Skills England pauses planned apprenticeship changes, government cancels ECO4 scheme from March 2026 and a plumber wins a fortune!
Trade bodies are demanding more clarity from Skills England after it announced it was pausing its apprenticeship reforms.
In November, a coalition of trade bodies sent an open letter to the government saying plans to reduce trade apprenticeships to just eight months would be a disaster.
The changes, designed to accelerate training of new workers were due to apply to all apprenticeships in England.
However, according to Construction News, Skills England has “paused further changes to assessment plans within the construction space.”
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The government’s decision to axe the £6.5 billion Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme from March of next year, could push local retrofitting firms into bankruptcy.
The scheme designed to tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon admissions, will end in March next year without a direct replacement.
Around 5,000 homes a month currently receive measures through the scheme, which is funded by levies on energy bills, rather than treasury cash.
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A plumber who won £300,000 on the Post Code Lottery, said he is planning to spend some of the cash doing up his bathroom.
62-year-old John Fearman added he was also planning to buy a new work van and take a few dream holidays.
Fearman, who has been playing the lottery for over a decade without a win, told the BBC it “proves you never know what’s around the corner”.
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