The managing director of S&A Academy has issued an urgent call for employers to enrol staff on the final round of government-funded Level 7 Senior Leader apprenticeship courses before subsidies are withdrawn at the start of 2026.
From 1 January 2026, government funding for the qualification — equivalent to a master’s degree — will cease for individuals aged 22 and over. The programme, which costs around £14,000 per employee, is currently subsidised through the enterprise levy scheme. Once the withdrawal takes effect, companies will have to cover the full cost of the qualification themselves.
Jemma Perks, managing director of S&A Academy, said the change could place significant financial strain on employers and restrict leadership development opportunities across industries. “We would urge all company bosses and HR departments to sign up as many employees onto the L7 Senior Leader programme before the funding is withdrawn on 1 January 2026,” she said. “After this deadline, companies will then have to pay £14,000 for each employee undertaking an L7 course. This adds more financial pressure that UK companies are currently facing and is likely to impact future training of their senior leaders.”
The course, which typically runs over 18 months, is a popular route for employees seeking to advance into senior management positions while working full-time. In 2023–24, UK companies spent nearly £240 million on Level 7 apprenticeships. The December 2025 cohort is expected to be the last intake eligible for subsidised funding.
S&A Academy — headquartered in London and part of S&A Transform — delivers apprenticeships and commercial training nationwide. The Ofsted-regulated provider specialises in leadership and management development across business, insurance, financial services, science, and technology sectors. Its S&A Tech Academy achieved a 100% achievement rate for apprenticeship training last year.
The announcement follows the latest budget statement from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, which included a range of funding adjustments across education and skills programmes. The move comes amid sustained cost pressures for businesses facing higher energy bills, staffing costs, and National Insurance contributions.
Perks warned the change could particularly affect small and medium-sized companies that rely on government-supported training to build their leadership pipelines. “The government’s withdrawal of vital funding means employers will be faced with finding an extra £14,000 per employee,” she said. “For a company wishing to put ten employees onto this course, it will now cost £140,000 — and for many SMEs this will be prohibitive.”
She added that a slowdown in senior leadership development could have wider implications for growth and succession planning within UK organisations. “This is likely to impact senior leadership roles in companies with not enough talented future leaders coming through the executive pipeline,” she said.
S&A Academy continues to operate across England in all regions and sectors, offering a blended learning model combining online workshops, one-to-one coaching, and on-site sessions designed around executive schedules. Cohort-based learning and executive coaching are embedded throughout to support the transfer of learning into practice and encourage peer networking at senior levels.
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