Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to review compulsory functional skills requirements for apprentices who do not hold a GCSE or Level 2 equivalent qualification in English and maths.

The government has announced changes to the rules relating to achievement of English and mathematics qualifications as part of an apprenticeship for those aged 19 or over at the start of their programme. Upskilling in English and mathematics will continue to remain a key feature of all apprenticeships, and we have listened to employers and will be offering more flexibility over when a standalone qualification is required in addition to this.

All apprentices will be required to secure and be assessed on the job-specific skills English and mathematics they need, but moving forward employers will have more flexibility over whether adult (19+) apprentices are required to achieve a standalone English and mathematics qualifications.

In future, adult apprentices will be able to complete their apprenticeship if they have demonstrated they have the skills, including relevant English and mathematics skills, to be effective in the role without undertaking a standalone English and mathematics qualification.

All apprentices who are aged 16 to 18 at the start of their apprenticeship will continue to be required and funded to secure up to a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics if they do not hold one, consistent with our expectation that all young people should have a meaningful further opportunity to secure a level 2 qualification in English and mathematics post-16.

This delivers the flexibility that employers have long called for and we expect it to lead to thousands more qualified apprentices in a range of key sectors, including in social care and construction.

The changes were made effective from 11 February 2025.