• Disadvantaged students supported to get on in life through annual rises in maintenance support in new Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper 
• Tuition fees to rise with inflation to put universities on firmer financial footing 
• Only universities delivering strong outcomes for students to be allowed to charge maximum tuition fees 

Bold plans to break down barriers to opportunity, hold universities to account, and put the post-16 education system on a firmer financial footing have been unveiled as part of the government’s plan for national renewal. 

Higher education reforms in the landmark Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper will ensure disadvantaged students are no longer priced out of university. Maintenance loans will automatically increase each year, with the biggest cash increases going to those from the lowest-income households, after the Education Secretary recently announced targeted maintenance grants will also be reintroduced. 

The announcement follows data showing the gap in university entrance rates between disadvantaged pupils and their better off peers had grown to its widest since records began in 2005. 

Last year tuition fees were increased in line with inflation for the first time since 2017. The Office for Students is forecasting 43% of institutions will be in deficit without further action to shore up their finances. 

To support universities in continuing to deliver world-class teaching and research, tuition fees will rise in line with forecast inflation for the next two academic years. Legislation will then be brought forward, when parliamentary time allows, to enable automatic increases to fee caps in future years in line with inflation but only for institutions that meet tough new quality thresholds set by the Office for Students. 

This means universities will need to earn the right to access future fee uplifts by delivering strong outcomes for students and meeting the Office for Students’ tough new standards. 

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 

“Young people from all backgrounds feel they have been let down by a system that talks about opportunity but too often fails to deliver it. 
 
“This government and this White Paper will change that – restoring the prestige of higher and further education so every person, in every part of our country, has the chance to get on. 
 
“Universities charge significant fees for their courses. If they are going to charge the maximum, it is right that they deliver the world-class education students expect. 

“These reforms will ensure value for money, higher standards across our universities and colleges and a renewed focus on the skills our economy needs.” 

Where standards fall short, the Office for Students will act quickly to stop the expansion of low-quality courses and hold providers to account. Universities that underperform could face financial and regulatory consequences, ensuring public money is spent only on courses that deliver for students and the economy. 

The government will also tighten controls on franchising arrangements to protect public money and take action against the abuse of the system by recruitment agents. 

The new measures unveiled today build on earlier announcements from the Prime Minister, including a new target for two-thirds of young people to participate in higher-level learning– academic, technical, or apprenticeships – by age 25, up from 50% today. A sub-target will ensure at least 10% of young people pursue higher technical education or apprenticeships by age 25 by 2040, a near doubling of today’s figure. 

This will be supported by the automatic backstop to ensure all young people have access to high-quality routes that meet employers’ needs, enhanced by local skills planning to drive growth across England. 

Higher and further education will be more flexible and accessible for people at every stage of their working lives, supported by the introduction of Lifelong Learning Entitlement. 

“Break Points”

Learners will be able to move between universities, colleges and training providers, building up qualifications over time to fit their evolving needs and ambitions. A consultation next year will look at introducing new “break points” within degrees, so students can gain recognised qualifications as they progress through higher education. 

The government will also work with universities and local authorities to ensure they offer adequate accommodation for their students and support efforts to drive down the cost of living. 

A new national taskforce

A new national taskforce, chaired by access and participation Champion Professor Kathryn Mitchell, will tackle regional university ‘cold spots’ and break down systemic barriers that disadvantaged students face when trying to access higher education. 

Sector Reaction

Vivienne Stern MBE, Chief Executive of Universities UK said:

“Today’s white paper offers a much-needed reset for our university system. It makes clear that universities are a huge national asset, rightly admired around the world. We need them to be in great shape if we want national renewal.

“The Government has ambitions for our universities to make a stronger contribution to economic growth and individual opportunity, and we share that ambition. It also recognises the financial challenges which are putting pressure on that strength. The decision to raise undergraduate fees in line with inflation in England will help to halt the long-term erosion of universities’ financial sustainability, following a decade of fee freezes.

“A weight of evidence shows the UK will need more high-level skills in the future, and many of these proposals will help universities to turbocharge growth and opportunity, as part of a broader skills system.

“We strongly support the emphasis on collaboration in the national interest, which we have promoted in our own Blueprint and more recently through our Transformation and Efficiency Taskforce.

“This opportunity to reset is about focusing on what is best for the country, not just for individuals. Universities are up for this change. They want to work more closely, instead of purely in competition with one another. Higher and further education, with government, can build a more collaborative and sustainable future with universities at the heart of national renewal.” 

Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK said:

“The Skills White Paper sets out an ambitious yet vital plan to make sure all young people get the best start in life through simplifying and strengthening pathways with the launch of V-levels, raising the quality of teaching and aligning skills with employer needs so they can build successful, well-paid careers.  

“I am delighted that the success of our partnership with NCFE, through our Centre of Excellence programme, has been recognised for giving educators access to world-class teacher training and will be a key part of the progress the Government wants to see in the skills sector.

“Importantly this programme gives learners from all backgrounds the chance to achieve more, from encouraging those who could become NEETs to stay in education to helping students on higher technical education programmes finesse their skills and bring technical innovations to the priority industries that will power the UK’s growth.   

“The announcement of further Technical Excellence Colleges to support the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy will help put our technical education system on a par with the best internationally.  We are proud to already be working with Technical Excellence Colleges in Construction, and will continue to use our international skills expertise to help drive the programme’s continued success.

“We look forward to working with all our partners to help deliver the Government’s vision for skills, using decades of international skills competition experience to expand our world-class teacher training programme and make sure all young people can strive for excellence in their technical education journey.”  

NUS Vice President Higher Education, Alex Stanley, said:

“Every single student deserves to be able to choose a brilliant education that works for them, and to have an excellent experience while studying.

“Right now, the money in young people’s pockets is limiting the ceilings of our opportunity. An apprentice in Barnsley should have the same agency and choice over their future as an undergraduate in Bristol.

“We welcome the reintroduction of maintenance grants, and the commitment that the poorest students should not graduate with the greatest debt. It cannot be the case, however, that working class students have their horizons limited by different funding pathways: every single student deserves enough money in their pockets while they study, regardless of course choice and route through education. We would like to see a commitment from the government to bring back maintenance grants for all courses within this parliament.

“We do welcome that the Education Secretary has guaranteed an increase to the maintenance loan with inflation year-on-year. 

“Raising tuition fees however puts a heavy price on young people’s ambitions. Students will hear that training to be doctors, nurses, teachers now comes with a heavier burden of debt. With universities still absorbing devastating cuts and funding significantly lower than a decade ago, the reality is that students will be taking on more debt for less.

“The Education Secretary says that low quality providers should not be allowed to charge more. We believe that low quality provision shouldn’t exist. Right now, to even charge tuition fees at all, unis and colleges have to hit a minimum quality baseline and so we await further details of whether the government will be moving this baseline or rewriting the system”

Responding to the proposals on new technical qualifications, V Levels, NUS Vice President Further Education, Qasim Hussain, said:

“Right now, there’s a lot of different options, and students need clarity. Any new qualifications should be designed to open doors for learners and create opportunities for training or further study and investment into high quality education.

“Two hundred thousand young people are currently taking qualifications that they have been told will lose funding. We need to make sure that the transition into new qualifications is as smooth as possible and we look forward to working with government to put what students need right at the heart of their design.”

Dr Joe Marshall, Chief Executive of NCUB, said: 

“Today’s White Paper rightly recognises that the UK needs a tertiary system that is coherent, connected and confident, one that brings universities, colleges and businesses together to equip people with the skills our economy truly needs.

“We support the ambition for greater alignment between further and higher education, and for stronger employer engagement in shaping provision. We welcome the commitment to raise tuition fees over the coming two academic years by inflation, and plans for legislation to make this a permanent step. However, while we recognise and support the reintroduction of the maintenance grant to support university access to lower income students, the new levy on international students levy could undo the positive steps from inflation-indexed increases in tuition fees.

“We also have concerns over tying future increases in fees to teaching quality. Indeed, the UK already has robust mechanisms in place, through the Office for Students and other quality assurance frameworks, to ensure that higher education providers meet rigorous standards. It is therefore unclear what additional benefit such measures would target. 

“Skills reform is economic reform. Businesses cannot compete globally without a pipeline of adaptable, higher-level skills. This White Paper must be the start of a decade-long national mission, one that matches accountability with ambition, and that makes the UK the best place in the world to learn, work and innovate. We look forward to working with the Government in this endeavour, through our role in championing university-business collaboration.”

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“Universities across the UK are in a terrible state financially.

“Increasing fees in line with inflation will help many weather the immediate crisis. The beginnings of a long-term plan will be welcomed by dozens of institutions too.

“But these sums are nowhere near enough to secure the future of higher education.

“Ministers need to overhaul the funding of universities in a way that recognises their value to students, communities and the wider economy.

“It’s also vital to ensure education remains affordable so no one is discouraged from studying because of the cost.”

Angela Joyce, CEO of Capital City College, said:

“We welcome the ambition in the White Paper for a more joined-up skills system focused on local labour markets, productivity and helping people get into, as well as progress in, good jobs. We believe that nobody should be left behind – education and skills are fundamental in achieving opportunity for all. 

“The new V levels provide the opportunity for young people to study a combination of A levels alongside vocational qualifications, that will be beneficial to a large proportion of young people and indeed in addressing the huge number of young people that are not currently engaged in education or employment.

“We hope that this overhaul provides a much-needed long term direction for skills policy in England. We have called for coherency and long-term investment into further education for many years. Let’s hope this White Paper signals such a change.”

Dr Katerina Kolyva, Chief Executive of the Education Training Foundation (ETF) said:

“The Education Training Foundation (ETF) welcomes the Government’s Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper and its clear commitment to strengthening further education (FE) and skills as a driver of national renewal.

The Government are absolutely correct to focus on teaching quality, leadership and professionalism – these are the very foundations of a coherent tertiary system – and ETF entirely agrees that progress across education depends on a confident, skilled and well-supported workforce.

As the professional body for the FE and skills sector, ETF will continue to convene others across the system to connect practice, evidence and professional standards which underpin quality and coherence – and to help turn the Government’s ambitions into sustainable improvement for educators, learners and communities.”

Fiona Aldridge, CEO of Skills Federation said:

“We welcome the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper and its clear recognition that skills are central to driving inclusive economic growth. While we will be reviewing the full detail in the coming days, several key commitments stand out.

“These include the strong emphasis on aligning the skills and employment systems, which represents a major opportunity arising from the recent machinery of government changes. We also welcome the development of sector skills packages to identify critical skills gaps and clarify roles and responsibilities across government and industry. The proposals to build a more coherent curriculum for young people, including the introduction of a new maths and English qualification, are also positive steps. Finally, the new flexibilities in the Growth and Skills Levy, notably the introduction of ‘apprenticeship units’, could enable more tailored and accessible training pathways.

“Delivering on the ambitions of the White Paper will require many things, but two are absolutely fundamental: active employer involvement and sustained investment. Sector skills bodies represent their industries and are ready to support employers in engaging with the system. They should be considered key partners in realising the ambitions. Whilst we welcome the additional funding for further education, we would urge that the upcoming Autumn Budget builds on this momentum to ensure the reforms outlined in the White Paper translate into lasting, real-world impact.”

Chris Claydon, CEO of JTL said:

“JTL welcomes the Government’s Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper and its ambitious vision for expanding skills and apprenticeship opportunities for young people. The Clean Energy Jobs Plan rightly highlights the vital role of skilled trades in building a low-carbon economy and meeting future workforce needs.

“Apprenticeships remain the gold standard route for training in the electrical and plumbing trades, central to the clean energy transition, and are the only route that delivers fully qualified tradespeople directly into the workforce, embedded with employers from day one.

“While steps to simplify the wider skills system are welcome and will benefit both learners and employers, the Government must urgently invest in apprenticeship training providers to ensure they have the capacity to scale up and deliver. Crucially, small and medium-sized businesses must be incentivised to take on apprentices in shortage occupations to build employer confidence and deliver on the UK’s skills and clean energy ambitions.”

Commenting on the publication of the Skills White Paper, Professor Dave Phoenix, Vice-Chancellor of The Open University, said:

“At The Open University, we welcome the Government’s commitment to increasing participation in higher-level learning to 66 per cent of people by the age of 25, whether through academic, technical or apprenticeship pathways. The White Paper includes some important steps towards this goal by seeking to move to a tertiary education system that utilises partnership and a combination of vocational and non-vocational qualifications to create stronger and more flexible routes that help people progress to and through higher education.

“Particularly welcome is the emphasis on collaboration between Further and Higher Education as a key pillar of a refreshed skills agenda that is accessible to all, regardless of age, background or location and which supports improvements to the skills pipeline. Advanced skills training is vital if local economies are to thrive, attracting new businesses and supporting existing ones to grow. The Open University has been at the forefront of this work through funding from the UK Government, which has enabled us to work with further education colleges across England to enhance their technical higher education provision in local communities.

“There is an ever-increasing need to meet learners where they are: in their homes and in their local communities. Giving people the opportunity to earn while learning, and to undertake shorter, more focused study rather than committing immediately to a full degree, is central to ensuring that everyone has the chance to embrace education and flourish. The focus on staged awards and modular funding through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement is therefore welcomed.

“For too long, higher education has been perceived as a rigid system: complete your A-Levels, leave home at 18, and go to a university far from where you live. While the sector has adapted, it hasn’t always kept pace with the changing needs and expectations of learners. The Open University has led the way in offering flexible learning throughout people’s lives, yet has often been constrained by the current higher education framework. If new approaches are to be developed a fundamental review of how success is measured will be required alongside the work of universities to reimagine how qualifications can be designed– especially given proposals to increase the work of the OfS.

“The UK’s productivity challenge is well known. Improving adult skills is critical to the UK Government’s dual missions to kickstart economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity. Flexible higher education through part-time distance learning will be very important in delivering on this ~ However, the number of adults aged 21 and over accessing higher-level skills courses has fallen dramatically since 2008. There is limited focus on these learners and how changes to the system will help address declines in part time study, other than through skills-based developments such as the Growth and Skills fund. Given adult participation is now far lower in England than in the rest of the UK this is an area that requires specific focus. We cannot know what skills the nation will require in thirty years’ time, but we can build pathways that allow people to retrain and adapt seamlessly throughout their working lives. The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) can and must be a major step towards achieving this, just as this White Paper represents an important milestone in its own right.

“However, we must go further and faster if we are to unlock the UK’s productivity puzzle and create the truly flexible educational pathways that modern society and the modern workforce both demand and deserve.”

Commenting on the Government’s Post-16 education and skills white paper, David Robinson, Director for Post-16 and Skills at the Education Policy Institute (EPI), said:

“This reform offers the potential to simplify the current system and give young people more flexible pathways, rather than forcing a choice between only A Levels, T Levels, or lower-level qualifications. EPI has previously proposed the roll-out of smaller alternatives to T Levels and an overhaul of the T Level foundation year; the white paper signals a step in the right direction.

“The impact of disadvantage doesn’t stop at 16 and start again when some young people apply to university. Too many disadvantaged students fall further behind during the 16–19 phase, regardless of which qualifications they take. The government must introduce a student premium to ensure these young people get the support they need to succeed.”

 Paul Cox, Group Chief Executive, Energy & Utility Skills, said 

“The White Paper sets a clear direction for reform. Our priority is to ensure that ambition turns into delivery through employer led standards and UK wide collaboration. 

“We share the government’s ambition for a prestigious, inclusive and responsive skills system. The intent is positive, the ambition is welcome, but questions remain about delivery, national coherence, timing and implementation. 

“Energy & Utility Skills is working with government and industry at pace to turn intent into impact, ensuring that reform delivers growth, opportunity and the skilled workforce needed to deliver the UK’s future.” 

Beatrice Barleon, Head of Policy and Public Affairs and EngineeringUK, comments,

“We are pleased to see the publication of the long-awaited post-16 Education and Skills White Paper.

“We cautiously welcome the announcement of V Levels, designed to work alongside A Levels and T Levels. This signals a promising step towards strengthening work-focused training for young people in key sectors like engineering and technology. Government must ensure that this new qualification is recognised and supported by employers and further and higher education institutions and will lead to meaningful outcomes for both young people and employers. And it is vital that any subsequent changes are followed by a period of stability, with young people, employers and providers alike crying out for some clarity. 

“The confirmation of the government ambition for two-thirds of young people to participate in higher level learning by age of 25 is also welcome, as is the data driven approach that will drive investment in education and training in growth sectors. It is vital, however, that the focus on getting more young people trained at Levels 4 and 5 does not distract from the need to increase apprenticeship opportunities for young people at Levels 2 and 3. These serve as important entry routes into the engineering and technology sector.

“We were also interested to see the Clean Energy Jobs Plan, published this week. The plan makes it very clear that the UK needs a coherent strategy as to how to meet growing workforce demand, and the White Paper provides some clarity of direction and the funding available to achieve this. We welcome the confirmation of a £182 million investment in engineering sector skills, as well as the funding for construction skills. This is a positive step towards recognising the dependence of the Industrial Strategy growth-driving sectors (IS-8 sectors) on engineering skills and their cross-cutting nature.

“We look forward to working with government to ensure that the system delivers for growth, for young people and for engineering and technology employers alike.”

Commenting on the government’s Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, Jude Hillary, NFER’s Head of Policy and Practice, said:

“This White Paper comes at a key moment as NFER prepares to publish the final report from our Skills Imperative 2035: Essential skills for tomorrow’s workforce programme. Our research underlines many of the challenges and opportunities highlighted by government, particularly the need for a more coherent, evidence-informed approach to developing skills that meet the needs of employers and local labour markets.

“We are encouraged by the White Paper’s focus on aligning education and skills provision more closely with employer demand – an objective strongly supported in our report findings. Our work has consistently shown the partnerships between public and private organisations, underpinned by robust labour market intelligence, are key by enabling effective decision-making and responsive local systems. 

“We also welcome the commitment to clearer information and guidance for learners on the outcomes of different education and training pathways, alongside a stronger emphasis on practical experience. These measures reflect recommendations from previous NFER reports calling for better progression data and real-world learning opportunities that help learners transition into the world of work.

“However, we would urge greater attention to essential employment skills, beyond the limited reference to essential digital skills. Our research continues to show that communication, teamwork, and problem-solving remain vital for employability and progression at all levels, now and especially in the future when we will need more people with a higher level of these skills due to large projected growth in professional and associate professional jobs which utilise these skills more intensively.

“We cautiously welcome the introduction of new V Level qualifications, which could help simplify the complex Level 3 landscape and provide a much-needed vocational alternative to T Levels. However, it is important they build on the best of Applied General Qualifications, particularly BTECs, for example, maintaining their breath, flexible learning style (including the option for continuous assessment) and entry requirements.   

“On English and maths re-sits, for too long, young people have been forced to continue to re-sit these subjects where they have not achieved a good pass, often with damaging effects on their morale and confidence. We strongly support the government’s proposals for a more flexible approach to students continuing to study English and maths post-16, including a study and work pathway. 

“We welcome the government’s recognition of the FE workforce’s vital role through its commitment to invest an additional £1.2 billion a year in skills by 2028-29. This funding, which will help recruit and retain expert FE teachers, reflects the recommendation made in our FE workforce report, for increased investment to enable colleges to better compete with schoolteacher pay. This is an important step towards valuing and sustaining the professionals who drive excellence across FE.”

Responding to the Government’s post-16 education and skills white paper, Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of Learning and Work Institute (L&W), said:

“The Government is right to say skills are central to so many of its plans, and the White Paper is clear that its focus will be on young people, a greater role for local leaders, and tackling the ‘missing middle’ of lower attainment of level 4 and 5 qualifications than other countries. But to achieve this we need a greater focus on increasing employer investment in training, down 36% since 2005. And we must increase support for the one in three adults qualified below level 2 and nine million adults with low literacy or numeracy; on current trends it will take over 20 years for them to get the support they need. This, along with recognition of the wider value of learning to health, wellbeing and community engagement, will be vital foundation stones for all the Government’s other ambitions.”

Nick Connor, CEO of the Institute of the Motor Industry, said:

“These reforms are a pivotal opportunity to ensure technical education meets the real needs of modern industries. For automotive, it is vital that Government engages directly with industry bodies like the IMI and with employers, so V Levels reflect the skills required today and in the future, from EVs and ADAS to advanced diagnostics, and prepare the workforce for the next generation of mobility.

“The IMI will be responding to the Government’s consultation, which is open until 12 January 2026, to represent the interests of our members and centres and to urge Government to protect automotive training routes within the post-16 reforms. We encourage everyone to either share their perspectives with us, as part of our submission, or the government directly, to help shape qualifications that deliver the skilled workforce the sector urgently needs.”

Dr Deirdre Hughes OBE, Associate Professor Deirdre Hughes OBE, University of Warwick IER and Director, dmh associates & CareerChat UK) said:

“The October 2025 Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper represents welcome acknowledgement that England’s further education sector has been chronically undervalued. The £1.2 billion annual investment by 2028-2029, focus on Technical Excellence Colleges, and ambition for two-thirds of young people to participate in higher-level learning are positive steps toward addressing the “missing middle” in our workforce qualifications.”

Only 12 mentions of “careers” and zero mentions of “careers advisers”

Deirdre Hughes continues:

“However, a glaring omission undermines these ambitions. Across 72 pages, there are only 12 mentions of “careers” and zero mentions of “careers advisers.” While references to improving careers advice in schools and colleges, the proposed Jobs and Careers Service, and commitment to 2 weeks’ work experience signal some recognition that guidance matters, the reality is stark: we are creating increasingly complex qualification pathways without investing in the professional career guidance infrastructure to help individuals navigate them.”

“The proposed Jobs and Careers Service merger exemplifies the problem. DWP is “in-sourcing” approximately 1,000 careers advisers from National Careers Service contractors by October 2026, absorbing them into Jobcentre Plus structures. As Katharine Horler, CEO of Careers England, pointedly asks: “How are we going to make sure that careers doesn’t get lost within the great big machine that is DWP?” 

“The work and pensions committee has warned of an “absence of information” about this merger, cautioning it risks being “little more than a rebranding exercise.” Regional Mayors, with strategic responsibility for local skills and employment, appear not to have been meaningfully consulted on decisions affecting their areas. Once again, centralised decision-making sidelines local expertise and accountability.”

Ann Watson, Chief Executive Officer at Enginuity, said:

“Enginuity, the charity dedicated to closing the skills gaps in the UK’s engineering and manufacturing sector, welcomes the publication of the Post-16 Education and Skills white paper and will help ensure that the voice of the vital SME community is heard by the Government 

“An efficient and effective skills system is key to the Government’s plans to grow the economy, tackle worklessness, and improve inclusion. 

“Strong, clear and credible routes for young people to gain skills in much-needed roles in advanced engineering and manufacturing are important in helping to address critical skills shortages. 

“The new V Level programmes, which will be on offer to 16-year-olds alongside T Levels and A Levels, could boost vocational training routes and should be informed by the sectors current and future skills needs. 

“Lessons can be learned from the roll-out of T Levels, which illustrated the importance of supporting careers advisors, parents, employers and other stakeholders understanding and confidently communicating the benefits of the new offer to young people. 

“Advanced engineering and manufacturing SMEs have called for stability in the skills system and greater engagement with policy making to ensure that their needs are understood and reflected in the skills offer. 

“The new V Level qualifications should support progress from Level 2 and help employers to develop and define routes into the great careers that the sector offers. 

“Sector employers have long called for flexibility in the Apprenticeship Levy, and the white paper’s announcement of apprenticeship units to be funded through the growth and skills offer will be welcome in supporting sector apprenticeships. 

“Key to the success of the vocational reforms will be engagement with businesses. Enginuity looks forward to collaborating with sector employers and stakeholders to drive a simpler, stronger and more effective skills system. 

“We welcome the Government’s consultation on vocational pathways.  Enginuity will consult directly with SMEs, which make up 90% of the manufacturing sector to understand the benefits, challenges, and impact of these changes and, in turn, work with the Government to ensure the reforms deliver real value for the sector and its people”.

David Morgan, Chief Executive of CDI (Career Development Institute) said:

“The Government’s White Paper sets out an overarching approach to post-16 education that addresses issues and provides a clear direction for the future. It recognises the value of foundational and higher-level education and there is much to be applauded – from the investment in further education, more flexible usage of the Growth and Skills levy and greater support for young people who have low education attainment.

“However, there is much that can only be judged as we get further detail on how the changes will be implemented. Setting out four core pathways to gain knowledge and skills – A levels, T levels, new V levels and apprenticeships – could establish clear progression routes for people with abilities in different areas. But we know the qualification landscape is already confusing, so how this is implemented (including how non-core qualifications will be phased out) is critical to ensuring the situation doesn’t worsen.

“Linked to this is the paper’s complete lack of recognition of the essential role of career guidance in helping both young people and adults reflect on their career aspirations and choose pathways that align with their goals and learning styles. Without this, potentially valuable changes can be ineffectual. A good example is the Lifelong Learning Entitlement. While it could be highly beneficial for individuals with low educational outcomes, they are unlikely to take advantage of it without access to impartial and informed careers advice, particularly if they’re unclear about how taking on a loan could support their career progression, whether through better pay, more secure employment, or a more fulfilling role

“There is much to look forward to from this paper, but the detail will determine whether it will have the desired impact, and we would like to see greater recognition of – and investment in – careers support for young people and adults.”