? Do you have enough varied work to teach them properly? An apprentice needs real jobs to learn on, not just sweeping up.

1. Find a training provider

The training provider delivers the classroom side and helps administer the apprenticeship. Local colleges and specialist training companies offer trade apprenticeships — approach a few, compare how they run it, and pick one you can work with. They’ll also walk you through the funding and paperwork, which takes a lot of the admin off your plate.

1. Advertise and recruit

You can advertise the vacancy through the government’s apprenticeship service and through your training provider, as well as locally. Recruit as you would for any hire — attitude, reliability and willingness to learn matter more than experience in someone starting out.

1. Set up the arrangement

There’s an agreement between you, the apprentice and the training provider that sets out the training, the commitment and how funding works. The provider guides you through it. Register through the government’s apprenticeship service so the funding flows correctly.

1. Employ and mentor them

From day one they’re your employee — proper contract, wage, and the usual employer responsibilities including their working hours, holidays and, in most cases, a pension. The biggest input from you isn’t money, it’s time: someone has to show them the ropes on real jobs, which is a genuine cost to weigh up against the long-term gain.

Be realistic about the commitment

An apprentice isn’t a shortcut to instant capacity. In the early months they’ll slow you down before they speed you up, and they need supervision, patience and steady teaching. If you’re a one-person outfit run off your feet, be honest about whether you have the time to train someone properly — a neglected apprentice helps nobody.

Done well, though, the maths works out. A few years of investment turns into a skilled, loyal tradesperson who can eventually run jobs on their own and let you take on more work.

FAQ

How much does it cost to take on an apprentice? Your main direct cost is the apprentice’s wage. For most small firms the government funds the majority of the training and assessment, with the employer paying only a small share or, in some cases, nothing towards training. Check the current split on gov.uk for your situation.

What do I have to pay an apprentice? At least the apprentice National Minimum Wage rate, which can apply in the first year and to under-19s, with standard minimum wage rates applying afterwards. Rates change each year, so check gov.uk. Many employers pay above the minimum to attract better candidates.

How long does a trade apprenticeship last? It varies by trade and level, but trade apprenticeships commonly run for a few years — long enough to reach genuine competence. Your training provider will confirm the duration for the specific standard.

Do I need to be a big company to take one on? No. Small firms and sole traders can take on apprentices, and the funding is actually most generous for smaller, non-levy-paying employers. You do need enough varied work and time to train them properly.

Where do I start? Talk to a local training provider or college that offers your trade. They’ll explain current funding, help you recruit, and handle much of the paperwork through the government’s apprenticeship service.

Grow the workload to match the team

Taking on an apprentice only pays off if there’s steady work for both of you. Trade Pilot keeps your diary full with real local jobs from homeowners ready to book, charging only when a genuine lead reaches you — never a monthly subscription — with each lead sold to no more than three trades in your area. More reliable work is what turns “I’d like to grow” into a business that can actually carry an extra pair of hands.

Related reading: payroll for your first employee · employers' liability insurance · writing a job ad for a tradesman · holiday pay and sick pay