Tees Valley Apprenticeship Grant for Employers
(TVAGE)
GUIDANCE NOTES
(For use in relation to Apprentices starting their learning between
1st January to 31st March 2017)
BACKGROUND
The Tees Valley Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (TVAGE Grant) supports employers in
the Tees Valley local authority areas of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar &
Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees who recruit young people aged 16 to 24 to an
Apprenticeship Framework. It is designed to assist employers who are committed to
recruiting a new apprentice who will start their learning between 1st January to 31st March
2017 with a training provider approved by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA).
Employers in the Tees Valley with fewer than 250 employees can apply for a TVAGE Grant,
provided that their apprentice is following a recognised Apprenticeship Framework
(excluding Apprenticeship Standards) and all other eligibility criteria are met.
Please note: the eligibility criteria and payment processes laid out in this guidance may be
revised at any time by Tees Valley Combined Authority. Training providers and employers
will be informed of any revisions which affect their application.
WHAT FUNDING IS ON OFFER?
The TVAGE Grant provides a core grant of £1,500 per apprentice.
Unlike previous funding rounds, there will NOT be any additional incentive payments
available if the employer:
o starts an apprentice on a Higher Apprenticeship equivalent to NVQ Level 4 and
above; or
o progresses a young person, within their Company from a completed Traineeship to
an Apprenticeship.
If eligible, employers can claim up to three grants in a 12-month period.
Please Note: only one grant will be paid per employer for any particular apprentice.
As funding is limited it will be awarded on a ‘first come, first served’ basis – using date
order that TVU Project Team receive Request Forms.
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ELIGIBILITY & COMMITMENT
In order to qualify for a TVAGE Grant, the following criteria must be met.
THE EMPLOYER MUST:
o confirm that they are not able to recruit an apprentice without the TVAGE Grant
o ensure the apprentice’s workplace is located in the Tees Valley i.e. local authority
areas of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland or Stockton-onTees
o have less than 250 employees in total across all worksites
o have completed a De Minimis Declaration form and not received more than
€200,000 in public funding awarded under the State Aid Regulation of De Minimis in
the last 3 year rolling period
o commit to paying the apprentice(s) at least the Apprentice National Minimum
Wage appropriate for an apprentice of their age, including time for off-the-job
training
o not be receiving a wage subsidy for the apprentice(s) from any other source
o not be receiving SFA funding for the apprentice(s) linked to an Apprenticeship
Standard or an incentive payment under the new SFA apprenticeship funding model
o confirm that, after 12 months of the apprentice commencing training, they will
complete and return an employer questionnaire provided by TVCA.
Please Note: The employer can still receive a TVAGE Grant regardless of whether they
have taken on an apprentice in the last 12 months, as long as the employer confirms the
previous apprentice is still employed within the business.
THE APPRENTICE MUST:
o be aged between 16 to 24 on the start date of their Apprenticeship
o live in England
o be free to be an apprentice, not taking part in full-time education elsewhere
o be a new employee recruited to an apprentice role (they must not have started in
employment more than 12 months before the commencement of their
Apprenticeship course)
o start their learning between 1st January to 31st March 2017
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o be enrolled on an approved Apprenticeship Framework and details from their
Individual Learning Record (ILR) must be uploaded onto the SFA National Database
by the training provider
o complete a minimum of 13 weeks in learning. If the apprentice leaves or is
dismissed and does not complete 13 weeks ‘in learning’ (as recorded in the ILR
submitted by the training provider to the SFA) the employer will not be eligible for
the grant.
o be employed for a minimum of 12 months, or the time it takes to complete their
Apprenticeship, whichever is greater (subject to satisfactory performance of the
apprentice as an employee).
TRAINING ORGANISATION COMMITMENT
The training provider (not the subcontractor) will submit a completed TVAGE Request Form
to Tees Valley Combined Authority for eligible apprentices who have commenced their
learning between 1st January and 31st March 2017.
The Request Form includes the employer contact details and Employer Registration Number
(ERN), along with the apprentice’s Unique Learner Number (ULN), date of birth, course start
date, SFA framework title, reference number and level.
Request Forms should only be submitted when details of the apprentice’s Individual
Learning Record have been uploaded onto the SFA’s National Database. The upload should
also detail that a request for TVAGE Grant has been submitted using the LDM Code 349.
The training provider will help employers understand the TVAGE Grant criteria and assist
them in completing relevant parts of the application form and supporting documentation, if
required.
The training provider and/or the employer will inform Tees Valley Combined Authority of
apprentices who do not complete 13 weeks of learning and are therefore ineligible for
funding.
HOW TO APPLY?
A copy of the TVAGE Request Form is available to download via the following URL:
www.teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/business/funding/tvca-apprenticeship-grant-employers-age/
The training provider will return a completed Request Form to the Project Team at Tees
Valley Combined Authority. Upon receipt the Project Team will log, allocate a unique
reference number and acknowledge receipt. The Project Team will then eMail a copy of the
Application/Employer Commitment and De Minimis Declaration forms to the provider for
completion. If the TVAGE Grant form indicates that the employer wishes to complete the
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application form independently the Project Team will eMail relevant forms to the employer
direct.
Completed forms should be sent to the Project Team. The application will then be assessed
against the eligibility criteria detailed above and checks made that the provider has
uploaded the relevant information onto the SFA National Database.
Once the application is deemed eligible for support the Project Team will notify both the
employer and the training provider.
PAYMENT OF TVAGE GRANTS
TVAGE Grant payments can only be approved upon receipt of the following:
1. Training Provider Declaration confirming that a review meeting has been held (with
provider, employer and apprentice) and the apprentice has completed a minimum of
13 continuous weeks in training / employment with the applicant employer and is
continuing with their training programme;
2. Employer Declaration confirming that a review meeting has been held (with
provider, employer and apprentice) and the apprentice has completed a minimum of
13 continuous weeks in training / employment with the employer and is continuing
with their training programme.
Once signed Declarations have been received from the training provider and employer the
Project Team will obtain final approval of the grant. Grant payments will then be made
within 5 working days of the grant approval date via BACs directly into the employer’s bank
account. The grant payment is made by Tees Valley Combined Authority. As this is a grant
it is exempt from VAT.
In order for TVAGE Grant payments to be made, all stated criteria must be met.
Tees Valley Combined Authority, or duly authorised representatives appointed or other relevant
bodies, may conduct further checks into the validity of the TVAGE Grant application.
Should any information regarding the apprentice, their enrolment or employment status
prove incorrect or require clarification, a TVAGE Grant will not be issued.
Where incorrect information is submitted and this influences the decision to award a grant,
Tees Valley Combined Authority will request the payment be returned.
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