Firms employing fewer than 50 staff will be eligible for the salary compensation, as long as they share details of the participants' wages with the scheme. Those who don't will only receive £5 for each hour an employee is involved in Train to Gain.

The workplace-based initiative aims to help more people learn to read, write and use a computer properly.

David Greer, of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), told the Daily Telegraph:

"We have clearly designed this to focus as a priority on those employers and employees who don't normally provide training or look for training."

The Government is putting £400 million into Train to Gain, which will be rolled out across England and Wales from 1 August.