The Education and Skills Funding Agency has launched a second round of its supplier relief scheme for training providers for October 2020 - building on the first scheme, launched in April. 

To be eligible to receive support, providers must hold a direct contract that was procured as a service under Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The deadline to apply for funding is midnight on 9 July. 

The guidance from the ESFA says: “This applies to apprenticeship contracts for services that commenced in January 2018, for delivery to smaller employers that do not pay the levy (non-levy), and adult education budget contracts for services that commenced in November 2017.”

Those who applied for the scheme between April and June 2020 and were unsuccessful can reapply for this round of financial support.

Background: Government details apprentice provider relief plans

News: Apprenticeship starts almost halve during lockdown

Long read: Apprenticeship levy ‘fails the disadvantaged’

The guidance adds that, in addition to holding an eligible contract, providers will be required to meet the following conditions:

• 2018 to 2019 qualification achievement rates that are above 40 per cent. However, providers with rates below that can submit an exceptional case that they are a critical supplier based on niche provision. Further information on the criteria for exception cases can be found in the application guidance.

• Have submitted their latest financial accounts to the ESFA where these are due by 19 June 2020.

• Not been judged by Ofsted as making insufficient progress as a result of a new provider monitoring visit which resulted in a suspension on new starts.

• Delivered under the contract prior to April 2020.

• Plan to deliver learning under the contract in July, August, September and October 2020, and demonstrate the ability to continue to deliver without additional support from November.

• Not furloughed the staff required to deliver the contract (you are eligible to apply to the relief scheme if staff are fully or partially withdrawn from any claim for furlough if such a claim has been made when they return to work).

• Not received a notice of termination from the ESFA to terminate the provider’s AEB or non-levy contract.

Mark Dawe, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said: “We’re pleased to see this come out and should help quite a few providers, given that the cash situation for providers will have deteriorated since the first round and many apprentices could be facing redundancy rather than completion of their programmes. 

“However, the 25 per cent cap on contract value to cover all seven months of both schemes will be met with frustration but our understanding is that the ESFA will consider applications that go over the limit. We need this kind of flexibility if providers are going to be able to support young people properly over the coming months. Most important of all, we need a relief scheme that covers both levy and non-levy apprenticeships.”