Have you recruited someone aged 16–24 in the last three months? You could be eligible for up to £3,000 in government support when you enrol them on an apprenticeship.

From 1 October 2026, new apprenticeship support is being introduced to help non-levy-paying employers recruit and develop young talent.

For eligible employers, this could provide an opportunity to access financial support while investing in an employee’s skills, development and long-term career.

Have you recruited someone in the last three months?

From October, eligible non-levy-paying employers could receive a £2,000 hiring payment when a new apprentice aged 16–24 starts an apprenticeship.

To be eligible for the payment, the apprentice must have joined the employer within the previous three months.

This means that if you’ve recently recruited someone aged 16–24, they could potentially move onto an apprenticeship while your business accesses financial support towards developing their skills.

The apprenticeship can provide a structured route for the employee to build the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to progress in their role, while gaining practical experience within your business.

There’s also a £1,000 incentive for young apprentices

Alongside the new £2,000 hiring payment, employers can also receive a £1,000 payment when hiring an apprentice aged 16–18, or aged 19–24 with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan or who has been in care.

Where the relevant eligibility requirements are met, this support can be combined with the £2,000 hiring payment.

That means some employers could potentially access up to £3,000 in payments when recruiting and developing an eligible young apprentice.

What could this mean for your business?

If you’ve recruited young people recently, now is the time to look at your workforce and consider whether an apprenticeship could support their development.

An apprentice can learn while contributing to your business, gaining practical experience alongside structured training. This can help employers develop talent around their specific business needs while creating a clear progression route for the employee.

With incentives available around young apprentices, October 2026 could be an ideal opportunity to turn recent recruitment into long-term skills development.

100% of apprenticeship training can also be funded

From October 2026, eligible apprenticeship training for young people aged 16–24 will be fully government-funded, helping employers reduce the cost of developing their young workforce.

For businesses, this means a recent recruitment could become an opportunity to develop an employee through a structured apprenticeship programme, with government support available towards both the training and, for eligible employers, the cost of hiring.

Don’t miss the 1 October opportunity

If you’ve recruited someone aged 16–24 recently, now is the time to review your workforce and consider whether an apprenticeship could support their development.

An apprentice can learn while contributing to your business, gaining practical experience alongside structured training. This can help you develop the skills your business needs while giving a young employee a clear route to progress.

With new support available from 1 October 2026, recent recruitment could potentially become a fully supported apprenticeship opportunity.

Want to find out if your recent recruit could be eligible for an apprenticeship?

Contact DBC Training and our Business Development Team can help you understand the available apprenticeship routes, eligibility requirements and funding options for your business. Fill in the form below and our team will be in touch shortly!