AELP submission for Autumn Budget 2018

AELP has made a written submission to HM Treasury in advance of Autumn Budget 2018, the date of which has yet to be announced.  In it, AELP confirms its belief that a well-funded, well-defined skills system is vital to the government achieving its objectives in respect of the social mobility agenda, the Industrial Strategy and meeting labour market challenges that may be exacerbated by Brexit.  The submission calls for support in 11 specific areas:

1. A guaranteed budget of £1bn supported by the Treasury for apprenticeship delivery to non-levy employers that guarantees a minimum level of apprenticeships in non-levy employers.
2. A proportion of the current Higher Education fees budget to be made available to support higher and degree apprenticeships.
3. English and maths functional skills to be adequately funded when delivered as part of an apprenticeship programme in line with other delivery.
4. Apprenticeship frameworks to have adequate funding to ensure high-quality delivery until they are fully replaced by standards.
5. The entire Adult Education Budget (AEB) to be commissioned.
6. The ESF’s successor fund, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), should prioritise education and skills provision given the predicted skills gaps the UK is expected to face post-Brexit.
7. A review of the current disadvantage funding arrangements for apprenticeships is required to undo the damage of the most recent changes.
8. Open up apprenticeship levy transfers to support more SMEs.
9. Full funding for SMEs’ apprenticeships for 16-24 year olds, or at least provide incentives against the cash co-investment and also demonstrate explicitly the ‘in-kind’ support from employers.
10. A commitment to more funding to be spent on frontline delivery rather than unacceptably high subcontracting fees.
11. Growth in Traineeships urgently needs to be restored.

The full submission can be downloaded at: https://www.aelp.org.uk/resource-and-information-centre/resource-and-information-centre/submissions/submission-53-autumn-budget-2018/