Responding to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's spring statement 2025

Date:

26 03 2025

Authors:

Stephen Evans

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Responding to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's spring statement, Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of Learning and Work Institute (L&W), said:
It's good to see the extra £1 billion investment in employment support confirmed, given two in ten out-of-work disabled people want to work but only one in ten get help to find work each year. But it will take time to see the benefit of this investment and the outlook is challenging, with growth remaining low, the world uncertain, skills funding cut by £1 billion in England since 2010, and real wages still £246 per week below their pre-financial crisis trends. Going for growth can only succeed if we have sufficient skilled workers; we need the Government and employers to step up to do this.
These numbers also mask substantial inequalities within construction. Women account for only 10 per cent of starts in construction apprenticeships so far this year, compared to 51 per cent of apprenticeships overall. In addition, this year only 9 per cent of construction starts are by individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds, with particularly big disparities for apprentices from black or Asian backgrounds. The following years therefore present a unique opportunity to not only further boost apprenticeship numbers in the construction sector, but to expand their reach to wider groups. The new Government should work with employers and providers to seize this.

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