Claim 14fd9bc9Checked 21 Jul 2026
TrueOn the truth scale
“The government is providing record funding for apprenticeships.”
Reasoning & Evidence21 Jul 2026
The claim that "the government is providing record funding for apprenticeships" is accurate. The UK government's own announcements explicitly describe the current apprenticeships budget as a "record £3.3bn investment in apprenticeships this year" for the 2025-26 financial year.
Historical budget figures from official DfE sources show a clear progression:
- 2017-18: ~£2.0bn budget (£1.6bn spent)
- 2018-19: £2.2bn budget
- 2019-20: ~£2.6bn forecast
- 2023-24: £2.5bn
- 2024-25: £2.7bn
- 2025-26: £3.3bn
The DfE's own consolidated annual report and accounts (2024-25) confirm apprenticeships spending was £2.7bn in 2024-25 and £2.5bn the prior year, well below the current £3.3bn. Independent reporting (FE News, Times Higher Education) also describes the £3.3bn as a "record-breaking budget."
The £3.3bn for 2025-26 is the highest apprenticeships budget in cash terms on record, exceeding the previous year's £2.7bn by approximately £600m. Even accounting for inflation, the budget in 2010-11 was £1.2bn and peaked around £2.6-2.7bn in recent years, so £3.3bn in 2025-26 would also represent a record in real terms. The government itself uses this exact characterization, and the budget figures from the DfE's own publications confirm that the £3.3bn for 2025-26 is the highest on record.
Sources: GOV.UK news announcement "New deal for young people to end 'degree by default' culture and boost youth apprenticeships" (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-deal-for-young-people-to-end-degree-by-default-culture-and-boost-youth-apprenticeships); DfE consolidated annual report and accounts 2024 to 2025 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-education-consolidated-annual-report-and-accounts-2024-to-2025/dfe-consolidated-annual-report-and-accounts-2024-to-2025-html-version); FE News "Apprenticeship funding band review commissioned to boost young people's starts" (https://www.fenews.co.uk/skills/apprenticeship-funding-band-review-commissioned-to-boost-young-peoples-starts/); NAO "The apprenticeships programme" (https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/The-apprenticeships-programme.pdf); DfE Main Estimate Memorandum 2024 to 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66c3210bd10184fe9b13e374/DfE_Main_Estimate_Memo_2024_to_2025.pdf)
From speech
Welfare reform is balancing universal credit so that it no longer pushes people away from work. That is what we are doing; the Opposition voted against it. Welfare reform is introducing a right to try, to incentivise people to take up opportunities. That is what we are doing; they voted against it. Welfare reform is providing record funding on apprenticeships. That is what we are doing; apprenticeship starts fell by 40% on their watch. The right hon. Lady talks about the welfare bill. It soared by £88 billion on their watch. Nearly 3 million people were written off. Face-to-face assessments collapsed because of the contracts they agreed. And who signed off those contracts? The shadow Chancellor.
Sources opened