7 December 2015
There is a lot in this five-year blueprint that small salon owners will need to go away and digest, but it is good news we now have a degree of clarity around the government’s thinking and timeline when it comes to apprenticeships in England.
“The extension of the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers until summer 2017 is a positive sign that the government is aware of the worries many small businesses have around its planned changes to how apprenticeships are funded. We will have to wait until spring 2016 to receive full details of the new funding models, including the apprenticeship levy, so we can assess the full impact on a sector which is dominated by small and micro-businesses.
“Confirmation that salons will from April no longer have to pay National Insurance Contributions for apprentices aged under 25 is also welcome.
“It is important to make sure these hugely important changes are carefully thought-through, as the consequences of getting it wrong will be devastating both for hair and beauty business owners and for trainees.”
View the executive summary here.