Correspondence

DfE Update further education: 2 July 2025

Published 2 July 2025

Applies to England

1. Information: Add apprentice details to the Apprenticeship Service account using ILR data

We have recently added a new option in your apprenticeship service account to simplify the funding approval for apprentices.

Training providers will now be able to add new apprentice details imported from the individual learning records (ILR) by clicking the option ‘Select apprentices from ILR’.

Using this new option will reduce the need for duplicate data entry and will help to decrease the number of apprentice detail related data locks, leading to quicker approvals.

Any apprentice details added using the ILR data option will still need to have the recognition of prior learning information entered to the apprenticeship service.

More improvements to this journey will be implemented in the coming months.

More information is available in our knowledge article.

2. Information: Funding rules and guidance update for apprenticeships care leavers’ bursary

The £3,000 care leavers’ bursary provides valuable support for apprentices who are care leavers or still in care.

However, local authority data suggests not all eligible apprentices are receiving the bursary.   

To address this, we have clarified in the funding rules that providers must give all apprentices aged 24 or under the chance to say if they are eligible. 

From Friday 1 August, providers must record evidence of this as part of initial assessment evidence requirements.  
Providers should also give current apprentices the chance to declare eligibility if they were not asked earlier. Late claims can be submitted. 

Updates to the funding rules and bursary guidance clarify: 

• how to submit late claims  

• that the bursary is tax-free and does not count as income for Universal Credit calculations  

• when the third payment will be made for shorter and foundation apprenticeships  

• that confirmation of care leaver status from the local authority does not require a specific format

3. Information: Apprenticeship carry-in allocations for the 2025 to 2026 funding year

We have issued apprenticeship carry-in allocations for the 2025 to 2026 funding year.

Allocations are available in a digital format on manage your education and skills funding.

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

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

We have updated our allocations guidance to explain how we have calculated your allocation.

For more information, refer to your funding agreement.

Business case requests

To raise a business case, you can use the digital form. The deadline to submit a business case is Friday 5 September 2025.

If you have questions after reading our guidance, or if there is anything else you need help with, you can find more support in our customer help centre.

4. Information: Updated learning aim references for generation 2 T Levels

We have published a revised version of the T Level and transition programme cost weighting and funding bands spreadsheet.

This now contains all learning aim references for the qualifications that have been updated under the ‘generation 2’ new delivery contract with the awarding organisation.

5. Information: Free courses for jobs allocations for the 2025 to 2026 funding year

We have issued updated free courses for jobs allocations for the 2025 to 2026 funding year to include an increase for construction training expansion.

Allocations are available in a digital format on manage your education and skills funding.

We have updated our allocations guidance to explain how we have calculated your allocation.

Business case requests

If you do not want the additional funding, or you do not have the capacity to deliver, use the digital business case form to decline or request a reduced amount. The deadline to submit a business case is Friday 18 July.

If you have questions after reading our guidance, or if there is anything else you need help with, you can find more support in our customer help centre.

6. Reminder: Deadline to submit post-16 subcontracting standard report

Providers who subcontract £100,000 or more of their post-16 delivery, across all DfE funding streams, are required to submit a subcontracting standard. This report must be submitted to us by Thursday 31 July 2025.

This does not apply to schools and academies.

If you have previously completed the standard, you should have received a letter with your outcome. Those who met the standard will not need to resubmit this year.

Providers in scope, who did not complete the standard in the last 2 years, will need to submit reports by Thursday 31 July 2025 using Document exchange. 

If you have any questions, contact your DfE case manager.

Read the DfE subcontracting standard guidance for more information.

7. Your feedback: Tell us about your experience of our funding service

If you receive education and skills funding, we want to hear about your experience.

Please complete this short survey by Friday 4 July 2025, it should take you 5 to 10 minutes to complete.

We aspire to run an excellent education and skills funding service that gives providers as much certainty as possible.

The survey, run twice a year, asks whether we deliver:

• certainty on what we pay you and when
• clarity on how to comply with funding rules
• services that are accessible and easy to use
• answers when you have funding-related queries

We will keep your personal data confidential, and your feedback will help us to improve the service.

8. Events and webinars: Minister for Skills live event on post-16 education and skills development

You are invited to join Jacqui Smith, the Minister for Skills, and Phil Smith, the Chair of Skills England, for a live online event on post-16 education and skills on Tuesday 8 July at 4pm.

The session will give you a chance a to hear directly from the Minister about the future direction of the skills system, aiming to boost growth and break down the barriers to opportunity.

This will include looking at the central role of Skills England in ensuring we respond quickly to employers’ skill needs, support young people that need help with starting their careers, and how to work closely with further education and higher education providers, as well as mayoral strategic authorities and in local areas, to deliver.

The Minister would also like to hear from you and will answer a selection of questions from the live chat.

Tuesday 8 July from 4pm to 4.45pm. Register for the event.