Why the 2025 Winter Budget Signals a Turning Point for Employer-Led Learning
While Winter Budget 2025 headlines focus on youth training support and economic forecasts, employers should pay closer attention to what the announcement means for the Apprenticeship Levy and the value of a trusted training partner.
Apprenticeship levy expiry is set to change from 24 months to 12 months. The message for employers is blunt. You must use your levy strategically, or you will lose out.
What This Means in Practice
Employers now face a choice. Allow levy funds to lapse or use them to address the most urgent organisational need: building confident, capable leaders at every level. This is where management and leadership apprenticeships come into their own. They are one of the highest-ROI uses of levy funding because they target the people who shape team performance, culture and operational results.
A date for implementation of the levy expiry change is yet to be confirmed. We will continue to share updates on the updates as they happen.
Why the Budget Strengthens the Case for Investing Now
Is your levy delivering value? Are you using it to build the leadership capability you need in 6–12 months? If not, you’re absorbing a cost without gaining an advantage. Management apprenticeships at Raise the Bar provide measurable ROI. We work with organisations to support performance improvement, create consistent management standards and build change agility across the organisation. From Level 3 Team Leader through to Level 6 Strategic Leader, our leadership and management apprenticeship standards offer growth opportunities throughout career stages, graduate to C-suite.
Why Should Employers Upskill Staff
Using your levy to upskill your existing team delivers benefits recruitment simply can’t match.
• You retain institutional knowledge.
• You develop leaders who understand your culture.
• You avoid the cost and risk of external hiring.
• You strengthen succession pipelines.
The Budget change makes this approach even more compelling because we are limited in the time to utilise this option.
What Should Employers Do Now?
• Audit your levy balance. Understand what will expire and when.
• Map your leadership needs. Where are the gaps in capability.
• Act this quarter. With reform on the horizon, delay means losing spend.
• Work with your partner to map out a plan to get on the front foot.
• Partner with us.
Raise the Bar apprenticeships are not off-the-shelf courses. They are structured development journeys designed to change behaviour and embed lasting capability.
A Final Point: This Budget Rewards Proactive Employers
The employers who act now will strengthen their workforce, retain their best people and build competitive advantage.
Want to talk through your options with our dedicated team? We’re here to support you. Drop us a line enquiries@raisethebar.co.uk