Get support with your apprenticeship

Get free help and support

Contact the Apprenticeship Service to get help.

• Call: 0800 0150 400
• Email: nationalhelpdesk@apprenticeships.gov.uk

Mental health support

An apprenticeship can be a difficult time. Some apprentices experience:

• imposter syndrome
• stress and overwhelm
• difficulty managing workload
• fear of failure
• lack of motivation

If any of this sounds familiar, or if you just aren’t feeling right, you can get mental health support. You can choose how you want to be supported, it’s confidential, and it’s free.

Get mental health support

NHS Mental Health Services offers a wide range of mental health services, including information and support for mental health conditions, self-help guides, and access to talking therapies.

Mind offers advice and support to anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness, and promote understanding of mental health issues.

Samaritans provide emotional support to anyone who’s in distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide. Their phone advisors are available 24/7 and they also respond to emails and letters.

Campaign Against Living Miserably CALM is leading a movement against suicide. They offer a free and confidential helpline and webchat from 5pm to midnight, 7 days a week.

Work, financial, and legal support

There are many independent sources that offer advice, counselling, and legal assistance.

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service ACAS provides free and impartial advice to employees on employment rights, best practices, and policies.

Citizens Advice provides free, confidential and independent advice to help people overcome their problems, including employment issues.

Law Centres Network offers legal advice, casework and representation to individuals and communities. 

Money Helper provides free, impartial information and guidance about money and pensions.

Support for a learning difficulty or disability

If you have a learning difficulty or disability, there are rights that protect apprentices against discrimination. These rights cover many areas, including employment and education. You’re also protected during the application and interview process by the Equality Act 2010. Learn more about disability rights.

What support can I get?

If you have a learning difficulty, disability or physical or mental health condition, your employer and training provider must make reasonable adjustments to help you, so you’re not disadvantaged when doing your job or training.

These could include:

• providing equipment to help with your work 
• giving you more time to do your work 
• arranging tasks in a different way 
• making physical changes to your workplace, for example installing a ramp for wheelchair access 
• offering employees training opportunities, recreation, and refreshment facilities

Your employer and training provider should review your reasonable adjustments throughout your apprenticeship to make sure you’re getting the support you need. They may also be able to claim financial support towards the reasonable adjustments they make.

How will my needs be assessed?

There’s no set way for your needs to be assessed. Any reasonable adjustments your employer and training provider recommend need to be agreed and signed off by you. In your initial assessment, your employer and training provider should:

• evaluate any learning difficulties or disabilities you have that might affect your activities or training 
• decide if you need further assessments to help you get the right support during your apprenticeship 
• tailor activities to meet your needs, and help you keep to your training plan 
• consider the support and adjustments you’ll need and talk about them with you 
• identify the skills, qualifications or experience you have, including English and maths 
• assess any support you might need with computer-based activities (if applicable)

If you did not discuss this in your initial assessment, you can tell them afterwards. You should also tell them if your circumstances change during your apprenticeship.

What funding is available?

Access to Work is a government scheme that offers grants to apprentices to help them pay for any reasonable adjustments they need. You could be eligible for a grant if you have a disability, a health condition or a mental health condition.

The support you get will depend on your needs. You could get a grant to help pay for things like:

• British sign language interpreters, lip speakers or note takers 
• adaptations to your vehicle so you can get to work 
• taxi fares to work or a support worker if you cannot use public transport 
• a support worker or job coach to help you in your workplace

English and maths requirements

If you’re aged 16 to 18, you might need a minimum level of English and maths to meet the criteria for your apprenticeship assessment.

If your learning difficulty or disability means you can’t achieve the usual level of English or maths, you may be able to complete a functional skills qualification instead.

Your training provider should talk to you about this. They’ll also make a learning plan for you to help develop your English and maths skills if necessary. 

Assessments

Talk to your training provider about your assessments. They’ll discuss with you what extra support or adjustments you may need.

Do I have to tell my employer and training provider?

You do not have to tell your employer or training provider that you have a learning difficulty or disability, but you will not get the support you’re entitled to if you don’t tell them. Being open and honest about the support you need could help you and the people you’re working with. Your employer and training provider might ask you to provide them with any relevant medical details.

Disabled apprentices network

You can find more support at the Disabled Apprentice Network (DAN). DAN is free to join and connects current and previous apprentices so they can share their experiences and views on how apprenticeships can be improved.

DAN is hosted by Disability Rights UK, the UK’s leading organisation for disabled people. They provide online guidance for apprentices and work with disabled people’s organisations across the country.