The Employer Support Fund (ESF)

As announced on 23rd April, the Department for Education has introduced the Employer Support Fund (ESF) to help providers support employers with essential costs associated with delivering high-quality T Level industry placements. 

This fund will support placements that begin on or between April 23, 2025 and March 31, 2026 and is available to support: 

1. Employers of all sizes delivering industry placements in the Construction T Level route
2. Employers of all sizes delivering industry placements for the Health T Level
3. SMEs delivering industry placements for all other T Levels

All providers delivering T Levels to learners in the 2024 to 2025 or 2025 to 2026 academic year received an allocation email in June setting out their specific ESF allocation and Grant Offer Letter. These emails were sent to heads of organisations (Head teacher, Principal or CEO). Providers had until 5pm on Monday 7th July to opt into the fund.The deadline for opting into the ESF has now passed. If your organisation did not opt into the ESF, we have assumed that your organisation has decided not to participate in the Employer Support Fund

The ESF online claims tool is live, and the third claims window is open. Providers can submit claims for eligible employer costs supporting industry placements that started between 23 April 2025 and 31 March 2026.

Funding is only confirmed until the end of March, so we strongly encourage providers who opted into the fund to make full use of their allocation while the budget is available. 

Additional resources:

• Further information on the Employer Support Fund is available via our published guidance. 
• A webinar recording is available for providers
• An article is available to support employers.
• If you have any further questions about the fund please get in touch with employer.supportfund@education.gov.uk.