The HomeServe Foundation has called on the chancellor to re-introduce employer incentives for taking on an apprentice for regulated trades including gas and heating engineers.
Ahead of tomorrow’s Spring Statement, Rishi Sunak was encouraged to increase the number of highly skilled trades workers in the plumbing and heating industry.
Incentives were removed in January, but new research conducted by Capital Economics found the trades and construction industry still facing critical shortages “following years of under-training and the reliance on skilled EU workers that have now left the country”.
The Foundation would also like to see more than 25% of unspent levy pots transferable to small trades businesses that need the financial support.
Helen Booth, director of the HomeServe Foundation, said: “Recent skills grants have given businesses across the UK a terrific boost, allowing many to take on more work and expand along with demand – but it’s still yet to be adopted by many. But we know more want to take advantage and simply haven’t had the time.
“We would urge the chancellor to consider reinstating these incredibly valuable incentives – or else so many businesses and young people will end up missing out. It would be invaluable to tackling the country’s skills crisis.”
According to the government, more than 60,000 claims for the incentives were made for 16- to 24-year-olds between its launch in April and September, with more than 19,000 for the over-25 age group.
Helen added: “At the moment, half of the apprenticeship levy is being left unspent. We’d like to see the process to share levy with SMEs made easier – the Levy Transfer Service pilot is making progress on this – and we’d like to see the threshold that can be donated raised to above 25%.”