Grants & Funding

Apprenticeship Support for Malvern Hills & Wychavon Businesses

Wychavon District Employer Grant
Businesses in Wychavon can access a £1,500 Employer Grant when recruiting an apprentice, with 67 grants currently available.
In addition, apprentices who reside in Wychavon may be eligible for a £500 Apprentice Bursary. A total of 40 bursaries are available.

In order to qualify the business must:

• Be based in the Wychavon district postcode area.
• Employ fewer than 250 people.
• Pay at least the Minimum Wage to the trainee for a post of at least 30 hrs a week including training leading to a recognised qualification.
• The business must declare if they have had an apprenticeship grant within the last 12 months in the period 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026. If so, the business will not be eligible for this grant.
• Grants are limited to two per business.
• The grants are only available for new apprentices employed by the business, who commence within the organisation between 1st April 2026 and 31st March 2027.

Malvern Hills District Employer Grant
Businesses in Malvern Hills can access a £1,500 Employer Grant when recruiting an apprentice, with 27 grants currently available.
In addition, apprentices who reside in Malvern may be eligible for a £500 Apprentice Bursary. A total of 20 bursaries are available.

In order to qualify the business must:

• Be based in the Malvern Hills district postcode area.
• Employ fewer than 250 people.
• Pay at least the Minimum Wage to the trainee for a post of at least 30 hrs a week including training leading to a recognised qualification.
• The business must declare if they have had an apprenticeship grant within the last 12 months in the period 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026. If so, the business will not be eligible for this grant.
• Grants are limited to two per business.
• The grants are only available for new apprentices employed by the business, who commence within the organisation between 1st April 2026 and 31st March 2027.

To learn more about the local grants and funding available to support your business growth get in touch with the Worcestershire Growth Hub team today!

National Apprenticeship Support

If you’re an employer considering taking on an apprentice in 2026, the financial support available has never been stronger. The government has announced a package of incentives designed to make hiring young apprentices significantly more attractive, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses.

The government is offering up to £5,000 in stacked incentives for employers who hire young apprentices in 2026. Four separate payments are available depending on your size, the apprentice’s age, and their circumstances.

To find out more about the new incentives available get in touch with the Worcestershire Growth Hub team.

Worcestershire Growth Hub

For general information on funding and grants to support your business, visit Worcestershire Growth Hub. Worcestershire Growth Hub is the business support hub for Worcestershire. They can provide a collaboration of information and support services for your local business, including information on funding and grants to support business start-up, running or growing your business.

Website: worcestershiregrowthhub.co.uk

Bursaries and loans

For information about bursaries and loans that apprentices at your business can access, visit our bursaries and loans page.