Coronavirus: Apprenticeship Return, Retain and Result Scheme

News article

The Apprenticeship Return, Retain & Result Scheme supported the return and retention of apprentices who had been furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS).

The scheme is closed to new applications for the Return and Retain elements.

If you have previously received both the Return and Retain payments in respect of an apprentice, you must contact the Department for the Economy before 20 October 2023 regarding the Result element.

What should I do next?

1. If the apprentice remained in employment until the successful completion of their apprenticeship, immediate action is now required.

You are eligible to apply for the Result element and must do so by 20 October 2023. Please submit a completed application form (found below) along with the following evidence:

  • A copy of the DfE Completion Certificate (not exam certificate);
  • Payslip or PAYE P11 showing salary paid for the period during which the DfE Completion Certificate was issued; and
  • If your bank details have changed since your last application you will also need to provide a recent bank statement showing sort code, account number and account name. Other information can be redacted.

What if I have not received a DfE Completion Certificate?

Please contact the training provider immediately and let DfE know that this has been requested.

If you do not contact DfE by 20 October 2023 you may be deemed not eligible to apply for the Result element.

2. If the apprentice is still in employment and continuing their apprenticeship

Please advise of this accordingly by 20 October 2023 and provide an approximate date of completion of the apprenticeship. If you become eligible for the Result element through successful completion, we would ask that you apply for the result element as soon as evidence of successful completion is available.

If you do not contact DfE by 20 October 2023 you may be deemed not eligible to apply for the Result element.

Applications must be submitted within 3 months of the DfE Completion Certificate being issued or you will become ineligible for the Result payment.

3. If the apprentice left your employment before completing their apprenticeship or left the apprenticeship before completion

No further payments will be due. However, to prevent future reminders please let DfE know that you are not eligible for further payments by 20 October 2023.

Enquiries

Please note: All queries on this scheme or your application should be made by emailing the Department for the Economy at ApprenticeshipsRecovery@economy-ni.gov.uk

How to apply?

The Apprenticeship Return, Retain and Result Scheme is now open for applications.

Download the applicant claim form for the Apprenticeship Return, Retain and Result Scheme (PDF, 442K).

Please send completed forms and all required evidence, or any queries you may have regarding the scheme or your application to ApprenticeshipsRecovery@economy-ni.gov.uk

Please note it is the responsibility of the applicant (employer/company) to ensure that they have sought permission to supply personal details of individuals (apprentices) they are claiming for to support their claim. Download the privacy notice for apprenticeships recovery incentives (DOC, 59K)

First published 18 September 2020

FAQs

If an employer has made a furloughed apprentice redundant can they be re-employed to avail of the retention scheme?

Yes, if the Apprentice was furloughed, then let go, and re-employed, the employer will be eligible for this scheme – the date of 're-employment' will however impact upon the total amount they can claim.

Do employers need to meet certain criteria to be included in the scheme e.g. is there a minimum / maximum number of employees, is it open only to certain sectors?

No, the scheme is open to all employers who have an apprentice that is participating on the Department for the Economy (DfE) funded ApprenticeshipsNI (AppsNI) or Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLA) programmes and was furloughed as part of the UK Government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. If you are unsure whether your apprentice is participating on either AppsNI or HLA, please contact their training provider for confirmation.

What is the eligibility for apprentices who were not furloughed as part of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?

The scheme is designed to help employers to return furloughed apprentices only. There must be evidence available that the apprentice was furloughed to qualify.

Will employers still receive their original existing AppsNI employer incentive?

Yes, the 'Result' incentive will be payable alongside any existing AppsNI employer incentive upon successful completion of the full framework as per AppsNI Operating Requirements.

Are the incentives available to public sector employers?

No, the interventions only apply to apprentices who are participating in DfE funded AppsNI or Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLA) programmes. Public sector apprentices are not eligible for this funding. 

Do qualification outcomes have to be achieved by a certain date for employers to qualify for the result element?

No, provided that the apprentice is retained until successful completion, as per AppsNI & HLA Operating Requirements, of their apprenticeship the employer will be eligible irrespective of date.

Do the interventions also apply to Higher Level Apprenticeships?

Yes, the scheme is open to all employers who have an apprentice participating on a DfE funded AppsNI or HLA programme who was furloughed as part of the UK Government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Is there a maximum amount that employers can claim?

No, however, payments are considered to be State Aid under EU Regulations and therefore there may be some additional requirements if payments are substantial, or if companies are in receipt of other payments considered to be State Aid.

If an apprentice is returned from furlough but is then placed on further periods of furlough or flexi-furlough, can employers still apply for support?

Yes. For the Return element of the scheme, any further periods of furlough or flexi furlough will extend the qualifying date e.g. if apprentice returns on 12 April, the return month would normally be 12 April – 11 May. However if there was a total of 4 days of furlough or flexi furlough during this period, the Return period is extended by 4 days.

For the Retain element of the scheme, payments will be calculated on a pro-rata basis to account for any periods of furlough or flexi-furlough. Please provide all relevant furlough dates when submitting your application.

Are payments under this incentive scheme taxable?

HM Revenue & Customs have stated that payments received by a business under this scheme must be included as income in the business’s calculation of its taxable profits.