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Small Businesses: Apprentices

Asked by Helen WhatelyConservativeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 13 January 2026UIN 101450

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, will he provide an estimate for the number of people who will take up apprenticeship training at small and medium-sized businesses under the Government’s new scheme for under-25s.

Answered by Andrew Western

To meet this government’s ambition to support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships, including at small and medium-sized enterprises, we are taking a range of action backed by an additional £725m of investment announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor at Autumn Budget.

We are expanding foundation apprenticeships into sectors that traditionally recruit young people, launching a £140 million pilot to better connect young people to local apprenticeship opportunities and fully funding SME apprenticeship training for eligible 16–24-year-olds from August 2026.

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