Post-16 National Insurance contributions grant: conditions of grant April 2025 to March 2026
Updated 22 May 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/post-16-national-insurance-contributions-nics-grant/post-16-national-insurance-contributions-grant-conditions-of-grant-april-2025-to-march-2026
1. Introduction
1.1 Legislation
The post-16 National Insurance contributions (NICs) grant will be paid by the Secretary of State for Education as a grant under section 14 of the Education Act 2002. In accordance with section 16 of that Act, the Secretary of State attaches the following terms to the grant payable.
1.2 Purpose
The post-16 NICs grant is for the purpose of supporting eligible settings with the increase to employers’ National Insurance contributions, arising from their post-16 education from April 2025.
We have published the funding methodology and grant allocations at institutional level. Read these in conjunction with the conditions of grant.
1.3 Period
These conditions of grant cover the period April 2025 to March 2026.
2. Eligibility
2.1 The following settings are eligible to receive funding provided they meet the criteria as set out at 2.2:
- maintained school and academy sixth forms
- 16 to 19 academies
- 16 to 19 schools
- general further education (FE) colleges
- sixth-form colleges
- designated institutions (including the new designated institutions that form part of higher education provider group structures)
- local authorities
2.2 Criteria
Eligible settings that are in receipt of annual funding allocations from the Department of Education (DfE) for the provision of post-16 education.
3. Payments
3.1 Calculation
We have calculated allocations for this grant by using the funding methodology set out in the published guidance. We have also published grant allocations at institutional level.
3.2 Payment timetable
We will make one payment to cover the 2025 to 26 financial year:
| Single payment for 2025 to 2026 financial year | |
|---|---|
| Local authorities and maintained school sixth forms and 16 to 19 schools, all colleges and designated institutions | September 2025 |
| Academy sixth forms and 16 to 19 academies | October 2025 |
3.3 Setting closures, openings, and mergers, including academy conversions
If a setting closes during the financial year, the local authority (for maintained settings) or DfE (for academy and FE settings) should take all endeavours to recover any unused grant for the proportion of the financial year that remains after the setting closes. Local authorities (for maintained settings) must return any recovered unused grant back to the DfE.
New settings opening after 1 April 2025 will not receive an allocation of the post-16 NICs grant for the period as set out in 1.3.
This grant is allocated on a setting basis. DfE will not seek to recover any grant funding from a local authority if a school converts to academy status after we have made the payment. The grant allocation is intended for the school, and we will assume the local authority passed on the entire grant funding to the school immediately upon receipt from DfE. In addition, any unspent grant funding should remain with the school after it converts.
DfE will not seek to recover any grant funding, nor make any additional payments or adjustments following the merger or academy conversions of any FE setting during the period as set out in 1.3.
3.4 Additional local authority duty
Local authorities will be required to certify that they have passed on the correct amount of funding to schools or, where funding has been spent centrally, that it has been spent in line with these conditions of grant. DfE will issue a certification form in spring 2026. Local authorities must pass funding on to their maintained schools in a timely manner in line with their scheme for financing schools.
4. Permitted use of funding
Funding must be spent on supporting settings with the increase to employers’ National Insurance contributions, arising from their post-16 education from April 2025.
5. Assurance
Local authorities and settings are required to maintain and keep clear records of income and expenditure in relation to this grant including evidence of the use of funds.
6. Further information
Books, other documents and records relating to the recipient’s accounts shall be open to inspection by the Secretary of State and by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The Comptroller and Auditor General may, under section 6 of the National Audit Act 1983, carry out examinations into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which the recipient has used its resources.
Local authorities and settings shall provide information as may be required by the Secretary of State to determine whether they have complied with these conditions.
7. Variation
The basis for allocation of grant may be varied by the Secretary of State from that set out above.
8. Recovery of funding
If a local authority or setting fails to comply with the terms and conditions set out in this document, the Secretary of State may recover some or all of the post-16 NICs grant that has been allocated. We will notify the local authority or setting of this in writing.
We will make recoveries by invoice or by offsetting the amount against subsequent payments due from DfE.
The recipient must notify DfE immediately through the Customer Help Portal if it becomes aware of any instance of error, suspected fraud or financial irregularity in the use of the funds.
9. Overpayments
If a setting or local authority identifies that we have overpaid them, they must contact DfE to arrange repayment of the excess. Where DfE identifies an overpayment, we may seek to recover the excess. We will notify the local authority or setting of this in writing.
10. Enquiries
For queries relating to these terms and conditions please use the Customer Help Portal.