Correspondence

ESFA Update further education: 4 September 2024

Published 4 September 2024

Applies to England

Action: Adult funding allocations 2024 to 2025 business case deadline - 6 September 2024

The deadline is Friday 6 September 2024 for the following funding streams:

• ESFA adult skills fund contract for services (procured from August 2023)
• apprenticeships carry-in (non-procured)

This is a reminder to carefully review your 19+ funding allocation and raise a business case if you:

• had a significant data error that has affected your allocation
• have a contract value for the 2023 to 2024 funding year (for the relevant funding stream) but did not receive a 2024 to 2025 allocation

You should submit your business case using the new digital form. You can find this through manage your education and skills funding or our 19+ funding allocations guidance.

Information: Guidance to support post-16 funding assurance audits

We have published ESFA assurance work on post-16 funding guidance, and process flows to support further education providers. 

The guidance includes:

• information on what to expect if you are chosen for an audit
• step by step processes to help you collect evidence for apprenticeship provision
• controls and processes you should have in place to ensure compliance

These documents compliment the Common findings from funding assurance work on post-16 education providers.

Information: Earnings adjustment statement

We have published guidance for submitting the earnings adjustment statement (EAS) in the 2024 to 2025 funding year.

This year’s version contains the following changes:

• updated funding line types for both the devolved and non-devolved adult education budget (AEB) to new adult skills fund (ASF) and devolved authority (DA) funding lines
• we have removed funding line types for adult and 16 to 19 traineeships as well as funding lines for procurements in August 2021
• a new source of funding (SOF) code for the North East Mayoral Combined Authority and removed the North of Tyne Combined authority

You can access published guidance and supporting documents, including a template CSV file and validation rules, to help with your return.

Information: 16 to 19 tuition fund 2023 to 2024 spend reporting

The digital form to report your 16 to 19 tuition fund 2023 to 2024 spend will be available for completion between mid-September and mid-October.

To complete the form you will need:

• a DfE Sign-in account
• your UK Provider Reference Number (UKPRN), which can be found by searching the UK Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP)
• your full year spend for the 2023 to 2024 academic year

Check your DfE Sign-in access now, as this will be required to complete the form. If you do not have a DfE Sign-in account, select ‘create a DfE Sign-in account’ on the DfE Sign-in page.  

Failure to submit a return will result in the 100% recovery of your tuition fund allocation, as we will assume that you did not spend it.

Information: Update to the Skills Bootcamps funding and performance management guidance 2024 to 2026

The Department for Education (DfE) has updated the Skills Bootcamps Funding and Performance Management guidance 2024 to 2026.

The guidance:

• sets out the funding and performance management rules that apply to all suppliers with a contract to deliver Skills Bootcamps awarded in June 2023
• contains updated information to help suppliers deliver Skills Bootcamps for the delivery period Thursday 1 February 2024 to Saturday 31 January 2026