ESFA Update further education: 26 February 2025
Published 26 February 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-26-february-2025/esfa-update-further-education-26-february-2025
Information: Latest apprenticeship announcements
The Department for Education announced a number of reforms to the apprenticeship programme during National Apprenticeship week:
- 11 February 2025 – 10,000 more apprentices as government slashes red tape to boost growth
- 13 February 2025 – more red tape slashed to reduce apprenticeship bureaucracy
- 14 February 2025 – apprenticeship reforms set to turbocharge economic growth
Read our help articles to understand more about these changes and what they mean for you:
- effective immediately, changes to English and maths requirements
- from August 2025, the introduction of shorter apprenticeships
- streamlining of the apprenticeships assessment principles
- from August 2025, payments simplification of the payments process for apprenticeship training providers
Information: Residency eligibility for adult learners with an eVisa
We are currently working with Home Office colleagues to understand issues providers are experiencing using the updated eVisa system.
The system is used to evidence the type of visa held and/or length of residence for the purposes of proving learner eligibility for the Adult Skills Fund. We will provide an update on the issue shortly.
In the meantime, we ask that you request additional paperwork to confirm status and length of residence from any learners whose eVisa does not provide this necessary information.
We expect in most cases the learner will have correspondence from the Home Office when their status was issued, which may provide further details of status, or dates of residence than the current eVisa. In cases where learners are required to confirm their 3 years residence in the UK and available paperwork from the Home Office does not satisfactorily confirm the date their residency commenced, they may be able to provide alternative evidence, such as utility bills.