Author: Billy Camden

“Thousands” of workers have been forced to pay the apprenticeship levy from their wages owing to a loophole in government rules, according to a union. Unite alleges to have received “increasing” evidence that some employment agencies, umbrella companies and other “unscrupulous operators” are “corrupting” the policy in this way. They say the construction industry is […]

The government is to force all colleges and training providers to submit workforce and pay data to “ensure” they can “benchmark themselves against one another”. Following a consultation last year, which attracted 40 responses, the Department for Education said today the ESFA will gather workforce records for 2020/21, before making compliance mandatory for 2021/22. Sanctions […]

Views are being sought by the Education and Skills Funding Agency on proposed changes to their subcontracting rules – as officials bid to cap deals and “eliminate” poor arrangements. A consultation went live today and responses to 10 recommendations will need to be submitted by 17 March. One key proposal is to strengthen controls on […]

The first 16 to 19 funding rate increase since 2013 fails to even pay for inflation, a minister has admitted. As announced by chancellor Sajid Javid last year, every college and sixth form will receive at least £4,188 per student in this age group from August 2020. This is a 4.7 per cent increase on […]

The government is set to launch its consultation on a radical overhaul of subcontracting rules this week – and it is expected to include a proposal to limit out-of-area deals. Eileen Milner, the chief executive of the Education and Skills Funding Agency, sent a sector-wide letter in October warning of rule changes and that she […]

One of England’s largest college groups spent close to £4 million on ‘Project Apple’ to shut two training arms which contributed to an £11 million deficit last year. The shortfall at NCG isn’t the group’s only financial concern: it is also expecting the Education and Skills Funding Agency to recoup funding that goes back “a […]

The FE sector needs to recognise that government has “made a step forward, even if it may not be a giant leap” when it comes to funding, the re-elected chair of the education committee has said. Robert Halfon also believes the apprenticeship levy is in need of reform, but he does not agree with the […]