Member Article

Training provider with centres in Yorkshire, Essex and Suffolk placed into administration

LifeSkills Solutions Limited, a training provider based in Rotherham, Lowestoft and Basildon has today (14th October 2022) been placed into administration tomorrow with Kris Wigfield and Joanne Hammond of Begbies Traynor appointed as joint administrators.

The social enterprise was formed in 2002 in Bethnal Green with training centres subsequently set up in Basildon, Lowestoft and Rotherham. Providing post-16 education and training programmes, LifeSkills aims to equip learners with the skills they need in the modern world in order to get the jobs they want. It currently works with over 470 students.

Unfortunately, the company has suffered from an ongoing dispute with the ESFA/Department for Education which has affected funding and made the social enterprise unviable.

In recent weeks, LifeSkills has been working with Begbies Traynor and sister business, Eddisions, to market the business, but a buyer has not been found.

All 80 staff have been made redundant following the appointment and the business will cease trading from close of business on Friday 14th October.

A spokesperson for LifeSkills, said: “Over the last 20 years, LifeSkills has done some wonderful work and we are proud to have supported the learning of over 22,000 young people. While we have tried everything to save the company, this has not been possible and we are incredibly sad to be in this situation – we would like to thank our brilliant team for all of their hard work and for creating a truly wonderful company.”

(No further comment will be made by LifeSkills or Begbies Traynor at this time.)

Kris Wigfield of Begbies Traynor added: “Whilst we have not managed to find a purchaser during the timeframe we were given, should anybody have a genuine interest in purchasing the business, please contact Richard Temple at Eddisons (0113 243 0101). Our immediate priority over the coming days will be to assist the students and employees as much as we possibly can.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Kilmurray .