Apprenticeship Levy

UK economy stagnates in three months to September

UK gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have stagnated during the third quarter of the year as uncertainty ahead of the budget affected decision making, according to the latest figures from the Office For National Statistics. The ONS found that UK GDP increased by 0.1% in Quarter 3 (July…

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Retail responds to ‘underwhelming’ Spring Statement

Both Bira and CBI have expressed disappointment in the chancellor’s Spring Statement, with Bira having declared it is “underwhelmed with the offerings for independent businesses”. In his speech yesterday, Rishi Sunak outlined a series of measures to help combat the rising cost of living in his latest spring statement, including…

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Three quarters of recruiters ‘don’t see any value’ in apprenticeship levy

According to new research three quarters of recruiters see ‘no value’ in the apprenticeship levy. The research conducted by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) also found that fewer than half are currently using their levy funds, or planning to do so in the next 12 months. Samantha Hurley,…

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Retailers ‘want more apprenticeships’ to develop future workforce

New data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has suggested that retailers want to commit to more apprenticeships in the coming years. In a survey of UK retailers, 86 percent indicated they would increase the number of apprenticeships they offer in the next two years. In England, retailers are committed…

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Record reduction in retail employment

There has been a record reduction in the amount of people and hours worked in retail employment, according to the BRC. Hours worked in retail fell by 4.2 percent compared with the same quarter a year ago. Reductions in hours worked on both full-time and part-time contracts contributed. This is…

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BRC: Retail sales growth hits six-year low

UK retail sales have decreased 1 percent on a like-for-like basis, a report by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has revealed.  The latest BRC – KPMG Retail Sales Monitor – covering the five weeks from 26 February to 1 April – found total retail sales fell by 0.2 percent in…

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