Apprenticeship Agreement Template (UK) – Create Your Professional Contract in Minutes

A comprehensive Apprenticeship Agreement must clearly define:

• Apprentice and employer details - Full names, addresses, and company registration details
• Apprenticeship standard or framework - Specific qualification title, level, and awarding body (e.g., Level 3 Business Administrator Standard)
• Planned start and end dates - Typical duration 12-48 months depending on level and standard
• Off-the-job training requirement - Minimum 20% of working hours must be dedicated to training and learning
• Training provider details - College, training provider, or assessment organization contact information
• Apprentice wage rate - Must meet Apprentice Minimum Wage (currently £6.40/hour from April 2024) or National Minimum Wage if over 19 and past first year
• Working hours - Weekly hours including time allocated for training and study
• Holiday entitlement - Minimum 5.6 weeks (28 days pro-rata) statutory annual leave
• Probation period - Typically 12 weeks with review process
• Skills, knowledge and behaviors - Clear description of competencies to be developed
• Assessment methods - How progress will be monitored and End Point Assessment process
• Study leave and support - Time off for college attendance, exams, and portfolio development
• Notice periods - Termination requirements from both parties
• Disciplinary and grievance procedures - ACAS-compliant processes for performance management
• Completion requirements - Criteria for successfully finishing the apprenticeship and obtaining the qualification

Our agreement is crafted by legal professionals and business professionals and includes all essential clauses for UK apprenticeship compliance.

Legal and Financial Risks:

• ESFA funding clawback: Without compliant written agreements, the Education & Skills Funding Agency can recover ALL apprenticeship levy funding paid to date - potentially £10,000+ per apprentice
• Ofsted inspection failures: Missing or inadequate agreements lead to negative inspection ratings, damaging reputation and affecting future funding eligibility
• Wage underpayment claims: Unclear wage terms risk paying below Apprentice Minimum Wage - triggers Employment Tribunal claims and HMRC penalties of up to 200% of arrears
• 20% training time disputes: Failure to document and deliver 20% off-the-job training leads to ESFA funding recovery and potential fraud investigations
• Qualification non-completion: Without clear training plans, apprentices fail End Point Assessment - wasting employer investment and damaging business reputation
• Employment status confusion: Ambiguous agreements lead to disputes over whether apprentice is employee or trainee - affecting redundancy, unfair dismissal, and statutory rights
• Training provider disputes: Unclear responsibilities between employer and training provider cause delivery failures, assessment delays, and quality issues

Common Apprenticeship Disputes:

Training time not provided as promised, wage disputes during and after first year, unclear qualification requirements, premature termination without proper process, failure to provide study leave, inadequate supervision and mentoring, and apprentices being treated as cheap labor rather than trainees. These issues cost businesses thousands in wasted training investment, legal claims, and reputational damage.

A £10 agreement protects £10,000+ apprenticeship investments and prevents funding clawback.

Comprehensive Apprenticeship Protection:

• ✓ Complete apprentice and employer details section
• ✓ Apprenticeship standard/framework title and level
• ✓ Awarding body and qualification code
• ✓ Planned start date and expected completion date
• ✓ Duration of apprenticeship (12-48 months)
• ✓ Job title and main duties description
• ✓ Training provider contact details
• ✓ 20% off-the-job training commitment (legally required)
• ✓ Detailed training plan and schedule
• ✓ Skills, knowledge, and behaviors to be developed
• ✓ Assessment methods and EPA process
• ✓ Apprentice wage rate (compliant with Apprentice Minimum Wage)
• ✓ Working hours including training time
• ✓ Statutory holiday entitlement (28 days pro-rata)
• ✓ Study leave and exam attendance provisions
• ✓ Probation period (typically 12 weeks)
• ✓ Supervision and mentoring arrangements
• ✓ Progress review procedures
• ✓ Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) entitlement
• ✓ Workplace pension auto-enrolment clause
• ✓ Notice period requirements (both parties)
• ✓ Termination provisions and exit process
• ✓ Confidentiality obligations
• ✓ Data protection compliance (GDPR)
• ✓ Health and safety responsibilities
• ✓ Equality and non-discrimination clause
• ✓ Grievance procedure reference
• ✓ Disciplinary procedure reference
• ✓ Completion certificate requirements
• ✓ ACAS Early Conciliation clause

Professional, ESFA-compliant, and ready to use immediately with your training provider.

Don't Make These Critical Errors:

• No 20% off-the-job training clause: This is MANDATORY - without documented commitment to 20% training time, ESFA will recover all funding and potentially investigate for fraud.
• Missing qualification details: Vague descriptions like "business apprenticeship" instead of specific standard/framework titles invalidate funding eligibility and prevent certification.
• Wrong wage rate: Apprentices under 19 or in first year get Apprentice Minimum Wage (£6.40/hour); those 19+ and past first year get age-appropriate NMW/NLW. Getting this wrong triggers wage claims.
• No training provider named: Agreement must identify the training provider/college - without this, ESFA considers the apprenticeship invalid for funding purposes.
• Unclear training plan: Must specify WHAT will be learned, WHEN training occurs, and HOW it will be assessed - vague plans lead to qualification failures and funding recovery.
• Treating apprentice as regular employee: Apprentices need protected training time, study leave, and mentoring - treating them as standard workers breaches apprenticeship regulations.
• No End Point Assessment details: Failing to explain EPA process, timing, and requirements leaves apprentices unprepared and leads to assessment failures.
• Insufficient notice periods: Premature termination without proper notice and process triggers unfair dismissal claims - apprentices get special protections as employees.
• Missing start/end dates: ESFA requires clear planned duration - undated agreements don't meet funding compliance and cause provider payment issues.
• No probation review clause: First 12 weeks should include formal reviews - without documented assessment, you can't lawfully terminate underperforming apprentices during probation.
• Ignoring statutory rights: Apprentices are employees entitled to holiday pay, sick pay, maternity/paternity rights, pension auto-enrolment - excluding these causes tribunal claims.
• Using outdated frameworks: Many apprenticeship frameworks closed in 2020 - using old qualifications invalidates funding and prevents certification. Use current standards instead.

Our agreement prevents all these costly mistakes with legally compliant, ESFA-approved, professionally-drafted terms.