Update: issue 322 (17 August 2016)
Published 31 August 2016
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2016
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfa-update-august-2016/update-issue-322-17-august-2016
1. Changes to apprenticeships funding: proposals
Action
A number of documents were published on Friday, 12 August covering changes to apprenticeships, including proposals for how apprenticeships will be funded in England. Both the DfE and SFA are seeking feedback from employers, providers and stakeholders on all published proposals by the Monday, 5th September 2016. Each document will give you details on how you can comment. Please encourage employers you work with to feed back their views.
2. Register of apprenticeship training providers: survey
Action
When the digital apprenticeship service is introduced in May 2017, employers will be able to choose the training they would like their apprentices to receive from an approved training provider. The basis of this list will be the register of apprenticeship training providers (RoATP).
On behalf of employers who do not pay the levy, the SFA will contract with RoATP providers who are successful in an additional invitation to tender.
The SFA has worked closely with employers and providers on the proposals for the register of apprenticeship training providers. We have published our proposals and would welcome your feedback. The survey will remain open until Monday, 5 September.
3. The hub and data collections service
Information
As previously communicated in Update, we are moving the Hub and the data collections service to a new infrastructure and website.
The data collections service is now closed. Please note that there are no data returns during this period.
The data collections service will reopen on Tuesday, 23 August, when all users will automatically be redirected to a new web address for the data collections service. Please update any bookmarks, favourites, or shortcuts to the new web address.
All other services on the Hub continue to be available during our normal business hours, Monday to Friday 8am-6pm. Should you have any enquiries, please email the Service Desk.
4. Financial assurance 2015 to 2016
Information
As part of our financial assurance work, we have updated the funding rules monitoring reports with R12 individualised learner record (ILR) data.
You must review this data to determine whether you need to make any data corrections before your final ILR submission closes on Thursday, 20 October.
Where the data is correct, you must ensure that you have the evidence to justify the funding claimed. This includes making sure that any subcontractors also meet this requirement.
For further information, please contact your business operations provider manager.
5. Disposal of capital assets: information request form
Information
As detailed in the financial memorandum (para 22.2), colleges must notify us if they intend to sell or transfer assets funded by an SFA or predecessor bodies’ capital grant.The conditions of the grant is that we reserve the right to reclaim repayment of some, or all, of the associated grant.
If you intend to sell or transfer any relevant assets, you must complete the disposal of capital assets information request form. The form will provide us with important information to help us make a decision on the amount of funding that is in scope for us to consider reclaiming.
Please email the completed form to the intervention mailbox.