Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of people with (1) learning difficulties, and (2) other disabilities, taking part in apprenticeships.

The Government is implementing reforms to English apprenticeships to raise their quality and ensure they are accessible to all, including people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

We already have a comprehensive set of financial provisions to assist employers and training providers in meeting the needs of disabled apprentices. Where an apprentice has an Education Health and Care Plan, £2,000 in total is available for the training provider and the employer, who receive £1,000 each. Apprentices and their employers can also apply for Access to Work funding to support the apprentice’s employment. Furthermore, training providers can claim up to £150 a month, and more in exceptional circumstances, to help with the costs of making adjustments to support apprentices with SEND. This is in addition to the £1,000 stated above.

We are implementing the Maynard Taskforce recommendations to improve access to apprenticeships for those with SEND. Recently, the rules for English and maths requirements were updated to provide more flexibility for apprentices with SEND and who hold an Education Health and Care plan or equivalent.

For the first time, British Sign Language (BSL) is now also an alternative to English Functional Skills for those who use BSL as their first language.

These changes will allow more people to benefit from the opportunities available through apprenticeships and work.

Additionally, the Government is supporting employers with apprentices who have SEND by developing new communications and guidance products. This includes our Employer Toolkit which can be found at: http://www.employer-toolkit.org.uk/.