From 1st August 2025, significant updates to the apprenticeship funding rules will come into effect. These changes will impact how programmes are structured, delivered, and recorded with particular attention to off-the-job training (OTJ), recognition of prior learning (RPL), and programme duration.
This blog breaks down some of the key changes, and what actions training providers and employers should take now to prepare.
- Shorter Apprenticeships – Now 8 Months Minimum
The required minimum apprenticeship duration drops from 12 to 8 months, offering more speed and flexibility, especially for learners with prior experience.
Early achievers must still meet both the minimum time and minimum OTJ hours. The minimum eligibility for apprenticeship funding now stands at 8 months or 187 OTJ training hours.
Programmes can be delivered flexibly across any timeline (as long as they meet the 8-month minimum), without affecting OTJ hour requirements.
- Standard‑Specific Off‑The‑Job Training (OTJT) Hours
Each apprenticeship standard now has its own published OTJT hours, replacing the old 20% rule. Providers no longer need to calculate OTJT; they simply ensure delivery meets the published standard.
- Flexible Delivery – No Part-Time Adjustments
It is no longer a requirement to extend the planned end date for part-time learners. Previously, part-time or term-time learners had to have their programmes extended to match their reduced hours.
However, providers must still consider working hours when setting a programme’s expected duration to ensure that it is realistic. They should also retain documented evidence of that consideration.
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Enhanced
Prior learning must be thoroughly assessed and documented. Where previous experience leads to a shorter programme, providers are required to clearly evidence reductions in both the training content and associated costs.
Apprentices with no recognised prior learning must complete the full published OTJ hours for their specific standard.
- Foundation Apprenticeships Launch
A new entry-level route starts 1 August 2025 for those aged 16-21, and some aged 22-24 (including those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), care leavers, and individuals with recent prison experience).
- Clearer English & Maths Rules
There are now clearer expectations around how Functional Skills (FS) learning should be delivered and documented.
Providers must ensure “active learning” takes place according to training plans.
For learners aged 19 and over, only Initial Assessment (IA) is required (no formal diagnostic test). Learners may opt in or out of Functional Skills.
- End-point assessment (EPA) reforms are coming
Changes are also on the horizon for apprenticeship assessments. In February, the government introduced a new set of end-point assessment (EPA) principles, with all current assessment plans due to be revised on a standard-by-standard basis starting in April 2025.
Updated guidance is expected in summer 2025, aiming to deliver assessment plans that are simpler, clearer, and more consistent across programmes. In the meantime, providers should continue to follow the existing plans but stay alert and prepared for further updates in the coming months.
The 2025 apprenticeship funding changes mark a significant shift toward greater flexibility, clarity, and learner-centred design. By reducing the minimum duration, standardising off-the-job training requirements, and embedding recognition of prior learning more formally, the reforms aim to streamline delivery while maintaining quality. For training providers and employers, these updates offer new opportunities to tailor programmes more effectively. However they also demand careful planning, vigorous initial assessments, and clear documentation. Staying proactive and informed will be key to making the most of this new apprenticeship landscape.