England may make employers pay more towards training older apprentices

The government is considering making employers in England pay a larger share of training costs for apprentices aged over 25, in an effort to steer more funding towards younger people. The proposal is part of efforts to address a youth jobs crisis and reverse a long-term fall in youth apprenticeship starts.

Under the plan, levy funds would cover eligible training costs in full for apprentices aged 16 to 24, but only 75% for older apprentices, leaving employers to pay the rest. The change could be phased in from September 2027 and would affect the £4bn-a-year growth and skills levy. More than half of new apprenticeship starts are now for people over 25, while under-19 starts have nearly halved in a decade; the foundation apprenticeship scheme has recorded 160 starts against a target of 30,000.