Apprentice levy

 Larger firms remain focus of apprenticeship levy

Ministers are seeking to assure small businesses that they will not be subject to a new apprentice levy amid concerns the policy would be extended to firms with as few as 50 staff, according to the FT. George Osborne announced in June that all large employers would be required to pay a charge, thought to be 0.5% of payroll, to fund apprenticeship programmes, but business groups have voiced concern that including SMEs would mean it is highly unlikely that firms will be able to recover what they pay in. Sources told the paper that it is larger firms that will be focused on. However, the government has yet to define what it means by “larger employers” report Harris & Co chartered accountants, the specialist small business accountants.

Source:   Financial Times (06/11/2015)