IoD press release Extend the Lifelong Loan Entitlement to include previously qualified learners looking to reskill in shortage areas
Responding to the UK Government’s announcement that it plans to consult on a Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) to support students to study, train, retrain or upskill at any stage throughout their lives, Alex (Alexandra) Hall-Chen, Senior Policy Adviser at the Institute of Directors, said:
“We welcome the Government’s commitment to removing barriers to lifelong learning. The Lifelong Loan Entitlement has the potential to transform the retraining landscape to help learners to update their skillsets throughout their careers.
“Businesses are facing extensive skills and labour shortages, which will intensify as the UK economy transforms to meet Government Net Zero targets. It is therefore imperative that the Government scales up its ambition to meet the scale of the UK’s reskilling needs.
“The eligibility of the Lifelong Loan Entitlement should be extended, by removing the Equivalent or Lower Qualification rule, to include learners already previously qualified to Level 4 or above who are looking to retrain in shortage areas. This will be a crucial step in tackling the UK’s skills shortages.”
