From 1 April it will be a criminal offence to wrongly advertise work as a statutory apprenticeship.

The Department for Education and the Skills Funding Agency are encouraging large employers to register for an online apprenticeship service before the launch of the apprenticeship levy on 6 April.

Employers who intend to take on apprentices are advised to use a contract that has been specifically drafted for an apprentice, rather than one that has been prepared for an ‘ordinary’ employee.