News

Businesses were given a boost in the Autumn Statement as an extra £40 million was pledged for a further 20,000 apprenticeships in 2014.  This was welcome news for many businesses who wish to grow and develop the productivity of their company through the use of apprenticeship schemes.  The changes aim to put businesses in charge, since employers will be able to receive funding for training apprenticeships directly through a HMRC-led tax system.  Consultation, due to be opened in 2014 will look for a "simple and accessible" system that would enable employers to pay for the cost of an apprentice up front and then claim the money back at a later date through their tax return. It is hoped that these reforms will incentivise employers to take on more apprentices and give them more control over the training that apprentices receive in the workplace. The aim is to allow employers to buy the training they need and to choose the training provider or college they want.