Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe A review of apprenticeship subcontracting rules that was supposed to conclude this month has been pushed back. Reforms from the review, which launched in July to examine policy, rules and definitions, were due to come into effect from January 2027. But the Department for Work and Pensions today said the review “will take longer than planned”. Any changes resulting from the review will now take effect from August 2027. Officials said this later date should give providers sufficient time to adjust to the changes. Engagement with sector representative bodies will begin towards the end of this year, while wider comment from the sector will follow “shortly afterwards, in early 2027”. The DWP is looking to update their definitions after finding some providers were failing to declare subcontracting because they were unsure what counts, particularly when associates or freelancers were involved. DWP said it was “reviewing the definition of a subcontractor to make it clearer who is and who is not a subcontractor and what we mean by directly managed and controlled”.