New GOV.UK guidance includes academy finance code changes, revised apprenticeship funding documents and webinars, alongside Growth and Skills Levy support for under-25 apprentices and employers.
The UK has published the academies chart of accounts for the 2026 to 2027 financial year, with updated account code guidance for academy trust finance staff and auditors, and scheduled webinars in August and September 2026 to explain the changes. It has also released updated apprenticeship funding rules for 2026 to 2027, including version 3 of the apprenticeship funding rules and version 2 of the apprenticeship unit funding rules, alongside revisions to related technical guides. The wider policy package is tied to the Growth and Skills Levy, which includes £1 billion of additional investment announced in May 2026. From 1 August 2026, apprenticeship training will be fully funded for all eligible under-25 year olds. Employers will also be able to access up to £8,000 in support for SMEs hiring young apprentices, while apprentices under 25 remain eligible for National Insurance contributions relief. A new bursary of up to £4,500 per year per household is intended to address a Universal Credit barrier affecting some families when a young person starts an apprenticeship. The announcement also sets out £287 million for more than 22,000 additional college and post-16 places across 87 projects, on top of the £9 billion already invested in 16 to 19 education for 2026 to 2027. Together, the measures aim to deliver 50,000 new youth apprenticeships by the end of this Parliament. Separately, apprenticeship guidance and templates on GOV.UK have been refreshed, including updates to off-the-job training (training completed during paid hours) materials, the apprenticeship agreement template and privately funded apprenticeships guidance.