What could your apprenticeship levy fund in AI?
Most employers underspend their levy and lose what they don't use. Enter one number and see exactly what your levy could put into AI training, and what is at risk of expiring.
1. Tell us about your business
Employers with a pay bill over £3m pay the 0.5% apprenticeship levy. Adjust to your figure.
2. What it could fund
Estimates only, for guidance. Actual levy depends on your exact pay bill, English workforce share, existing commitments and current Skills England funding bands. We'll confirm your real numbers on the call.
Where your levy goes furthest in AI
Three AI programmes employers fund most often. All levy-eligible, all delivered live online, all with Coachy, our AI tutor, included free.
AI & Automation Practitioner L4
The flagship, ST1512. No-code AI and automation for any department, with a real workplace project shipped.
AI Leadership Units (L5)
Short, modular units for senior leaders. 30 guided hours each, no End-Point Assessment.
AI & ML Fellowship L6
Degree-level machine learning for teams building serious AI and data depth.
See your real numbers in 25 minutes
Book a discovery call and we'll map your exact levy balance against the right AI programmes, with honest funding advice and a plan to start within about 30 days.
Book a discovery call →Levy questions, answered
How is the apprenticeship levy calculated?
Employers with an annual pay bill over £3m pay 0.5% of that pay bill into the apprenticeship levy, minus a £15,000 allowance. The government then adds a 10% top-up to the funds in your English apprenticeship service account.
What happens to levy I don't spend?
Unused levy funds expire if left unspent, so money you don't commit to training is lost. That is why it pays to plan early and map your balance against programmes before it disappears.
We don't pay the levy. Can we still fund AI training?
Yes. Under the Growth & Skills Levy, the government funds up to 100% of training for smaller and non-levy employers. From August 2026, apprentices under 25 are fully funded, so you pay nothing, and for staff aged 25 and over you contribute about 5%, around £900 on an £18,000 Level 4.
What can the levy actually fund at TESS?
Any of our levy-eligible AI apprenticeships, including the AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4, the Level 5 AI Leadership Units and the Level 6 AI & ML Fellowship, all with Coachy included free.
Last updated: 17 June 2026 · The TESS Group