Henley’s response to the Government’s Level 7 apprenticeship levy reform

The Government has announced today that from January 2026, Level 7 apprenticeships will be funded only for learners aged 16-21 from 1^st January 2026. According to the Government, this will “enable levy funding to be rebalanced towards training at lower levels, where it can have the greatest impact.”

Dr Anne Dibley, Head of Post-Experience and Apprenticeship Programmes, responds to the changes:

“Opening doors for young people to access funded learning when entering the workforce is a laudable strategy. There is, however, a risk that refocusing the funding away from Level 7 could have unintended consequences and create a highly concerning skills vacuum. Not only do these apprenticeships meet the skills and leadership requirements of businesses, but they also provide life changing opportunities to learners.

“More than ever, today’s complex and fast-paced business environment requires leaders to tackle many challenges and adapt to future developments. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, analytical thinking remains the most sought-after core skill among employers, followed by resilience, flexibility and agility. The Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeship (SLA) programme has played a key role in addressing these skills gaps, improving productivity and contributing to business success in a fast-paced global environment.

“And with 80 years of delivering leadership and management education to experienced managers, we know how valuable and impactful this is. Learners talk of the transformative effect of their programme in terms of their personal development and professional growth as leaders, while the applied nature of the learning leads to real impact in their organisations.

Henley remains committed to delivering our Level 7 SLA and DTSS programmes for the next two to three years as we continue to support our learners through to successful completion. Additionally, we will be further developing Level 6 programmes as we rebalance our apprenticeships offering towards younger learners.

Further information about Henley's Level 7 apprenticeships can be found here.