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Apprenticeship

Update On Government’s Small Business Plan

The Government has published a one-year-on update to its Small Business Plan, which is intended to support small and medium-sized businesses to start, scale and grow. Key highlights from the report include: Late payment The Small Business Protections Bill was laid before Parliament in May 2026. The new legislation includes stricter maximum payment terms, mandatory […]

Read more August 10th, 2026

Major Reform To Apprenticeships Announced

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has announced reforms to apprenticeships that will enable up to 20,000 more apprenticeships and could be especially welcome news to small businesses. With effect from April 1st, the government will pay the full cost of training for anyone up to the age of 21. If you are a small employer […]

Read more March 19th, 2024

National Minimum Wage April 2023

National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wages (NLW) increased from 1 April 2023. Please see the table below for the new rates: Employers should review the ages of employees to ensure they are paid the correct gross pay when carrying out your payroll procedures. At Shapcotts we check an employee’s age as part of […]

Read more February 21st, 2023

National Minimum Wage April 2022

National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wages (NLW) increased from 1 April 2022. Please see the table below for the new rates: Employers should review the ages of employees to ensure they are paid the correct gross pay when carrying out your payroll procedures. At Shapcotts we check an employee’s age as part of […]

Read more November 1st, 2021

Apprenticeships during COVID-19

The government has released guidance for apprenticeship training providers (providers), employers, end-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) and apprentices. It describes: how and when apprentices can safely train and undertake an assessment in the workplace, education and assessment settings the temporary flexibilities which apply during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic It should be read alongside: the safer working guidance […]

Read more May 20th, 2021

Kickstart Scheme Launches In November

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched the Kickstart Scheme, designed to create new 6-month job placements for young people who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment. The £2 billion Kickstart Scheme is designed to create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people across […]

Read more September 3rd, 2020

Apprenticeship Programme Response To Coronavirus

Guidance for apprentices, employers, training providers and assessment organisations in response to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19). See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-apprenticeship-programme-response The Government states this is a difficult time for apprentices, employers and providers of apprenticeship training, assessment and external assurance. The government is committed to supporting apprentices, and employers continue to build the skills capabilities the […]

Read more May 26th, 2020

Changes To National Minimum Wage April 2020

National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wages (NLW) increased from 1 April 2020. Please see the table below for the new rates: Employers should review the ages of employees to ensure they are paid the correct gross pay when carrying out your payroll procedures. At Shapcotts we check an employee’s age as part of […]

Read more February 25th, 2020

Changes To National Minimum Wage April 2019

National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wages (NLW) increased from 1 April 2019. Please see the table below for the new rates: Employers should review the ages of employees to ensure they are paid the correct gross pay when carrying out your payroll procedures. At Shapcotts we check an employee’s age as part of […]

Read more April 24th, 2019

Larger Employers Will Pay A New Apprenticeship Levy From 2017

A new apprenticeship levy will be introduced from 6 April 2017. Although all employers will be required to pay this new levy, set at 0.5% of their annual payroll cost, each employer will also have an annual credit equivalent to £15,000 to set against the levy, which means only the largest employers with payrolls of […]

Read more December 12th, 2015