Overview

Created in July 2024, Skills England is the national government agency responsible for helping England identify and address current and future skills needs. It works with employers, government agencies, training providers, regional organizations, industry groups, trade unions, and other stakeholders to connect education and training more closely with labor-market demand. Skills England serves both young people and adults. Work encompasses skills development, apprenticeships, technical education, adult training, workforce needs, and employer engagement.

Skills England's responsibilities include:

• identifying current and future skills needs
• producing national and sector-specific skills assessments
• working with employers to support investment in workforce skills
• developing and refining occupational standards, apprenticeships, and technical qualifications
• using national, sectoral, regional, and local labor-market information to identify skills gaps
• working with regional partners to address local labor-market needs
• advising government on the design of skills and employment programs.

In 2026, Skills England:

• Introduced Skills Needs Assessments to develop a shared understanding of current and future skills needs at national, sectoral, and local levels. It also publishes an annual skills report and sector assessments.
• Established an Expert Network through which employers, training providers, unions, regional partners, regulators, and others can contribute expertise to time-limited groups addressing particular workforce and skills issues.

Skills England is currently an executive agency of the United Kingdom Department for Work and Pensions.

Background

The United Kingdom government announced the creation of Skills England on July 22, 2024, as part of an effort to bring greater coordination to England's skills system and improve alignment among employers, training, and economic priorities. Skills England became fully operational as an executive agency on June 2, 2025. At that time, functions and staff from the former Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education were transferred into the new organization following passage of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc.) Act 2025. Skills England initially operated within the Department for Education. Following a September 2025 government reorganization, responsibility for Skills England—along with adult skills, apprenticeships, training, and careers—moved to the Department for Work and Pensions. The change was intended to strengthen coordination between workforce development, skills, employment services, and employer needs.

Partners

Skills England works with:

• awarding organizations
• employers and industry
• government departments
• regional and local partners;
• training and education providers
• trade unions and industrial organizations
• the devolved administrations of the United Kingdom.

Funding

As an executive agency, Skills England is funded through the United Kingdom government. Since the September 2025 transfer of responsibilities, it operates under the Department for Work and Pensions. Its annual report and accounts are presented to Parliament and audited by the National Audit Office.

Resources

Government of the United Kingdom. About Skills England. Skills England organization overview

Government of the United Kingdom. Skills England annual skills report 2026. 2026 annual skills report

Government of the United Kingdom. Skills England: skills for growth and opportunity. Skills and sector evidence