Funding & Costs
How much does an apprenticeship cost?
If you pay the Apprenticeship Levy (payroll over £3m), training is 100% funded from your levy account. Non-levy employers pay just 5% of training costs — and from 2026/27, under-25 apprenticeships are fully funded for SMEs.
What is the Apprenticeship Levy?
A 0.5% tax on annual payrolls exceeding £3m. Funds go into your Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account and can be used to pay for apprenticeship training. From 2026, it transitions into the Growth & Skills Levy with more flexibility.
What happens when our levy runs out?
You enter co-investment. From 2026, the employer share rises to 25% (up from 5%). We recommend front-loading your highest-value programmes while levy funds are available.
Are there any additional costs?
No. TESS Group's fees cover all tuition, assessment, qualifications, and learning materials. There are no hidden costs. End-point assessment is included.
Can we transfer levy to other employers?
Yes. You can transfer up to 50% of your annual levy to other employers, including your supply chain. We can help facilitate this.
Getting Started
How quickly can we get started?
Monthly rolling starts. Most employers have learners enrolled within 4 weeks of initial enquiry. No waiting for cohort dates.
What's the minimum number of learners?
There's no minimum. We work with organisations enrolling a single learner through to cohorts of 50+. Every programme is tailored regardless of group size.
Do apprenticeships have to be for new hires?
No. Existing employees can do apprenticeships to upskill in their current role or prepare for a new one. Around 90% of our learners are existing staff.
How do we choose the right programme?
Book a discovery call and we'll recommend the right programme based on your goals, team structure, and budget. Or use our Programme Finder tool.
Delivery & Support
How are programmes delivered?
Live online sessions, typically one day per week or equivalent. Plus 1:1 coaching, self-directed learning, and practical workplace projects. No pre-recorded videos.
What's the time commitment for the learner?
Apprentices spend at least 6 hours per week on off-the-job training during working hours. This includes taught sessions, coaching, and project work.
What qualifications do learners get?
Up to 5 professional qualifications per programme, from bodies including CMI, ILM, CIPD, BCS, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and APM. All included in the apprenticeship funding.
What support do we get as an employer?
A dedicated account manager, regular progress reviews, employer engagement sessions, and direct access to your learners' training team. We also provide monthly learner reports.
Quality & Outcomes
What's your Ofsted rating?
We're rated Good by Ofsted. Our learner satisfaction is 4.9/5 and employer satisfaction is 97%.
What happens if a learner wants to leave the programme?
We work with you and the learner to understand the situation. If there are underlying issues, we'll try to resolve them. If a learner does withdraw, there's no penalty to the employer — unused funding returns to your levy account.
Still Got Questions?
Book a free discovery call and we'll answer everything in person.