Labour to put ‘businesses in the driving seat’ with reformed apprenticeship levy

Latest figures suggest the number of apprenticeship starts is increasing – but more needs to be done to help worker shortages, says Labour’s shadow education secretary

Labour has restated its pledge to reform the existing apprenticeship levy, promising firms more flexibility about how they spend government money.

Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, said that a new growth and skills levy would give businesses “greater flexibility to invest in training courses that meet their skills needs, turbocharging investment in skills for the future”. She said that businesses are “crying out for help to tackle skills shortages”.

The announcement comes days after Labour was seen courting bosses, asking them to declare their support for the reformed levy, according to Sky News.

On Tuesday, a public letter in support of the party which 120 company chiefs signed caused a row over Labour’s claim to be the “party of business”, after some signatories were allegedly associated with dormant firms.

Bridget Phillipson has restated Labour’s pledge to reform the existing apprenticeship levy (Getty Images)

Ms Phillipson said: “Businesses are crying out for help to tackle skills shortages, so Labour will give them the flexibility needed to create skills training opportunities and drive economic growth through a growth and skills levy.

“Unlike the Tories’ botched apprenticeships levy which has seen training opportunities plummet, Labour will put businesses in the driving seat of creating the opportunities people need to get on in work.

“The choice on 4th July is between a Conservative Party that has given up on upskilling the nation and Labour that will see in a golden age in lifelong learning so that everyone can get on and fire the growth our economy needs.”

According to government figures, the number of apprenticeship starts dropped between 2021-22 and 2022-23 – from 349,190 to 337,140.

But the latest figures covering August 2023 until January 2024 suggests the number of apprenticeship starts is recovering – up by 2.5 per cent on the same period the previous year.

Labour has pointed to a drop in further education and skills participation, where Department for Education figures show a steady decline between 2017-18 and 2020-21 – from 2.18 million participants to 1.64 million. Participation has risen to 1.82 million by 2022-23.

The reformed levy would permit firms to spend up to 50 per cent of their levy contributions on “approved non-apprenticeship training”, with at least 50 per cent reserved for apprenticeships.

The approved qualifications could include modular courses in Labour’s industrial strategy “priority areas” – including digital and green skills – or pre-apprenticeship training, according to the Labour Party.

Onward, a conservative think tank, published a report into the policy earlier this month which suggested the new flexibility “risks causing a further sharp decline in the number of apprenticeship starts”.

The think tank also concluded: “It is clear that the current system and the apprenticeship levy is not working as it should be and is not incentivising opportunity in the places that need it most”.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Labour’s ill thought through policy will halve the number of apprenticeships, slash the budget by £1.5bn, and disadvantage small and medium sized businesses.

“Since 2010, we have built a world-class apprenticeship system from the ground up, delivering over 5.8 million apprenticeships since 2010 and creating pathways to 70 per cent of occupations through apprenticeships.

“Our plan is working. We must stick to it to deliver 100,000 more high-skilled apprenticeships a year fully funded so young people have the opportunities they deserve to secure high-skilled jobs and a brighter future. Labour would take us back to square one.”