APSCo celebrates 2023 lobbying success but warns skills pressures will remain in New Year

As the end of 2023 nears, the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has celebrated the numerous lobbying wins that it has achieved for the recruitment sector over the last year, but has warned that skills shortages will continue to put greater pressure on staffing firms in 2024.

Over the course of the last 12 months, APSCo has seen a number of successful results of its lobbying campaign with Government MPs and backbenchers, including:

• Off-Payroll Set Off: Following extensive efforts from the APSCo Public Policy team, this set off was finally announced in the Autumn Statement, providing a financial safety net for recruiters.
• Apprenticeship Levy use: Both the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties have aligned their plans for Apprenticeship Levy spend reform with the recommendations of APSCo’s lobbying team.
• Rolled-up holiday pay: The announcement in November that rolled up holiday pay will be legalised for agency and umbrella workers followed advice from the trade association submitted to HMRC in its consultation earlier this year.
• Investment Zones: Having called for the expansion of Investment Zones and legislation to clampdown on tax avoidance promoters, APSCo welcomed the recent confirmation from the Chancellor that this will happen.
• Immigration measures:  While still a topic of discussion, the Home Secretary’s recent calls for a high skilled, high productivity, high wage economy are exactly why APSCo has long campaigned for shorter term business visas to plug UK skills gaps.

Tania Bowers, Global Public Policy Director at APSCo comments:

It’s been an incredibly busy year for APSCo’s Public Policy team. The employment labour market in the UK and indeed globally is changing at pace, but our focus remains on ensuring that any developments are fair and delivered following consultation with those from the sector who have the knowledge to guide more informed decisions.

In the last 12 months we have submitted responses to a record number of consultations and calls for evidence on issues relating to tax, employment rights, AI, social worker and education sector supply chains. The Department for Business is also continuing to engage with us on the appropriate route for regulating umbrella companies following the consultation and our initial lobbying win earlier this year.

We have also launched a series of white papers on skills first hiring, people strategy and skills shortages which have not only resonated with policy makers, but have also helped inform some of the wins we have seen this year. APSCo has also continued the growth of its Compliance + programmes across clinical healthcare, education and social worker, driving best practice across government frameworks in these sectors. This has involved working closely with stakeholders such as the British Hiring Institute and has led to APSCo persuading the Shadow Health Secretary to confirm that there will always be a place for agency workers in the NHS at the Labour Conference.

The skills agenda will remain a top priority for policy makers in the New Year as the labour market continues to face growing pressures. However, APSCo will remain at the forefront of conversation to ensure the voice of the professional staffing sector is informing any further developments.