Work minister says funding restrictions for level 7 apprenticeships will not reduce skill supply
The government has insisted that its decision to cut funding for Level 7 apprenticeships, including those for solicitors, will not lead to a significant decrease in the supply of skilled workers.
Work and Pensions Minister Andrew Western addressed Parliament yesterday, defending the restriction of funding, which limits financial support to those aged 16-21 from January. He stated that the change prioritises young people, many of whom have been unable to access apprenticeship opportunities in the past. The funding will also be available to those aged up to 24 if they are care leavers or have an education, health, and care plan.
The debate, led by Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Gibson, focused on the potential negative impact on diversity within professions such as architecture and law. Gibson argued that apprenticeships have historically been a key route into professions that are often inaccessible to those from lower-income or underrepresented backgrounds.
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“For underprivileged children, apprenticeships are a fantastic route into higher education,” Gibson said. “In architecture, apprenticeships are a significant step forward in opening up the profession to people from diverse backgrounds. The government’s decision to restrict apprenticeship funding to those aged 16 to 21 threatens to undo that progress.”
In response, Western acknowledged the importance of apprenticeships for young people but defended the decision to focus public funding on them. He explained that Skills England had consulted over 700 stakeholders, including employer representatives and young people, to gauge the impact of removing Level 7 funding.
Skills England’s evidence suggested that while Level 7 apprenticeships are important for the economy, alternative routes to acquiring these skills are well established, and the decision would not lead to a significant or unavoidable decline in the supply of these skills in the long term. Western also pointed out that a large proportion of Level 7 apprentices came from non-deprived backgrounds and were older learners, making them less likely to benefit from the funding changes.
Western added that the government was encouraging employers to invest in upskilling their staff aged 22 and above to Level 7, particularly for roles such as solicitors and architects, which traditionally require more advanced qualifications.