Employers will continue to have a payment holiday on the levy until September and then up to a full year to pay the 2020/21 levy.

CITB will also offer a 50% discount on the 2021/22 levy rate meaning employers will pay 18 months’ levy out of 24 making an overall saving of 25% across two years.

Chief Executive Sarah Beale said: “This represents a radical plan of action that balances the need for a reduction in the Levy at this time, alongside vital investment in the skills needed by employers now and in the future.

“It is the result of hundreds of conversations with employers across the length and breadth of Britain and I’m confident it meets the sector’s immediate needs.

“We are committed to making the Levy work hard to protect apprenticeships and support hard-pressed employers as they equip themselves for the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

The CITB also said it would not be holding its planned triennial consensus consultation this year when the industry is given a chance to vote on the future of the organisation.

It will now seek the views of industry employers and federations about the development of a new strategic plan, covering 2021-23, with the plan expected to be published in September.

Beale said: “We have spoken to employers and federations and most have suggested that they want us to focus full-time on helping the industry meet the challenges posed by Covid.

“We have confirmed  with the Department for Education that we will not run the usual Consensus process and instead we will speak to employers and industry groups to seek their views on our plans for next year.”

The move has angered some trade federations.

Nick Sangwin, National Chair of the Federation of Builders said: “The CITB has announced a major shake-up in its approach to delivering skills and training, cutting swathes of projects and programmes without giving industry any say in its approach, either this year or next.

“While the temporary cut in Levy is warmly welcomed and will be helpful, CITB’s plans for its future support of industry will be critical and must be put to industry.

“We cannot have a situation whereby the CITB avoids accountability at the most crucial time in our industry’s fragile recovery. Two years is too long to wait and we will be making that representation to the Government”.

As a result of these moves CITB said its levy income over the two-year period, 2020-22 will fall by £166m.

CITB’s cash reserves, which stood at £95m, are expected to fall to £17m by the end of August and to £8m by the end of March.