The Budget 2025 gave SMEs a real boost, with a clear path to build skills without breaking the bank

If your business has ever held back on growth plans because of budget constraints, concerns about recruitment risks, or the time and cost involved in training staff, this change could remove some major barriers. One of the recent Budget announcements could be just the news many SMEs have been waiting for, with the confirmation that apprenticeship training for all under-25s will now be completely FREE.

Under the previous funding rules, non-levy paying businesses contributed up to 5% of the training cost for apprenticeship programmes, with the government covering the rest. Many employers assume that apprenticeship training comes with much higher costs, so this is a real opportunity to dispel some of the common misconceptions and rethink what apprenticeships could mean for your business. With that 5% co-investment to be scrapped for under-25s apprenticeships, SMEs have a great opportunity to develop their talent without needing to increase training budgets.

For the Budget announcement piece could you add this at the foot please:

Get in touch by email: [email protected], or call us on: 0800 0868199

Visit our website: www.swarmtraining.org.uk

If you are aiming to grow your team but don’t want to stretch your HR and training budgets, or you’re thinking about how to build skills for the future and develop people in a way that’s tailored really aligns to your business needs, it’s worth looking at apprenticeships again. They continue to be one of the lowest risk, highest value routes for developing talent. This change in funding only strengthens that even more.

At Swarm Training, as an independent training provider we can help you explore what this could look like for you in real terms. To deliver real value, apprenticeships need to be planned and supported in the right way. We work with you to understand your skills needs, identify the best training routes, apprenticeships or otherwise, and guide you on the funding support available.

Apprenticeships span a wide range of industries and disciplines, providing a structured pathway to build skills and knowledge for long-term impact. From commercial business functions to technical trades and education, there are programmes to support progression at every level.

If you would like to know more about how the Budget announcement could apply to your business, or would just like to know more about apprenticeships in general, please get in touch. We also offer a free no obligation skills and funding audit to help you understand where apprenticeships could help your plans.