Budget 2021: Support for jobs - apprenticeships and traineeships

03 March 2021

The Government recognises that the outbreak of coronavirus has impacted heavily on jobs and has disproportionately disadvantaged younger people. To try and combat this, several measures will be implemented to support them back into jobs, or help them into newly created jobs.

The Government has confirmed that it will provide £126 million for the 2021-22 academic year, in addition to the £111 million provided in 2020-21, towards high quality work placements and training for 16–24-year-olds in England. Those employers who provide trainees with work experience can continue to benefit from a payment of £1,000 per trainee.

Employers in England who hire new apprentices between 1 April 2021 and 30 September 2021 will receive £3,000 per new hire. Previously, this was £1,500 for each apprentice hire, or £2,000 for each apprentice aged below 25. In addition, the Government continues to provide £1,000 for any new apprentices aged between 16 and 18, and for those under the age of 25 with an Education, Health and Care plan.

£7 million will be ploughed in to a new “flexi-job” (portable) apprenticeship programme in England, which will allow apprentices to work with several employers in one sector, as opposed to just one employer.

New technologies will be piloted to assist people in finding jobs, and the Government will invest £1.3 million over the course of 2021-22 and 2022-23 to support them.

 The Budget document can be accessed in full here.

 


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