Navigating the 2026/27 Apprenticeship Subcontracting Rules: Freelancers, Delivery Models and Compliance Risk

A key area of concern is the designation of who is a subcontractor affecting all freelance delivery personnel. This webinar will help leaders and managers understand the current 2026/27 position, interpret the direction of travel following the review, and identify the practical changes required across their infrastructure, controls, contracting, partner management and employer communications. We’ll help you to understand:

• What the 2026/27 apprenticeship funding rules say about subcontracting and how they apply to existing enrolments.
• The expected impact of the government review of subcontracting policy, definitions, evidence requirements and controls.
• How to determine whether activity is genuinely subcontracted delivery, directly managed provision, specialist support or another delivery arrangement.
• What leaders need to review in governance, due diligence, contracting, quality assurance, financial controls, declarations and audit evidence.
• How to manage employer expectations where employers assume third-party involvement is “support” rather than subcontracted delivery.
• How to assess commercial and operational risk, including margins, delivery capacity, partner dependency, compliance exposure and potential clawback.
• What practical steps providers should take now to prepare for rule changes expected in 2027.

You will also receive the following resources after the webinar:

• Subcontracting infrastructure checklist: helps providers test whether their contracts, declarations, governance and delivery controls are complete.
• Risk assessment prompt sheet: helps teams identify where current delivery arrangements may create compliance, funding or audit exposure.
• Action plan template: supports providers to prioritise changes before further rule changes take effect.

About your session The session will be facilitated by David Lockhart-Hawkins, a senior apprenticeship funding, compliance and governance consultant with extensive experience supporting providers, employer-providers and sector bodies to interpret funding rules, strengthen audit controls, review delivery models and manage regulatory risk. David regularly works with leaders and managers to translate complex funding rule changes into practical governance, operational and commercial actions. This webinar is for anyone with senior or operational responsibility for subcontracted apprenticeships “Very informative, and clearly delivered by David – helps make it all make sense!! Thank you.”  – Clare Gibbons, Compliance Officer, University of Warwick “David’s knowledge and expertise is unparalleled.”  – Event attendee “Very well delivered, clear and very good subject knowledge”  – Team Leader Horticulture Apprentices, Capel Manor College Booking and payment: You can either attend a live session or be sent the recording and materials, if you prefer to review them in your own time. You can also mix and match for whatever works best for your schedule. If you’re a public sector body (e.g. Local Authority), and unable to book via card, please email us. When you make a booking, you agree to these Terms and Conditions (including those who request a booking via email and invoice) SDN Mesma Group CPD is designed for Government funded Training Providers. If you’re not a Government funded Training Provider but are still interested in attending please email [email protected] to discuss your attendance in more detail before booking.

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