Threshold for exemption from levy raised from a total wage bill of £135,000 to £150,000

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has launched a consultation on its latest proposed changes to its levy.

The CITB’s Consensus, a consultation undertaken every three years to gather industry feedback on updates to the levy, will run until 9 May.

Proposed changes include raising the threshold at which companies need to start paying the level from a total wage bill of £135,000 under the current arrangements to £150,000.

tim balcon 2

CITB chief executive Tim Balcon

Under the new rules, any company with an employee payroll of less than £150,000 will be exempt from paying the levy.

The levy reduction threshold, which reduces the levy by 50% for eligible firms, has also been raised from between £135,000 and £449,999 to between £150,000 - £499,999.

The full levy has been retained at 0.35% for PAYE firms and 1.25% for net paid (taxable) CIS subcontractors.

The consultation is a sample-based process with no expectation that all levy payers will be asked to provide their views.

An independent market research company will conduct a sample survey of 4,000 employers to demonstrate the level of support for the proposed levy changes.

CITB chief executive Tim Balcon said: “The Levy is designed to ensure that construction employers of all sizes feel supported with their skills and training needs. It plays a vital role in investing in the British construction industry, ensuring the development of a skilled workforce to meet the sector’s current and future demands.  

“Following the publication of our Strategic Plan 2025 – 29, employers now have a full picture of how we intend to support the industry over the life of the Strategic Plan and accompanying Levy Order.” 

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