Support for Care-Leaver Apprentices: How to Access the £3,000 Bursary
Support for Care-Leaver Apprentices: How to Access the £3,000 Bursary
Apprentices who have been in care can receive extra financial support through the government’s Care-Leavers’ Bursary. This bursary is designed to help young people who have experience of care to start and succeed in their apprenticeships.
Full details are available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-bursary-for-care-leavers/apprenticeships-care-leavers-bursary-policy-summary
What is the Care-Leavers’ Bursary?
The Department for Education provides a £3,000 bursary for apprentices in England who are care-leavers. This funding helps cover costs such as travel, work clothes, or equipment needed for training.
The bursary is not taxable and doesn’t affect Universal Credit or other benefits. It’s paid directly to the apprentice by their training provider.
Who Can Get It?
An apprentice can receive the bursary if they:
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Are under 25 when they start their apprenticeship.
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Have been in care with a UK local authority or health and social care trust.
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Have not previously received the care-leavers’ bursary.
Care-leaver status includes:
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Eligible child – a young person aged 16 or 17 who is currently looked after and has been in care for at least 13 weeks since turning 14.
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Relevant child – a young person aged 16 or 17 who has left care after their 16th birthday.
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Former relevant child – a young person under 25 who was previously in care before turning 18.
If apprentices are unsure whether they qualify, they can speak to their local authority personal adviser or social worker.
How Much Is It and How Is It Paid?
Apprentices who start their programme on or after 1 August 2023 can receive £3,000, paid in three instalments during the first year of their apprenticeship:
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£1,000 after 60 days
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£1,000 after 120 days
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£1,000 after 300 days
Training providers must pass each payment on to the apprentice within 30 days of receiving it.
Apprentices who started before 31 July 2023 will have received a one-off payment of £1,000.
More details on payment timings can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-bursary-for-care-leavers/apprenticeships-care-leavers-bursary-policy-summary
How to Apply
The process is straightforward:
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Apprentices should let their training provider know if they are a care-leaver when starting an apprenticeship.
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They will need to provide confirmation from their local authority (for example, a short email or letter from their personal adviser).
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The training provider will record this information and apply for the bursary on the apprentice’s behalf.
Once the application is approved, the training provider will receive the funds and must pay them to the apprentice within 30 days.
Information for Employers
Employers do not need to apply for this bursary — it goes directly to the apprentice.
However, employers may be eligible for separate funding to support care-leaver apprentices aged 19 to 24.
Employers can help by:
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Ensuring apprentices know about the bursary and how to apply.
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Supporting time for meetings with local authority advisers if needed.
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Keeping communication open with training providers to make sure payments are made on time.
If an apprentice prefers that their employer does not know about their care-leaver status, training providers can record this confidentially so that only the bursary is paid.
Why It Matters
Many young people leaving care begin apprenticeships without the same financial safety net as others. The bursary helps make sure they can focus on learning and building a career without unnecessary financial pressure.
At BPIF Training, we encourage all care-experienced apprentices to check their eligibility and apply for this valuable support. Employers can play an important role by helping to raise awareness and supporting apprentices through the process.
Find Out More
You can read the full government policy summary here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-bursary-for-care-leavers/apprenticeships-care-leavers-bursary-policy-summary
If you’re a BPIF Training apprentice and think you might be eligible, please speak to your Training Coordinator or email [email protected] for guidance.