9 February 2018

Full turn-key solution helps employers understand Apprenticeship Levy

Skills Training UK has launched a levy consultancy service to help employers understand the Apprenticeship Levy and make best use of it to upskill their workforce.

It is almost a year since the Government introduced changes to the way Apprenticeships are funded, with employers that have a wage bill greater than £3m now paying a 0.5% tax on payroll for the Apprenticeship Levy. But many employers are yet to sign in or register to access the money they’ve paid and are missing out on the opportunity to use their levy fund to upskill staff.

Skills Training UK has responded to this by offering a full turn-key consultancy service to help employers understand and manage their Apprenticeship Levy account and ensure they receive maximum return on investment.

Stephen Crawley, Skills Director, Skills Training UK, said: “The Apprenticeship Levy is complicated but working in partnership we help employers to understand how they can use their account to pay for Apprenticeships training. They often discover that Apprenticeships are more affordable than they think because the payments are spread across the duration of the programme.

“Many employers we are working with are welcoming the opportunity to upskill their workforce using the levy fund for Apprenticeships training that directly aligns with their business goals.

“There’s also a range of financial incentives that employers can benefit from – including a 10% monthly top up to the online levy account from the Government. Crucially, levy funds expire after two years if they aren’t used so it’s important for employers to act soon if they want to take full advantage. Otherwise it’s money just sitting there, going to waste.”

Skills Training UK partners with employers of all sizes – from large scale organisations that pay the Apprenticeship Levy to smaller SMEs that want to upskill their workforce. It develops and delivers bespoke Apprenticeships programmes for sectors including aerospace, advanced manufacturing, materials testing, pharmaceuticals, logistics, automotive, rail and the NHS.

Trainers employed by Skills Training UK have industry relevant experience and employees can upskill in a range of areas including business skills, leadership and management, quality and improvement, supply chain, information technology and digital marketing.

Please call Skills Training UK’s employer helpline on 0800 612 6224 or email us here for more information.