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ACCA has said it is disappointed at the government’s announcement to scrap funding from higher level apprenticeships to focus on training at “lower” levels.
Yesterday (27 May) it was announced that from January 2026, only those aged 16-21 will qualify for level 7 apprenticeships, which are considered equivalent to a master’s degree.
The plans are part of the government’s initiative to create 120,000 new training opportunities as part of a “radical skills revolution”.
But the accountancy body has stated that the 21-year-old limit is “disappointing news” for the sector.
According to internal data, learners aged 21 and under at the start of their programme are just 12% of L7 ACCA apprentices, but around half of apprentices are aged 24 and under. For learners aged 24 and under, 64% start their ACCA apprenticeship with no prior Higher Education qualification.
Glenn Collins, head of policy, technical and strategic engagement at ACCA, said: “ACCA strongly supports apprenticeships as a vital route into the profession. We are concerned about potential negative impacts on social mobility into the profession from these changes.
“We are also concerned about the proportionally larger impact the changes will have within the public sector and across small and medium sized practices (SMPs) where traditionally they struggle to recruit and train younger accountants.”
He continued: “The bottom line is that higher level apprenticeships are a key way of developing leadership skills – and that is crucial to increasing productivity in businesses and organisations.”
