Important
Effective from 01 August 2025, the following terminology will change as outlined in Annex B of the Apprenticeship Funding Rules 2025-2026 document:
- Apprenticeship Assessment will replace End-Point Assessment
- Assessment Organisation will replace End-Point Assessment Organisation
- Gateway to Completion will replace Gateway
All the appropriate guidance documents and support will be updated in due course to reflect these changes. Please ensure to use the correct terms when searching for support.
Extenuating Circumstances should be used for situations outside the apprentice control that have prevented them from undertaking any component of their EPA within 3 months after getting approved or if some conditions from a component can’t be met. This can include, but is not limited to:
- Injury or illness (e.g. sports injury; COVID-19)
- Long absence (e.g. maternity leave; hospital stay)
- Family emergency (e.g. bereavement)
- Change of employment circumstances
To submit an extenuating circumstance request:
- Please download and complete the Extenuating Circumstances form provided below in your preferred format.
- Submit it along with supporting evidence (e.g. doctor or employer letter) via the Customer Support Portal.
Bereavement Considerations: We acknowledge that requesting evidence in cases of bereavement is not appropriate. Therefore, we do not require formal evidence for bereavement-related requests and will handle them with sensitivity and discretion.
It usually takes 1-2 working days to process this request but, in some instances, may take up to 5 working days.
Related EPA Articles:
End-point Assessment: Updating Expected Gateway Dates
End-point Assessment: Break in Learning and Resuming Learning
End-point Assessment: Submitting Reasonable Adjustments Requests
End-point Assessment: Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for EPA
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