Correspondence

DfE Update further education: 1 July 2026

Published 1 July 2026

Applies to England

1. Action: Financial data for further education – dry run 2026 to 2027 now live

The data collection workbook and further education (FE) financial reporting dry run guidance have now been issued for colleges to complete. You can find further details for both on the financial data dry run 2026 to 2027 GOV.UK page.

This data will be collected quarterly with a monthly profile. The deadline for the Quarter 1 (April to June 2026) submission is Friday 28 August 2026  .

It is important the workbook is signed off by the accounting officer before submission. We will provide further guidance on the submission process in due course.    

You can watch our webinars to support you when completing the workbook.

For any queries, please refer to the guidance or contact us using the Customer Help Portal.

2. Information: Apprenticeship funding rules 

We have published version 1 of the apprenticeship funding rules for the 2026 to 2027 funding year. These rules apply to apprenticeships starting from 1 August 2026.

Following feedback on the draft rules published in April, we have made updates, including:

• changes to subcontracting
• the addition of rules for the apprenticeship hiring payment for non-levy employers.

You should review the updated rules to understand how they affect delivery and funding.

See the summary of changes for full details of updates in version 1.

3. Information: Individualised learner record returns for 2026 to 2027 academic year

We have published guidance for the individualised learner record (ILR) returns 2026 to 2027   for all institutions that complete the ILR data return.

For 2026 to 2027, we have:

• delayed the planned removal of the R10 reconciliation review. We will continue to use R10 data to review under or over delivery for the 2026 to 2027 academic year. We expect to remove this review stage from the 2027 to 2028 academic year. This allows time to develop the new approach and explain the impact to the sector before its introduction.

• renamed the ‘16 to 19 funding claim report’ to the ‘16 to 19 funded student summary report’. This is because 16 to 19 funding is no longer part of the funding claims process and now only for grant-funded adult provision

If you have questions after reading the guidance, you can find more support in our Customer Help Centre.

4. Information: Free meals in further education expansion – additional resources

From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, all students in receipt of Universal Credit, or from households that receive Universal Credit, will be entitled to receive a free meal.

As we confirmed in 13 May 2026 DfE Update, we have published updated free meals in FE guidance for providers to understand changes, including funding rules and eligibility criteria for the new academic year.

We have also published a ‘model student communication’ letter for FE providers to share with students explaining the changes to free school meals from September 2026. This sets out the expansion of entitlement to all families on Universal Credit, the end of transitional protections, and actions students may need to take. Providers are encouraged to adapt and issue this communication to ensure students understand how these changes may affect them and whether they need to take any action.

The ‘model student communication’ letter can be located using the above link to the guidance.

5. Information: Association of Colleges to deliver technical and vocational professional development from autumn 2026

From September 2026, the Association of Colleges will deliver technical and vocational professional development. The contract was awarded following a competitive procurement exercise.

The programme will offer fully funded support for a wide range of technical and vocational qualifications, including subject specific training, opportunities for teacher collaboration and leadership support. We will share further details in due course.

Teachers can access the existing T Level Professional Development, delivered by the Education Training Foundation, until the end of term.

6. Information: Expressions of interest for Mayoral Strategic Authorities Apprenticeship  pilot are now open 

Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) can now apply to deliver Apprenticeship Brokerage Pilots across up to 8 areas from autumn 2026 to March 2029. 

The Department for Work and Pensions has allocated up to £140 million to support delivery costs, apprenticeship training and assessment. 

The pilots are open to MSAs with devolved adult skills funding. They will test new ways to help young people aged 16 to 24, particularly those who are, or are at risk of, not being in education, employment or training. The aim is to increase apprenticeship starts and completions, including foundation apprenticeships, across pilot areas.

Employers will receive additional support to recruit young apprentices. The pilots will also improve opportunities for larger employers to share suitable near-miss candidates. 

Training providers may be approached to support delivery in pilot areas. Successful bidders will be announced in September 2026.

For more information, email: msa.brokeragepilots@dwp.gov.uk. 

7. Reminder: Vocational qualifications reform from 2027 – Strategic Transition Planning Statement due by 6 July 2026

On 20 May 2026 we launched the online form for the Strategic Transition Planning Statement (STPS). We have requested statements from all 16 to 19 institutions in England in relation to their current, or plans for, delivery of T Levels and vocational qualifications. Even if institutions are not delivering, or have no plan to deliver these qualifications, they should still confirm this using the same form.

The deadline for all STPS returns is on or before Monday 6 July 2026.

We understand that responses to questions in this statement may be based on best available information at this time. We ask you to provide your best estimates and strategic intentions. We will work with you to ensure your planning assumptions can be updated as further information becomes available.

You can find further STPS guidance, including a recording of the webinar we hosted on Thursday 4 June 2026.