In 2022/23, the Department has recruited 23,224 new entrants starting postgraduate initial teacher training (ITT). This is a 23% decrease from 30,093 in 2021/22. The percentage of the postgraduate ITT target achieved for all subjects, secondary and primary, is 71%. This is a decrease of 26 percentage points, down from 97% in 2021/22. In 2018/19, the Department recruited 29,215 new entrants starting postgraduate ITT. 91% of the postgraduate ITT target was achieved. Teacher recruitment has been challenging for several years. As expected, the unprecedented increase in new entrants to ITT in 2020/21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic has declined over the past two years. The graduate and general labour markets became more competitive and pay has risen in competing sectors, especially in priority science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects. The Department is taking action to improve recruitment. £181 million is available in bursaries and scholarships to attract trainee teachers in high priority subjects for the 2023/24 academic year. This represents a £52 million increase on the current academic year. This includes bursaries worth up to £27,000 and scholarships worth up to £29,000 to encourage trainees to apply to train in key subjects such as chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics. In addition, a Levelling Up Premium worth up to £3,000 tax free annually is available for mathematics, physics, chemistry, and computing teachers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools during the first five years of their careers. This will support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in the subjects, schools, and areas that need them most. ​ ​ The Department is introducing a relocation premium for overseas nationals coming here to train or teach languages and physics. This will help with visas and other expenses. The Department will also extend bursary and scholarship eligibility to all international trainee teachers in languages and physics.