Spending Review pledges to improve the way the apprenticeship system works for businesses

 

In his spending review speech in parliament today, chancellor Rishi Sunak said the government would “improve the way the apprenticeship system works for businesses”. The documents published alongside the speech set out that from August of next year, employers who pay the apprenticeship levy will be able to transfer unspent levy funds “in bulk” to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a new “pledge function”.

“Unspent levy funds will still expire after 24 months,” the document adds. “The government will also introduce, from August 2021, a new online service to match levy payers with SMEs that share their business priorities.”

From April, the government will allow employers in construction, followed by health and social care, to front-load training for certain apprenticeship standards. “The government will explore whether this offer can also be made available in other sectors,” the documents say.

The documents say that during 2021-22, the government will “test approaches to supporting apprenticeships in industries with more flexible working patterns, including consideration of how best to support apprenticeship training agencies”.

Article from TES 25 November 2020