Nursery World - Apprenticeship levy needs 'radical rethink'

The apprenticeship levy, paid by large employers to fund an expansion of apprenticeships, needs a ‘radical rethink’, the CBI will warn today.

Director-General Carolyn Fairbairn will tell business representatives that there are increasing concerns about the ‘viability’ of the current system.

Plans to force employers to pay 0.5% of their payroll to fund apprenticeship places ‘encourages firms to rebadge their existing programmes’ rather than go to the expense of creating new ones.

‘It is crucial firms get closer to doing what the Government promised - being able to get your money back if you have a good programme’, she will add.

Employers will be eligible for the levy if they have a pay bill of more than £3 million each year. They can then access apprenticeship funding through a digital account. Each employer will receive £15,000 to offset the cost of implementing the scheme

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