UK apprenticeship levy is a £3.5bn mistake, say business leaders

Helen Dickinson, head of the British Retail Consortium, said the broken apprenticeship system is a ball and chain around efforts to boost training and productivity. Photograph: Stockbroker/Alamy

Retailers, hospitality businesses, the tech industry and recruiters have called for urgent reform of the apprenticeship levy, calling it a “£3.5bn mistake”.

In a letter sent to ministers, the British Retail Consortium (BRC), UKHospitality, techUK, and the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) said the government was “holding back investment” in critical training that could increase productivity, fuel economic growth and raise wages.