ESFA grant funded adult education budget reconciliation business case process
Information for organisations who received ESFA grant funded adult education budget (including community learning) in the 2020 to 2021 funding year and have not delivered at least 90% of their AEB allocation.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
Business cases can now be made by eligible organisations to ESFA to retain proportionate funds that would otherwise be reconciled and repaid.
Eligible organisations should read our policy and guidance before submitting a business case.
The closing date for business cases is 23:59 on Thursday 7 October 2021.
We will confirm the outcome of your business case by Monday 15 November 2021.
Use the template to submit your business case.
To be eligible to submit a business case your organisation:
- was in receipt of granted funded adult education budget (AEB) from the ESFA during 2020 to 2021 funding year
- delivered less than 90% of your 2020 to 2021 AEB allocation and are subject to a recovery of funds
Only organisations who meet the eligibility criteria will be allowed to apply. If an organisation receives support because of submitting a business case for financial impact but no longer meets the criteria or conditions of the scheme, they will cease to be eligible, and any funds that are retained may be recovered.
Eligible organisations will also need to meet several conditions to be able to request support through a business case, under the terms of both the application and the associated funding agreement they must:
- have continued to offer some ESFA grant funded AEB provision throughout 2020 to 2021 funding year
- provide evidence in your business case to demonstrate that local circumstances, outside of your control meant you were unable to deliver at least 90% of your ESFA grant funded AEB
- include as part of a business case, a schedule of costs, which is supported by information submitted in your July 2021 College Financial Forecast Return (CFFR), where applicable. If required, an updated CFFR can be submitted to support your business case, where the category of financial impact applies. This will relate to the delivery of ESFA grant funded AEB and which demonstrates a shortfall in funds claimed through the ILR compared to the costs of delivering ESFA grant funded AEB
- submit an accurate R14 ILR return and / or final ESFA funding claim in line with our published rules and timelines
- not received funding from other government sources including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for costs included in your business case
- continued to pay subcontractors and awarding organisations in accordance with their obligations under the funding agreement and funding rules
- agree to open book accounting and acknowledge that its business case and supporting documentation will be subject to compliance checks and may be subject to post scheme audit at the time of the business case application and into the future, including after an outcome on the business case is decided