Does the Apprenticeship Levy Increase the North South Divide?

Has the apprenticeship levy brought more prosperity to the UK or has it increased the divide between North and South?

As organisations around the country get ready for the levy, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) are predicting that once again it will be London and the South East that benefits the most.

The aim of the reformed apprenticeship scheme is to improve opportunities for young people by providing them with employment and to equip them with skills that will increase their prospects for life.

Companies with a pay bill of more than £3 million will have to pay 0.5% of their pay bill, which they can draw down to fund their own apprenticeships. The government claims that changes to the apprenticeship scheme will improve the prospects of youngsters in the poorest areas of the country. However, with 38% of the largest levy paying companies based in the South East (an area that already has higher levels of employment) there are concerns that places like Yorkshire and the North East will raise less through the levy, which will result in fewer apprenticeships.

The IPPR are calling for the government to re-consider their proposals so that there is a fairer distribution of opportunity across the country.

Discover more here –  https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/mar/27/uk-apprenticeship-levy-will-deepen-north-south-divide-ippr-warns