Government funding to help businesses take on an apprentice has led to the creation of at least 18,900 new Apprenticeships in England in the past year.  That’s according to provisional data released today by the National Apprenticeship Service. At least 18,900 new Apprenticeships created in just nine months Two-thirds...

A survey was carried out across SJD’s 12,000+ contractor client base in December 2012. The survey provides a unique insight into the contractor market over the last six months and also some interesting comparisons to the previous survey between January and June 2012. The results of the latest survey,...

Workers in the UK are earning no more than they were 10 years ago, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).   After adjusting for inflation, it said pay levels peaked in 2009.   Between then and 2012 the ONS said pay had fallen by 3% in real terms.   On...

The rate of UK consumer price inflation remained unchanged at 2.7% for the fourth consecutive month in January, official data has shown.    A big rise in the prices of alcohol and tobacco was the biggest factor driving prices up, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. At the same...

UK businesses are concerned about a skills shortage that is challenging growth, according to new research from the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR)*. Around four in ten (38%) UK companies are struggling to recruit the right people, with nearly three quarters (72%) citing a lack of technical skills...