Guidance

ESFA subcontracting standard

Subcontracting assurance arrangements for all ESFA funded post-16 providers.

• From: Department for Education and Education and Skills Funding Agency
• Published: 28 July 2021
• Last updated: 17 August 2022 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

ESFA subcontracting standard

PDF, 430 KB, 23 pages

ESFA subcontracting standard

HTML

Assurance reviews of the subcontracting standard for post-16 providers

PDF, 768 KB, 44 pages

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Details

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) closed on 31 March 2025. All activity has moved to the Department for Education (DfE). You should continue to follow this guidance.

As part of the subcontracting reforms, ESFA have developed an externally assured subcontracting standard and supporting auditors guidance replacing the existing subcontracting audit process from 2022 to 2023.

This document and the supporting auditors guidance set out the requirements for all providers who subcontract £100,000 or more of their delivery, across all ESFA funding streams.

Published 28 July 2021

Last updated 17 August 2022 + show all updates

1. 17 August 2022

   Added assurance reviews of the subcontracting standard for post-16 providers document.

2. 28 July 2021

   First published.