Adding apprenticeship units to the Apprenticeship Service

Training providers can only add learners doing apprenticeship units through the ‘Choose details from ILR’ journey in the Apprenticeship Service.

This article explains what you need to do in your ILR and to record apprenticeship unit delivery.

Before you start

Note: Non-levy funded learners will need to have funds reserved for apprenticeship units. Employers will need to have approved requests to confirm funding prior to the start date.

To receive apprenticeship unit learning records in your Apprenticeship Service account, you must:

1.Submit learner data in your ILR to the SLD service allowing sufficient time for employer approval.

2.Wait for the data to be processed and made available in the Apprenticeship Service, which typically takes around 15 minutes.

Learner records must successfully pass SLD validation to appear in your provider account. If learner data has not been successfully submitted to SLD, records for learners doing apprenticeship units will not be available.

Using ILR learner records in the Apprenticeship Service

Once learner records from the ILR are available, you can:

• select them during the ‘Choose details from ILR’ journey
• add them to learner requests for employers to review and approve

You cannot add apprenticeship unit learning records manually or using CSV bulk upload.

Recording delivery of apprenticeship unit aims in the ILR

When recording aims for apprenticeship units, your ILR must accurately reflect:

• whether delivery has started
• when minimum delivery thresholds are met

You do this by applying the correct Learning Delivery Monitoring (LDM) codes to each relevant unit aim.

These codes are required for funding and monitoring purposes.

LDM code 403 – Apprenticeship unit

When to use it

You must record LDM code 403 on a unit aim when:

• adding an apprenticeship unit
• the learner is registered on an apprenticeship unit, and
• delivery has started but has not yet reached 30% of the planned learning

Why it’s needed

LDM code 403 confirms that:

• the unit is part of an apprenticeship unit
• the unit should not be treated as a standalone or non-apprenticeship aim
• we receive your data into Approvals and generate earnings

LDM code 404 – 30% delivery threshold met

When to use it

You must add LDM code 404:

• when at least 30% of the planned learning for the unit has been delivered
• it must be recorded alongside LDM code 403, not instead of it.

Why it’s needed

LDM code 404:

• evidence that substantive delivery has taken place
• confirms compliance with apprenticeship funding and monitoring rules

What this means in practice

1. Add LDM code 403 to each relevant apprenticeship unit aim when delivery begins.
2. Monitor delivery against the planned learning.
3. Update the ILR to add LDM code 404 alongside LDM code 403 as soon as the 30% delivery point is reached.

These updates are not automatic.

You must make them as part of your ongoing ILR maintenance.

You can find more information

Apprenticeship unit funding rules - GOV.UK

Add an apprentice or change their status – Apprenticeship Service Support

Last updated on 28 April 2026 12:21