The Level 2 Health and social care foundation apprenticeship, and the 6 providers delivering it.
Health and care support assistants work in a range of health and care settings, for example in a care home, hospital, General Practice, as part of community team and in individuals’ homes where their wider team may include workers from both health and social care. Foundation apprenticeships introduce skills for a range of jobs in a sector, and provide general skills for work. After a foundation, apprentices can specialise and do a standard level 2 or 3 apprenticeship. Employers get an incentive payment for foundation apprenticeships, as well as government funding for training and assessment costs.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
This apprenticeship introduces the core knowledge and skills needed to work as a health and care support assistant. Apprentices learn how to support individuals with day-to-day personal care, communicate effectively with service users and colleagues, follow health and safety procedures, and maintain dignity and respect in care settings. The programme also covers working within professional boundaries, basic record keeping, and understanding safeguarding principles. It is designed as a foundation, giving breadth across the sector rather than depth in one specialism.
Day-to-day responsibilities
An apprentice in this role assists with personal care tasks such as washing, dressing, and mobility support, depending on the setting. They observe and report changes in a service user's condition to senior staff, help maintain care records, and follow instructions from registered practitioners. In a hospital or GP setting, they may support clinical staff with basic tasks and patient communication. In a care home or domiciliary setting, they spend most of their time working directly with residents or clients in their own environment.
Career outlook
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads into a Level 2 or Level 3 standard apprenticeship, such as Adult Care Worker or Healthcare Support Worker, where the apprentice specialises in a particular setting or patient group. Employers across the NHS, private care providers, GP practices, hospices, and domiciliary care agencies hire at this level. With further qualifications and experience, progression into senior care roles, nursing associate programmes, or allied health support positions is a realistic path for those who continue developing in the sector.
6 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Loughborough College Group is a further and higher education college offering a broad portfolio of t...
Achievement Training Limited (ATL) is a private training organisation based in Plymouth city centre,...
Pier Training (Pier Technology Limited trading as Pier Training) is a UK apprenticeship and commerci...
Lifetime is a UK apprenticeships training provider focused on helping employers upskill, reskill and...
JAG Training is a UK-based training provider that offers apprenticeships, adult skills courses and w...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship opens the door to entry-level support roles in health and care settings. Typical starting positions include Care Support Worker, Healthcare Assistant, and Social Care Assistant. Some completers move into Home Care Worker roles, supporting individuals in their own homes, while others take up Healthcare Support Worker posts in NHS wards, GP surgeries, or community health teams. The foundation level is designed as a stepping stone, so most completers progress fairly quickly into a further apprenticeship or substantive employment.
Progression paths
The natural next step is a Level 2 or Level 3 standard apprenticeship, such as the Adult Care Worker (Level 2), Lead Adult Care Worker (Level 3), or Healthcare Support Worker (Level 2). From there, two broad tracks open up. A clinical or specialist route can lead to roles like Senior Healthcare Assistant, Therapy Assistant, or Nursing Associate, sometimes with further training into registered nursing or allied health professions. A supervisory track leads to Team Leader or Senior Care Worker positions managing small care teams.
Where these roles sit
Employers across the NHS, independent care providers, GP practices, and local authority social care teams all hire at this level. Care homes operated by private and charitable organisations are significant recruiters, as are domiciliary care agencies and hospices. Community health services, mental health trusts, and learning disability providers also offer relevant roles. Positions exist across urban and rural areas, reflecting the consistent demand for frontline health and care support throughout the UK.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Throughout the apprenticeship, learning takes place alongside paid employment in a health or care setting. The apprentice builds competence in the knowledge, skills and behaviours relevant to supporting people in that environment. Before final assessment, there is a readiness check, often called the gateway, where the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice is ready to be assessed. Final assessment then confirms whether the apprentice can perform the role to the required standard. As assessment models for many standards are currently being updated, check the apprenticeship's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Collecting evidence as you go makes final assessment much more manageable. Keep records of tasks completed, feedback received, and examples of how you have applied your skills with people you support. Your employer and training provider will guide you toward the gateway, but it helps to stay organised throughout rather than trying to gather evidence at the end. Regular conversations with your line manager about your progress will also build the workplace confidence the assessment is designed to confirm.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Providers worth considering will have an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile, ideally higher given the relatively short eight-month duration. Because this apprenticeship feeds into clinical and care environments, look for providers with confirmed placement relationships across a spread of settings, including residential care, GP practices and community health teams, not just one employer type. High employer satisfaction scores matter here: the off-the-job training needs to reflect actual care duties, not generic workplace skills. Learner reviews mentioning hands-on practice, knowledgeable assessors and clear progression routes are a positive sign.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers running very large cohorts on this standard if their achievement rate is declining or sits below 60%. For a foundation aimed at health and care, vague descriptions of "workplace learning" without any mention of supervised practice, safeguarding training, or basic clinical skills should concern you. Providers who cannot explain what standards-level apprenticeships apprentices typically progress to after completion are a warning sign, since progression is a core purpose of a foundation programme.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What care settings do your learners actually work in during this apprenticeship, and how do you arrange those placements?
- How do assessors stay current with health and social care practice, including relevant legislation and safeguarding requirements?
- What is your achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the past two years?
- What proportion of your completers go on to a level 2 or level 3 standard apprenticeship, and in which roles?
- How is off-the-job training structured across the eight months, and how much of it is practical rather than classroom-based?
- What employer satisfaction score does your FATP profile show, and what do you do when employers raise concerns?
Common questions
Who is eligible to apply for this apprenticeship?
There are no formal academic entry requirements set at this level. Candidates need to be employed for the duration of the apprenticeship and be aged 16 or over. Employers typically look for people with good communication skills and a genuine interest in health and care. The apprenticeship suits those new to the sector, including school leavers and career changers, who want a practical route into health and social care work.
How long does the apprenticeship take and what does the time commitment look like?
The typical duration for this apprenticeship is around 8 months, though the actual length depends on the apprentice's prior learning and pace of progress. Apprentices are employed throughout and learn while working. A portion of contracted hours must be spent on off-the-job training. Exact requirements are subject to change under current Skills England reforms, so check the latest specification on gov.uk for the current figures before planning your programme.
How is the apprenticeship assessed?
Apprentices work towards a gateway point, at which the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has met the required knowledge, skills, and behaviours. Assessment models for many standards are being updated, so it is worth checking the current assessment plan on gov.uk for the precise endpoint arrangements. The apprentice must demonstrate genuine occupational competence before progressing to end-point assessment, not simply complete a set period of time in the role.
How does funding work for employers?
The funding band for this standard is £3,000, which sets the maximum government contribution towards training and assessment costs. Larger employers with an apprenticeship levy account draw down from that fund. Smaller employers without a levy account typically pay 5% of training costs, with government covering the rest. Employers taking on apprentices aged 16 to 18 who have fewer than 50 staff pay nothing for training costs. Employers also receive an incentive payment specifically for foundation apprenticeships.
What does an apprentice in this role do day to day?
Day-to-day work depends on the setting, which could be a care home, hospital ward, GP practice, community team, or a client's own home. Typical tasks include supporting individuals with personal care, assisting with mobility, taking observations, recording information accurately, and communicating with colleagues across health and social care teams. The work is practical and supervised, giving apprentices direct experience of supporting people with a range of health and care needs across different environments.
What can apprentices do after completing this apprenticeship?
This foundation apprenticeship is designed as a stepping stone. After completing it, apprentices can move into a level 2 or level 3 standard apprenticeship to specialise in an area such as adult care, healthcare support, or clinical roles. It builds a grounding in the sector rather than a narrow specialism, which means apprentices are well placed to decide which area of health or social care they want to pursue and to meet the entry requirements for the next level.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 811.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.