Following the release of statistics from the Department for Education, the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) are urging the government to address ongoing problems with the ‘flawed’ apprenticeship levy.
According to new data, apprenticeship starts were down 25% for the seven months to February 2018 compared with the previous year. What’s more, the levy, which has been in place since the 6 of April 2017, means businesses with an annual wage bill of more than £3 million must pay the levy towards apprenticeship funding.
The levy is charged at 0.5% of the annual wage bill and each employer is eligible to receive an allowance of £15,000 to offset against their levy payment. If you’re unsure about whether or not this applies to your business, contact us about our payroll services and we will be happy to help.
Seamus Nevin, head of policy research at the IoD, said that “while the motivation behind the policy is laudable, the execution is flawed”.
He suggested that the system could be reformed by giving businesses more time and flexibility when using levy funding. He continued:
“If we want to boost skills, productivity and wages in our economy then the [apprenticeship] system must be reformed. Businesses should be afforded the flexibility to invest in more tailored courses, firms need longer to spend the money so they can use it on the apprenticeships of greatest value and larger companies could also be allowed to transmit more of the funds down to where it’s most needed.”
Jane Gratton, head of skills at the BCC, also saw inflexibility as one of the main problems with the levy, which has felt “more like a tax” for larger firms. Meanwhile, she said the changes to apprenticeships have only “added to the barriers, complexity and cost of recruiting and training staff” for SMEs.
She added:
“There is a consensus among the UK business community that the levy needs reform, yet our calls continue to go unanswered. Each month the number of apprenticeships is falling, so now has to be the time for government to work with business and training providers to sort things out.”
If you would like further information about the apprenticeship levy or any of our payroll services, please feel free to contact PKB Accountants and we will be more than happy to help.
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