Correspondence

ESFA Update further education: 8 March 2023

Published 8 March 2023

Applies to England

1. Information: ESFA adult education budget (AEB) funding and performance management rules 2023 to 2024

We’ve published version 1 of the rules today. They apply to all providers of education and training who receive AEB funding from ESFA.

A full breakdown of the changes is included in the ‘what’s new’ section of the rules. We have:

• amended and clarified a number of areas in the residency eligibility section
• amended the delivery strands which link to the community learning objectives
• updated both the unemployed and learners in receipt of low wage sections to allow for the adjustment to the administrative earnings thresholds with DWP
• updated the traineeship section to reflect that traineeship provision will be integrated into adult education provision from 1 August 2023 due to the closure of the national traineeship programme

2. Information: adult education budget (AEB) 2023 to 2024 funding of work experience

We are working to integrate the core elements of the traineeship programme for learners aged 19 to 24 into the AEB including work experience.

Key features of funding arrangements for work experience are set out below:

• we will fund work experience for eligible learners aged 19 to 24 for a minimum of 70 hours and a maximum of 240 hours per eligible learner
• in principle we expect that the work experience funding rates will align with the unweighted base rates in the Single Activity Matrix according to the length in hours of the planned work experience placement however they may vary slightly
• in order to claim funding for work experience, eligible learners must complete at least one other learning aim from the AEB offer, for example English and maths or Digital entitlements or a vocational qualification alongside the work experience element

This is a transitional offer for the 2023 to 2024 academic year as. We will review how it operates to decide its future from the 2024 to 2025 academic year.

3. Information: advanced learner loans (ALL) funding rules for 2023 to 2024

We have published version 1 of the ALL funding rules for funding year 2023 to 2024.

There are no significant changes from version 2 2022 to 2023 published in May 2022.

The rules apply to all providers of education and training who hold a loans agreement with ESFA.

We expect to publish the performance management in version 2 in late spring. If you have any queries on these rules, please contact us through our enquiry form.

4. Information: maximum loan amounts for advanced learner loans 2023 to 2024

We have published the maximum loan amounts guide for funding year 2023 to 2024.

This document confirms we have maintained the same maximum loan amounts for qualifications that we designated for loans in 2022 to 2023.

If you have any queries on these rules, please contact us through our enquiry form.

5. Information: apprenticeship non-levy procured allocations from 1 April 2023

We will shortly be extending apprenticeship non-levy procured contracts to cover the 2023 to 2024 financial year.

These allocations will include funding to cover the carry in costs of learners who started on or before 31 March 2021. From 1 April 2021, all new apprenticeship starts are funded via the Apprenticeship Service.

Allocations will be issued in a digital format on Manage your education and skills funding (MyESF), replacing PDF letter. Information previously contained in the letters will be available in the technical guidance on 19+ funding allocations page. There are no changes to how you access the allocation statement on Manage your education and skills funding (MYESF).

You need one of the following roles to view your allocation statement:

• contract authoriser
• contract manager
• contract user
• data returns and claims authoriser

You can request a new role through the Identity and Access Management Service (IDAMs) or by asking your organisations super user.

Allocation statements are now available on Manage your education and skills funding (MYESF). Contract extensions will be issued in early of March.

Training providers must ensure they have signed the contract extension before the current contract expires on 31 March 2023.

Please visit Get help with Education and Skills Funding Agency services or use the web form if you have any queries.

6. Information: advertising apprenticeship vacancies on the Apprenticeship Service webinars

The Young Engagement & Apprenticeships Participation team are hosting two webinars in March covering Recruit an Apprentice (RAA). The service is for training providers and employers to post vacancies and manage applications for apprenticeships.

A webinar aimed at employers is taking place on Tuesday 21st March 2022 at 13:00, with a separate session for training providers taking place on Wednesday 22nd March at 14:00.

The sessions will cover:

• how to create and manage apprenticeship vacancies
• provide an update on recent changes and future system developments
• tops tips on creating eye catching vacancies

Sign up to attend one of our sessions.

If you are unable to make the session or would like to find out more then please contact us at [email protected].

7. Your feedback: Department for Education survey on accessing information and guidance about the Prevent duty for further education (FE)

The Department for Education want to hear from Prevent and safeguarding leads in further education about how they find and access information and guidance to help their setting comply with the Prevent duty.

Your feedback will be anonymised and used to consider improvements to guidance, resources, and information available to further education settings to help them keep young people safe from radicalisation and extremism. The survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete, any questions about the survey can be sent to [email protected].

You can complete the survey by accessing this link, the survey will close on 31 March 2023.