£1m Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Initiative Launches with more than £500k Already Pledged by Employers

A new apprenticeship levy transfer initiative has launched with more than £534,000 pledged by employers to support apprenticeship training in charities and community organisations across the UK.

Baltic Apprenticeships has launched Fund Forward, bringing together levy-paying employers behind an ambition to unlock £1 million in apprenticeship funding for organisations that may otherwise find investment in workforce development difficult to fund.

The initiative launches with support from Acacium Group, North Yorkshire Council, Paragon Bank, Serco, Tunstall Group and Yusen Logistics.

As of 16 September, Fund Partners had pledged £534,733, while £338,348 in levy funding had already been redirected to 16 third sector organisations since January 2026, supporting 25 learners to enrol on apprenticeship programmes.

Building on an existing levy transfer model

Fund Forward uses the apprenticeship levy transfer mechanism, which allows levy-paying employers to transfer funding to other employers to cover eligible apprenticeship training and assessment.

Under current funding rules, employers can transfer up to 50% of their annual levy allowance. New funds entering levy accounts from August 2026 also expire after 12 months if they remain unused, compared with 24 months previously.

Fund Forward is designed to give participating employers flexibility in how they use that mechanism. Some Fund Partners pledge an amount of levy funding upfront, while others support suitable organisations and apprenticeship opportunities on an ongoing or case-by-case basis. Employers making an initial pledge can also continue to make further funding available over time.

The initiative grew from a £210,000 levy transfer partnership launched by Baltic Apprenticeships and Yusen Logistics in November 2025, which was designed to open apprenticeship opportunities to charities, non-profit organisations and NHS bodies.

Natalie Archbold, Partnerships Director at Baltic Apprenticeships, said:

“Following our initial levy transfer announcement, the scale of response from charities genuinely exceeded what we anticipated. Organisations across the UK were keen to understand how apprenticeship funding could support their teams, and it quickly became clear that the demand was far greater than a single partnership could meet.

“Fund Forward grew from that response. By bringing more employers together, we can build on what we started with Yusen Logistics and help more organisations access the funding they need to invest in their people.”

Yusen Logistics has subsequently increased its levy transfer commitment to £270,000. At the latest count, £240,625 of its funding had been committed across 13 organisations, supporting 17 learners.

Charlotte Fearns, Careers Manager at Yusen Logistics Europe, said:

“We are committed to creating opportunities that help people, organisations and communities thrive.

“Fund Forward represents an exciting next step, enabling even more organisations to access the skills and training they need to build sustainable futures and strengthen the communities they serve.”

Using levy transfer to support wider capability

The initiative is intended to help third sector organisations use apprenticeships to develop capability within their existing teams, including digital, data, technical and leadership skills.

For charities operating with limited resources, access to levy transfer funding can make it possible to invest in skills development that might otherwise be difficult to prioritise. The benefit can also extend beyond the individual apprentice, helping organisations improve how they work, build internal capability and strengthen the services they provide.

Via, a charity supporting people affected by drug and alcohol use, is using apprenticeship training as part of its work to strengthen its digital, data and AI capability.

Abi Cooper, Director of Quality, Impact & Performance at Via, said:

“These apprenticeships will give our dedicated staff the on-the-job development opportunities that they need to embed this work in a way that has maximum impact. Their apprenticeship journeys will enable them to spearhead Via’s digital and AI journey, strengthening our organisation as a whole.

“Our focus is always those people who need our support to address their drug and alcohol use, and this work will further help us to do this, by enabling us to use our data to better understand what really works for them and what best meets their needs.”

For participating employers, that link between skills investment and wider organisational impact is part of the opportunity created by levy transfer. Funding that cannot be used effectively within one workforce can instead help another organisation develop capability that supports the people and communities it serves.

That potential is also reflected in the reasons employers are choosing to get involved. Serco has pledged £100,000 through Fund Forward, linking its participation to the organisation’s wider social value commitments.

Amy Crabb, Talent and Learning Director at Serco, said:

“Creating skills and employment opportunities is a key part of how Serco delivers social value. Through Fund Forward, we are able to use apprenticeship levy funding to support charities and community organisations that may not otherwise have access to these development opportunities.

“Our £100,000 pledge is an investment not only in individual learners, but in the long-term capability of organisations that play a vital role in supporting communities across the UK.”

Tony Hobbs, Chief Executive Director at Baltic Apprenticeships, added:

“Fund Forward is about making sure apprenticeship funding can create as much opportunity as possible.

“What started with one employer willing to use its levy funding to support organisations beyond its own workforce has shown us what can be achieved. We now have employers from different sectors coming together around the same ambition.

“Our ambition is to unlock £1 million and put that funding into the hands of organisations that can use it to develop their people, build valuable skills and strengthen the work they do in communities across the UK.”