The 2025–26 Apprenticeship Funding Rules bring some of the most significant changes in recent years. For training providers, it’s more vital than ever to ensure your data, reporting and compliance evidence are accurate and up to date. AiVII doesn’t replace your core systems—it sits on top, making sense of the data you already collect and turning it into clear, actionable intelligence.
Here’s what’s changing, why it matters, and how AiVII empowers providers to meet the new requirements efficiently:
What’s changed: The minimum duration for new apprenticeships will be 8 months (down from 12). All apprenticeships must still meet the published minimum off-the-job hours and meaningful delivery period.
Funding Rules Reference:Paragraphs 71–74.
How AiVII helps: AiVII makes it easy to visualise learners’ planned and actual durations, so you can instantly see who is at risk of non-compliance, right from your dashboard.
What’s changed: Providers no longer need to calculate minimum OTJH per learner. The requirement is published for each standard and must be met, unless prior learning applies. There’s no longer a direct link between duration and OTJH, so providers have more flexibility.
Funding Rules Reference:Paragraphs 78–80.
How AiVII helps:AiVII algorithms are always aligned to the latest funding rule changes. Any discrepancies in OTJH delivery or recording, compared to requirements, are surfaced clearly in your dashboards for fast analysis and action.
What’s changed: Providers must ensure any prior learning is evidenced, and reductions in hours and price are recorded and justified. Funding cannot be claimed for programmes below 8 months or 187 OTJH hours.
Funding Rules Reference:Paragraph 33.
How AiVII helps:AiVII surfaces RPL data and resulting adjustments, showing the impact on programme duration and funding. You get a clear, accessible view for audit and management—without trawling through LMS exports.
What’s changed: “OTJT active learning” must be evidenced monthly (or every 3 months for block/front-loaded models). Progress reviews must take place every 3 months. English and maths “active learning” is now a distinct requirement.
Funding Rules Reference:Paragraphs 85–88, 92–93.
How AiVII helps:On AiVII’s Immediate Priorities page, you’ll instantly see which learners need urgent action to meet active learning, OTJH, or review requirements. All the data is shown in one place, helping teams focus attention where it’s most needed.
What’s changed:Greater specificity on who can be funded (e.g., new rules around directors/shareholders and working hours) and on what evidence is required.
Funding Rules Reference:Paragraphs 24–27.
How AiVII helps:AiVII doesn’t carry out checks, but it visualises existing eligibility, employment and documentation data from your core systems. Providers can easily identify and mitigate risks by seeing potential compliance gaps in real time.
What’s changed:For 19+ apprentices, English/maths is now optional and must be agreed with the employer. There’s an explicit requirement to evidence active learning for these aims.
Funding Rules Reference:Paragraphs 41–44.
How AiVII helps:AiVII clearly visualises where English/maths learning is included, highlights missing documentation, and gives actionable intelligence so providers can target follow-up efficiently.
Redundancy and Standards Change: Some rules apply regardless of start date.
Care Leaver Bursary: Providers must offer all eligible learners the opportunity to declare for this.
Departmental Change: “ESFA” is now “Department for Education” in all references.
With so much change, having access to the right insights is critical. AiVII does not replace your MIS or LMS, it transforms the way you view and use the data you already collect, making it easier to stay on top of new requirements and highlight risks or missed opportunities.
Book a demo today to see how AiVII’s intuitive dashboards and actionable analytics make compliance, quality, and funding reporting easier than ever.
Ready to see how AiVII can help your organisation adapt to the latest funding rules and unlock new insights from your apprenticeship data?
Book a free demo today and discover the difference real-time analytics and intuitive dashboards can make for your compliance, funding, and learner outcomes.