England weighs employer contributions for older apprentices to prioritise youth training
Original report:
Ministers were considering requiring employers to fund a quarter of older apprentices’ training costs, the Guardian reported in October 2026. The proposed change to England’s levy system aimed to redirect support towards younger recruits amid falling youth apprenticeship starts.
The Guardian reported on 17 October 2026 that ministers were developing changes to apprenticeship funding in England to encourage employers to train younger people. Under the proposal, levy funds would cover only 75% of eligible training costs for older apprentices, with employers paying the balance. Eligible costs for apprentices aged 16 to 24 would remain covered by levy funds.
A phased introduction was reportedly under consideration from September 2027. The plans formed part of the response to Alan Milburn’s review of youth inactivity, whose final report had been delayed until after the budget. The Department for Work and Pensions said it would not pre-empt the review’s findings.
The reported proposal exposed a tension between employer flexibility and efforts to expand young people’s access to training. According to the article, over-25s accounted for more than half of apprenticeship starts, while youth starts had fallen 40% over a decade. Employers had previously been encouraged to choose how to spend their levy funds.
Source
the Guardian — 17 October 2026
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