The Apprenticeship Levy, Has It Worked?

The Apprenticeship Levy has now been in force for a year.  The government's aim in introducing the Levy was to reverse the decline in the use of apprenticeships by ring fencing funds which would be set aside in order to tackle skills shortages.  One year on, has it worked?

The following figures summarise the Levy and its performance so far:

• £3 million: the amount a company must have as an annual wage bill to pay into the Levy
• £2 billion: the amount the Levy will raise in a year on the 20,000 companies it affects
• £27,000: the maximum amount that can be spent on an apprentice
• £108 million: the amount withdrawn by companies from the Levy in its first year

Since coming into force, the Levy has often attracted criticism for being an 'additional tax' on business and for the lack of flexibility in how employers can access and spend the funds generated by the Levy.  One year on, and these concerns are still prevalent.  This is particularly so in light of