What does it mean for your business?

The Government announced in the 2015 Summer Budget that in April 2017 the way the apprenticeships in England are funded will change.

Employers operating in the UK, with a pay bill over £3 million per year will be required to contribute to a new apprenticeship levy. 

The levy will apply to all employers in the UK across every industry, even public sector bodies. It is a tax of 0.5% of the employers’ total wage bill and it will be paid through PAYE.

Every single employer will receive an allowance of £15,000 to offset against their levy payments. The levy is only paid by employers where the wage bill is in excess of £3 million, which only equates to 2% of UK employers.

Spending the levy funds

Employers who pay the levy and provide apprenticeships will be able to allocate their levy contributions through the Digital Apprenticeship Service to use to train their apprentices

  • Employers who pay the levy and provide apprenticeships will be able to allocate their levy contributions through the Digital Apprenticeship Service to use to train their apprentices
  • Employers will have 24 months to spend their levy funding (contributions and any government top-ups, if eligible)
  • Digital Apprenticeship Service funds will cover apprenticeship training, assessment, and certification with registered providers only. It will not cover wages or other costs
  • You will not be able to use the levy to fund other professional training courses or programmes
  • From 2018 levy payers will be allowed to transfer up to 10% of their annual levy fund value to other employers on the digital apprenticeship system e.g. supply chain

For more information about the levy please visit the following websites:

Our team are perfectly placed to talk you through the changes to apprenticeships and answer any questions you have about the reform and how it impacts employers. It is our aim is to ensure that employers in the region make the most of these changes.

Get in touch

If you’re unsure if you are a levy paying employer or would like to discuss how to make the most of your levy contribution, contact a member of the Business Development Unit on business@stockton.ac.uk or 01642 865 577.

Apprenticeships
CCNSG
Dementia Friends
ECITB
EU Social Fund
Funding Agency
HM Government
Matrix
North East Better Health
Sir William Turner
Smart Assessor
Tees Valley Mayor
TEF Silver
TUCP
Investors In The Environment