Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Accepted in Part
Enhance Skills England data collection, reform levy system, and provide clear programme communication.
Conclusion
To meet its priorities, Skills England must within a year of becoming fully operational—by June 2026—enhance data collection and sharing through a centralised platform that tracks skills gaps and training outcomes. Within two years—by June 2027—Skills England should deliver reform of the complex levy system to ensure SMEs can access funding, with simplified processes and tailored support. Skills England must also provide clear communication about Growth and Skills Levy-funded programmes for employers and learners. (Recommendation, Paragraph 31) Devolution
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the need to enhance data, detailing ongoing work like mapping training pathways and developing a new skills taxonomy. For the levy system, it describes the ongoing transformation of the apprenticeships offer and commits to ensuring it supports SMEs, without explicitly committing to the specific deadlines or scope of the recommended reform.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
ACCEPT Skills England recognises the need to strengthen and expand jobs and skills data across government to enable robust skills needs assessments, particularly at local levels. High-quality data is also essential for delivering the Industrial Strategy and the Plan for Change. Progress is already underway: Skills England has begun mapping training pathways into jobs, as detailed in the Assessment of Priority Skills to 2030 report published in August 2025, and is developing the UK Standard Skills Classification, a new skills taxonomy, with a prototype due for public release shortly. Skills England has also taken ownership of the Employer Skills Survey, which captures data on employer-led training. Despite these steps, significant gaps remain in the current data landscape. The government is already transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners and support the industrial strategy. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy are important to the economy and to apprenticeships; they provide valuable opportunities for younger apprentices and apprentices from disadvantaged areas. In addition, the government pays full training costs for young apprentices aged 16–21, and for apprentices aged 22–24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC) or have been, or are, in local authority care, when they undertake apprenticeships with non-levy paying employers. For all other apprentices, employers that don’t pay the levy are required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs. As we develop the growth and skills offer, we’ll continue to recognise the importance of ensuring that it supports SMEs to access apprenticeships.