Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to eligibility to funding for Level 7 apprenticeships from 1 January 2026 on raising the status and attractiveness of technical and vocational pathways relative to academic options.

This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity. Since January 2026, the government no longer funds level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level, except for young apprentices under the age of 22, and those under 25 who are care leavers or have an Education, Health and Care Plan. This will enable apprenticeships opportunities to be rebalanced towards young people and create more opportunities for those entering the labour market, who need skills and training to get on in their careers.

The government is encouraging more employers to invest in upskilling their staff aged over 22 to level 7 where it delivers a benefit to the business and the individual. It will be for employers to determine the most appropriate training. The department has published guidance on privately funded apprenticeships, which will enable employers to privately fund level 7 apprenticeships for staff aged over 22: Privately funded apprenticeships: rules and guidance - GOV.UK. There are also alternative training options available to employers at level 7 including non-apprenticeship routes.

This government wants to make sure that apprenticeships offer a strong and valued alternative route to university for young people, and we are committed to supporting 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships. To help achieve this we are fully funding SME apprenticeships for eligible 16–24-year-olds from August as well as introducing a £2000 incentive payment for SMEs that take on, as new employees, apprentices aged under 25 from October this year and launching a pilot to better connect young people to local apprenticeship opportunities. In addition, our Apprenticeship Ambassador Network of around 2,500 employer and apprentice volunteers promotes apprenticeships to students in schools and colleges.