16 to 19 Bursary Fund audit guide for local authorities: 2023 to 2024 academic year
A non-mandatory audit guide for local authorities to gain assurance that institutions are administering the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund correctly.
Applies to England
Documents
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Who this guide is for
This Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) audit guide is designed to help local authorities obtain assurance that institutions are administering the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund properly and refers to activity in the 2023 to 2024 academic year. It will be of interest to local authority chief financial officers, directors of children’s services, heads of children’s services, finance, and heads of internal audit.
The local authority grant return process requires local authorities to confirm that they have used the funding ESFA has paid to them for the purpose it was intended. The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund forms part of this process. Any funding declared by local authorities as not being used for the purpose it was intended, or which cannot be properly accounted for, is recovered.
Local authorities must consider the risks to funding and need for assurance for their own direct provision, including local authority-maintained schools with sixth forms, but it is for chief financial officers to determine whether and how compliance/assurance work is carried out to enable them to make their grant returns to ESFA. Accordingly, the arrangements and processes set out in this guide are not mandatory.
Last updated 17 April 2024 + show all updates
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We have replaced the information on this page with the new 16 to 19 Bursary Fund audit guide and 16 to 19 financial support working papers for local authorities. This information supports local authority audit work for activity that has taken place in the 2023 to 2024 academic year.
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First published.