Pharmaceutical industry calls for overhaul of apprenticeship levy

Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry says sector only spent 24% of its 2020 contributions

Pharmaceutical industry leaders have called for an overhaul of the “underused” apprenticeship levy to keep up with the evolving life sciences sector.

Under the scheme launched in 2017, employers with salary bills over £3 million must pay the equivalent of 0.5 per cent of their pay bill to HMRC every year, with the money offered back to them to fund apprenticeship provision. Anything not spent within two years is kept by the Treasury.