Strategic Authorities S31 adult skills fund funding for 2026 to 2027
Published 21 April 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
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Buckinghamshire Local Authority
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Strategic Authority
Cornwall Council
Devon and Torbay Strategic Authority
East Midlands Strategic County Authority
Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral Strategic Authority
Hull and East Yorkshire Mayoral Strategic Authority
Lancashire Strategic Authority
Surrey Local Authority
Tees Valley Strategic Authority
Warwickshire Local Authority
West of England Mayoral Strategic Authority
York and North Yorkshire Mayoral Strategic Authority
15 April 2026
Dear colleague
Re: S31 Revenue Grant Determination Letter for Devolution of the Adult Skills for Financial Year 2026-276: No. 31/8240 (DWP Grant Reference: AEBDEVO-2025-26)
This Determination is made between:
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and
Buckinghamshire Local Authority
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Strategic Authority
Cornwall Council
Devon and Torbay Strategic Authority
East Midlands Mayoral Strategic Authority
Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral Strategic Authority
Hull and East Yorkshire Mayoral Strategic Authority
Lancashire Strategic Authority
Surrey Local Authority
Tees Valley Strategic Authority
Warwickshire Local Authority
West of England Mayoral Strategic Authority
York and North Yorkshire Mayoral Strategic Authority
This letter confirms the amount of devolved un-ringfenced Adult Skills Fund (ASF) you will receive in the financial year (FY) 2026 to 2027 (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027) to deliver relevant adult education functions in your devolved area. For Mayoral Strategic Authorities that includes Adult Skills Fund (Core), Free Courses for Jobs and Skills Bootcamps funding. For Foundation Strategic Authorities that includes Adult Skills Fund (Core) as other funding streams are subject to separate grant agreements.
Payment arrangements
Your total devolved ASF for FY 2026 to 2027 is set out in the tables in Annex A and will be paid by mid-April 2026.
We are providing this grant as a Section 31 (S31) non-ring-fenced transfer under the Local Government Act 2003 and have copied this grant letter to the Chief Finance Officer of your Combined Authority for information.
Assurance arrangements
Your Strategic Authority must have regard to the English Devolution Accountability Framework[footnote 1] and the National Local Growth Assurance Framework[footnote 2], including Adult Skills Fund guidelines. The current version of the framework was published in September 2021 by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and clarifies what assurances should be in place when administering adult education functions.
In addition, the Department for Education also has an associated Memorandum of Understanding in place with your Strategic Authority in relation to the devolution of adult education functions.
Enquiries
Please contact adult.skillsdevolution@education.gov.uk for further information.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions ,
Katy Roberts
Adult Skills Fund
Deputy Director
Localism Strategy -
Pathways to Work, Connect to Work, Localism, Employment Support and Adult Skills Directorate
and
Sidrah Cowdry
Skills Bootcamps Programme Director and
Deputy Director
Operational Delivery Division
Work-Based Skills Directorate
Re: S31 Grant Determination Letter for Devolution of the Adult Skills Fund for Financial Year 2026-27: No 31/8240 (DWP Grant Reference: AEBDEVO-25-26)
The Secretary of State for Education (“the Secretary of State”), in exercise of the powers conferred by section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003, makes the following determination:
Citation
1. This determination may be cited as Devolution of the Adult Education Budget Determination for financial year 2026-27 [31/7825].
Purpose of the grant
2. The purpose of the grant is for provision of relevant adult education functions and towards expenditure lawfully incurred or to be incurred through the associated Adult Education Budget.
Determination
3. The Secretary of State determines as the authorities to which grant is to be paid and the amount of grant to be paid, the authorities and the amounts set out in Annex A.
Treasury consent
4. Before making this determination in relation to the Mayoral Combined Authorities specified in Annex A, the Secretary of State obtained the consent of the Treasury.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions,
Katy Roberts
Adult Skills Fund
Deputy Director
Localism Strategy
Pathways to Work, Connect to Work, Localism, Employment Support and Adult Skills Fund Directorate
and
Sidrah Chowdry
Skills Bootcamps Programme Director and
Deputy Director
Operational Delivery Division
Work-Based Skills Directorate
Total devolved Adult Skills payments to specified Strategic Authorities[footnote 3]
Adult Skills Fund
Skills Bootcamps – for Mayoral Strategic Authorities only
Free Courses for Jobs – for Mayoral Strategic Authorities only
| Financial year 2026 to 2027 total (£) | Academic year (AY) 2026 to 2027 total (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | 3,787,824 | 5,728,454 |
| Cambridgeshire and Peterborough | 14,225,911 | 14,557,578 |
| Cornwall | 9,866,186 | 9,962,795 |
| Devon and Torbay | 8,058,610 | 12,224,008 |
| East Midlands | 59,034,476 | 60,020,215 |
| Greater Lincolnshire | 14,541,352 | 21,269,625 |
| Hull and East Yorkshire | 13,518,546 | 19,310,015 |
| Lancashire | 27,282,065 | 41,159,515 |
| Surrey | 7,385,923 | 11,160,357 |
| Tees Valley | 35,552,817 | 36,020,368 |
| Warwickshire | 4,574,370 | 6,925,414 |
| West of England | 20,757,671 | 20,929,024 |
| York and North Yorkshire | 13,448,496 | 13,672,999 |
Total devolved Adult Skills payments to specified Strategic Authorities by financial year and academic year
Table covering financial year 2026 to 2027
| April 2026 to July 2026 (£) | August 2026 to March 2027 (£) | Total (£) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | 0 | 3,787,824 | 3,787,824 |
| Cambridgeshire and Peterborough | 4,533,507 | 9,692,405 | 14,225,911 |
| Cornwall | 3,251,080 | 6,615,106 | 9,866,186 |
| Devon and Torbay | £0 | 8,058,610 | 8,058,610 |
| East Midlands | 19,078,187 | 39,956,290 | 59,034,476 |
| Greater Lincolnshire | 538,366 | 14,002,987 | 14,541,352 |
| Hull and East Yorkshire | 761,927 | 12,756,619 | 13,518,546 |
| Lancashire | 0 | 27,282,065 | 27,282,065 |
| Surrey | 0 | 7,385,923 | 7,385,923 |
| Tees Valley | 11,572,873 | 23,979,944 | 35,552,817 |
| Warwickshire | 0 | 4,574,370 | 4,574,370 |
| West of England | 6,823,289 | 13,934,382 | 20,757,671 |
| York and North Yorkshire | 4,345,469 | 9,103,027 | 13,448,496 |
Table covering academic year 2026 to 2027
| August 2026 to March 2027 (£) | April 2027 to July 2027 (£) | Total (£) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | 3,787,824 | 1,940,630 | 5,728,454 |
| Cambridgeshire and Peterborough | 9,692,405 | 4,865,173 | 14,557,578 |
| Cornwall | 6,615,106 | 3,347,690 | 9,962,795 |
| Devon and Torbay | 8,058,610 | 4,165,399 | 12,224,008 |
| East Midlands | 39,956,290 | 20,063,925 | 60,020,215 |
| Greater Lincolnshire | 14,002,987 | 7,266,638 | 21,269,625 |
| Hull and East Yorkshire | 12,756,619 | 6,553,396 | 19,310,015 |
| Lancashire | 27,282,065 | 13,877,450 | 41,159,515 |
| Surrey | 7,385,923 | 3,774,434 | 11,160,357 |
| Tees Valley | 23,979,944 | 12,040,425 | 36,020,368 |
| Warwickshire | 4,574,370 | 2,351,044 | 6,925,414 |
| West of England | 13,934,382 | 6,994,643 | 20,929,024 |
| York and North Yorkshire | 9,103,027 | 4,569,971 | 13,672,999 |
Notes:
1. This is not the total amount of funding that you will receive for FY 2027 to 2028. Your payment will also include an amount from the AY 2027 to 2028. We will confirm this amount in January 2027, and it will be issued under a separate S31 Grant Determination Letter.
2. For clarity and accessibility two tables are included here. Some of the same data is included in both tables (e.g. August to March funding figures)
Total devolved Adult Skills payments to specified Strategic Authorities by funding stream
Adult Skills Fund
| Financial year 2026 to 2027 (£) | Academic year 2026 to 2027 (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | 3,787,824 | 5,728,454 |
| Cambridgeshire and Peterborough | 11,881,548 | 11,980,465 |
| Cornwall | 9,866,186 | 9,962,795 |
| Devon and Torbay | 8,058,610 | 12,224,008 |
| East Midlands | 52,489,929 | 53,204,111 |
| Greater Lincolnshire | 12,063,319 | 18,281,165 |
| Hull and East Yorkshire | 10,382,796 | 15,718,216 |
| Lancashire | 27,282,065 | 41,159,515 |
| Surrey | 7,385,923 | 11,160,357 |
| Tees Valley | 30,329,579 | 30,582,079 |
| Warwickshire | 4,574,370 | 6,925,414 |
| West of England | 15,197,885 | 15,324,411 |
| York and North Yorkshire | 10,535,327 | 10,698,068 |
Skills Bootcamps
Funding is only non-ringfenced for Mayoral Strategic Authorities.
| Financial year 2026 to 2027 (£) | Academic year 2026 to 2027 (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridgeshire and Peterborough | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 |
| East Midlands | 2,031,213 | 2,032,745 |
| Greater Lincolnshire | 1,615,097 | 1,616,315 |
| Hull and East Yorkshire | 2,285,781 | 2,287,505 |
| Tees Valley | 2,686,756 | 2,688,782 |
| West of England | 4,223,674 | 4,226,860 |
| York and North Yorkshire | 2,011,595 | 2,013,112 |