THE RETAIL BULLETIN - The home of retail news
Lest we forget
Click here
Home Page
News Categories
Commentary
CX
Department Stores
Electricals and Tech
Entertainment
Fashion
Food and Drink
General Merchandise
Grocery
Health and Beauty
Home and DIY
Interviews
People Matter
Retail Business Strategy
Property
Retail Solutions
Electricals & Technology
Sports and Leisure
Christmas Ads
Shopping Centres, High Streets & Retail Parks
Uncategorized
Retail Events
People in Retail Awards 2024
THE Retail Conference
Retail Ecom North
Retail HR North 2025
Retail Omnichannel Futures 2025
Retail HR Central 2025
The Future of The High Street 2025
Retail Ecom Central
Upcoming Retail Events
Past Retail Events
Retail Insights
Retail Solutions
Advertise
About
Contact
Subscribe for free
Terms and Policies
Privacy Policy
Apprentice levy not fit for purpose says BRC

British retailers have urged the government to reform the apprenticeship levy system in order to created thousands of new apprenticeship roles in the industry. According to… View Article

FASHION RETAIL NEWS UK

Apprentice levy not fit for purpose says BRC

British retailers have urged the government to reform the apprenticeship levy system in order to created thousands of new apprenticeship roles in the industry.

According to a study from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) some retailers estimate they could create up to 1,000 new apprenticeships each if the system was overhauled.

The apprenticeship levy, introduced by the UK government in 2017, is a form of taxation designed to help firms offer more apprenticeships.

Respondents said that the current system is inadequate, inflexible, and does not support essential courses that are needed for a thriving retail industry, with 95% admitting the system needs to change.

Two-thirds of respondents say more than 40% of their levy funds go unspent and individual retailers have lost up to £12m ($14.7m) per company in unspent funds since the levy was introduced.

“People are losing out on essential training, opportunities are being wasted, and money is being lost”, the BRC said.

“Apprenticeships are crucial for employees and businesses — they provide vital opportunities for people to get into the workplace and develop essential skills that will support them through their careers.”

The group, which represents UK retailers added they are also “vital for upskilling the workforce” to ensure it is equipped to meet the huge technological transformation that retail is undergoing.

“It is crystal clear that the apprenticeship levy system is not fit for purpose, and in desperate need of reform,” said Helen Dickinson OBE, CEO of the BRC. “Hundreds of thousands of pounds are being wasted every month.”

“But this is not just a financial issue, it represents missed employment opportunities, missed training, and missed career progression.”

On Tuesday, the BRC and its members called on the government to make the levy more flexible in order to allow apprenticeship funding to cover some costs associated with hiring an apprentice, including covering the cost of back-filling roles while apprentices are on off-the-job training.

“If government is serious about its ‘levelling up’ agenda, the levy must be made more flexible so retailers can use the funds for high quality pre-employment courses, short in-work developmental courses and to cover other costs related to training their people,” Dickinson added.

Subscribe For Retail News