How to Create Your Apprenticeship Service Account

You’ve chosen your apprenticeship and selected us as your specialist training provider. The next and final setup step is to create your Apprenticeship Service Account.

This can sound technical, but it’s a simple, one-off task. This account is the central hub on GOV.UK that lets you officially manage your apprenticeship, access government funding, and approve payments to us, your provider.

This guide explains what the account is, what you need to register, and the first simple steps to take.

What is the Apprenticeship Service Account?

The Apprenticeship Service Account is your digital dashboard for everything to do with your apprenticeship. All employers, whether you pay the Apprenticeship Levy or not, must use this system.

You will use this account to:

• Manage Funds: For Levy payers, this is where your levy pot appears.
• Reserve Funding (for Non-Levy Employers): This is the most important step for non-levy firms. It's how you "claim" the 95-100% government funding for your apprentice.
• Appoint Your Training Provider: You will use the account to give us permission to manage your apprentice's training.
• Approve Your Apprentice: You will confirm the apprentice's details once we have added them to the system.
• Manage Payments: You will approve the monthly payments that are automatically sent to us from your reserved funds or levy pot.

What You Need Before You Start

To make the process as smooth as possible, have the following information to hand before you begin. This will take you about 10 minutes to complete.

• A GOV.UK Gateway ID and Password: This must be the ID for your organisation, not your personal one. If you don’t have one, you can create it on the first step.
• Your PAYE Scheme Reference Number: This is issued by HMRC.
• Your Accounts Office Reference Number (AORN): This is also on letters from HMRC.
• Your Companies House Number (or Charity Number, if applicable).

A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Account

• Go to the official GOV.UK website: The registration page is on "Manage apprenticeship funds."
• Sign in or Create a GOV.UK Gateway ID: Use your organisation's existing Gateway ID. If you don't have one, the service will guide you to create one.
• Enter Your Organisation's Details: This is where you will need your PAYE scheme number, AORN, and Companies House number. The system will use this to find your organisation.
• Accept the Employer Agreement: This is a legal agreement between your firm and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for the funding. You will need the authority to accept this on behalf of your company.

Once you have accepted the agreement, your account is officially set up.

Your First Two Steps Inside the Account

Once you are in, there are two quick tasks to complete.

Step 1: Reserve Your Funding (For Non-Levy Employers)

If your annual pay bill is under £3 million, your first action is to "reserve funding."

This is the key step that secures the 95-100% government co-investment for your apprentice. You will need to know:

• The apprenticeship standard (e.g., Level 4 Conveyancing Technician).
• The month the apprenticeship will start.

As your provider, we can guide you on exactly what to select here.

Step 2: Appoint Us as Your Training Provider

You must give us formal permission to act on your behalf. To do this:

• Go to the "Your training providers" section in your account.
• Select "Add a training provider."
• You will be asked for our UK Provider Reference Number (UKPRN).
• We will give you our 8-digit UKPRN. Once you enter it, our name will appear.
• Select us and confirm.

Don't Worry – We Handle This With You

Does this sound like administrative hassle? Don't let it be.

This is a core part of our service. As your specialist provider, we will personally walk you through this entire process.

We typically schedule a 15-minute call with you or a member of your team. We'll share our screen, guide you click-by-click, and provide our UKPRN at the right time. We ensure it's done correctly, first time, with zero stress for you.

Your focus should be on your business and your new apprentice; our focus is on managing the process.

You're Ready to Go

our account is now set up, your funding is reserved, and you've appointed us as your partner. The final administrative hurdle is cleared.

The next step is the exciting part: starting your apprentice's learning journey.

• Explore Our Programmes: See our specialist Conveyancing Apprenticeships and Probate Apprenticeships.
• Contact Our Team today to schedule your account setup call and get your first apprentice started.