Tolerance examples 2024 to 2025
Updated 13 February 2024
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/t-level-funding/tolerance-examples-2024-to-2025
Under- and over-delivery
This guide shows examples of what your delivery may look like. You may find it useful to look at the relevant section in the T Level funding guidance for academic year 2024 to 2025.
The under-delivery tolerance levels apply as follows:
- if you delivered any T Level programme before 2023 to 2024, your tolerance is 5%. This still applies if you are running a T Level programme that is new to your institution
- if you started delivering T Levels for the first time in 2023 to 2024, your tolerance is 10%. This still applies if you are running a T Level programme that is new to your institution
- if you are delivering T Levels for the first time in 2024 to 2025, then your tolerance is 20%
1. Under-delivery recorded is within the agreed tolerance
Table 1 shows that the institution had 40 agreed students in band 6 and under-delivered by 2 (by 5%). Therefore, we have not reduced T Level student numbers for that band.
Table 1
| Band 7 | Band 6 | Band 5 | Total students in allocation in all bands | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allocated T Level student numbers for 2023 to 2024 | 40 | 40 | 460 | 1,000 |
| T Level students in data return in autumn 2023 | 40 | 38 | - | - |
| No revision to the allocated student numbers | 40 | 40 | 460 | 1,000 |
Please note: if the institution is eligible for an under-delivery tolerance of 10%, there is no reduction to the allocation if the institution delivers at least 36 T Levels per band. If the institution is eligible for an under-delivery tolerance of 20%, there is no reduction to the allocation if the institution delivers at least 32 T Levels per band.
2. Under-delivery recorded is over the agreed tolerance
As mentioned in the T Levels funding guide, if we reduce your T Level numbers, these numbers will be returned to band 5 because we assume that these students have undertaken an alternative 16 to 19 programme. We will therefore reduce your funding by the difference between the T Level band and the band 5 for each student not recruited onto a T Level.
Where we reduce your T Level student numbers, we will also recover funding for:
- industry placements
- the difference in funding between the T Level band and band 5
- additional funding paid for T Level students such as the higher rate for disadvantage funding
Table 2 shows that the institution has under-delivered by 20 students in one funding band (band 6).
Table 2
| Band 7 | Band 6 | Band 5 | Total students in allocation in all bands | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allocated T Level student numbers for 2023 to 2024 | 40 | 40 | 460 | 1,000 |
| T Level students in data return in autumn 2023 | 40 | 20 | - | - |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 5% | 40 | 22 | 478 | 1,000 |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 10% | 40 | 24 | 476 | 1,000 |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 20% | 40 | 28 | 472 | 1,000 |
For the 5% tolerance
Under-delivery by 5% out of 40 students is 2 students, so we reduce T Level numbers by the difference, which is 18; we convert those 18 students to band 5. The overall lagged student numbers remain constant.
For the 10% tolerance
Under-delivery by 10% out of 40 students is 4 students, so we reduce T Level numbers by the difference, which is 16; we convert those 16 students to band 5. The overall lagged student numbers remain constant.
For the 20% tolerance
Under-delivery by 20% out of 40 students is 8 students, so we reduce T Level numbers by the difference, which is 12; we convert those 12 students to band 5. The overall lagged student numbers remain constant.
Table 3 shows that the institution has under-delivered in more than one funding band (both bands 6 and 7), by 20 students in each band.
Table 3
| Band 7 | Band 6 | Band 5 | Total students in allocation in all bands | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allocated T Level student numbers for 2023 to 2024 | 40 | 40 | 460 | 1,000 |
| T Level students in data return in autumn 2023 | 20 | 20 | - | - |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 5% | 22 | 22 | 496 | 1,000 |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 10% | 24 | 24 | 492 | 1,000 |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 20% | 28 | 28 | 484 | 1,000 |
For the 5% tolerance
The under-delivery at bands 6 and 7 is 20 students per band. The tolerance is 2 students per band, so we reduce the T Level student numbers by the difference, which is 18 students, in each T Level funding band. These 36 are added to the band 5 student numbers.
For the 10% tolerance
The under-delivery at bands 6 and 7 is 20 students per band. The tolerance is 4 students per band, so we reduce the T Level student numbers by the difference, which is 16 students, in each T Level funding band. These 32 are added to the band 5 student numbers.
For the 20% tolerance
The under-delivery at bands 6 and 7 is 20 students per band. The tolerance is 8 students per band, so we reduce the student numbers by the difference, which is 12 T Level students in each T Level funding band. These 24 are added to the band 5 student numbers.
3. Over-delivery only
As mentioned in the T Levels funding guide, T Level numbers would have otherwise been funded as band 5. Therefore, if we increase your T Level numbers, the extra funding that T Level numbers attract is the difference between the T Level band and the band 5.
Where we increase your student numbers, we will also increase your funding for:
- industry placements
- the difference in funding between band 6 and band 5
- additional funding paid for T Level students such as the higher rate for disadvantage funding
Table 4 shows that the institution has over-delivered by 10 students in band 6. Therefore, we have increased the numbers in band 6 and reduced the numbers in band 5 by the same amount. We will not increase your total student number allocation. Please note that the exceptional in-year growth process will apply if recruitment to T Levels results in an overall increase in lagged student numbers.
Table 4
| Band 7 | Band 6 | Band 5 | Total students in allocation for all bands | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allocated T Level student numbers for 2023 to 2024 | 30 | 40 | 450 | 1,000 |
| T Level students in data return in autumn 2023 | 30 | 50 | - | - |
| Revised allocated numbers | 30 | 50 | 440 | 1,000 |
4. Under-delivery in one band and over-delivery in another band
Table 5 shows that the institution has under-delivered by 15 students in T Level band 7 but over-delivered by 10 in band 6. We treat each band separately. We fund all additional T Level students and reduce the corresponding number from band 5. For under-delivery we apply the appropriate tolerance. We will not change your total student number allocation.
Table 5
| Band 7 | Band 6 | Band 5 | Total students in allocation in all bands | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allocated T Level student numbers for 2023 to 2024 | 40 | 40 | 460 | 1,000 |
| T Level students in data return in autumn 2023 | 25 | 50 | - | - |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 5% | 27 | 50 | 463 | 1,000 |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 10% | 29 | 50 | 461 | 1,000 |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 20% | 33 | 50 | 457 | 1,000 |
For the 5% tolerance
The over-delivery at band 6 is 10. These 10 are added to band 6 student numbers and removed from band 5 student numbers.
The under-delivery at band 7 is 15. The tolerance is 2 students, so we reduce the band 7 student numbers by the difference, which is 13 students. These 13 are added to the band 5 student numbers.
For the 10% tolerance
The over-delivery at band 6 is 10. These 10 are added to band 6 student numbers and removed from band 5 student numbers.
The under-delivery at band 7 is 15. The tolerance is 4 students, so we reduce the band 7 student numbers by the difference, which is 11 students. These 11 are added to the band 5 student numbers.
For the 20% tolerance
The over-delivery at band 6 is 10. These 10 are added to band 6 student numbers and removed from band 5 student numbers.
The under-delivery at band 7 is 15. The tolerance is 8 students, so we reduce the band 7 student numbers by the difference, which is 7 students. These 7 are added to the band 5 student numbers.
5. Zero delivery overall
Table 6 shows that the institution had zero T Level delivery across all bands. In this case all T Level students would be moved into band 5 and no delivery is recorded for any T Level funding band. No under-delivery tolerance will be applied.
Table 6
| Band 7 | Band 6 | Band 5 | Total students in allocation in all bands | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allocated T Level student numbers for 2023 to 2024 | 40 | 40 | 540 | 1,000 |
| T Level students in data return in autumn 2023 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| Revised allocated numbers | 0 | 0 | 620 | 1,000 |
6. Zero delivery in one band and delivery in another band
Table 7 shows that the institution has zero T Level delivery at band 7 but delivered T Levels at band 6. We treat the 2 bands separately.
To note, where there is zero recorded delivery in bands 6 to 9, but there is T Level delivery recorded in band 5 or below, then the institution will receive the tolerance
Table 7
| Band 7 | Band 6 | Band 5 | Total students in allocation in all bands | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allocated T Level student numbers for 2023 to 2024 | 40 | 40 | 460 | 1,000 |
| T Level students in data return in autumn 2023 | 0 | 50 | - | - |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 5% | 2 | 50 | 488 | 1,000 |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 10% | 4 | 50 | 486 | 1,000 |
| Revised allocated numbers where tolerance is 20% | 8 | 50 | 482 | 1,000 |
For the 5% tolerance
As there was no delivery at band 7 but delivery has taken place in other bands, we would apply the 5% tolerance to band 7 (2 students) and increase the student numbers in band 5 by 38.
For band 6 we have increased the student numbers by 10 and reduced the student numbers in band 5 by the same amount. We will not increase your total student number allocation.
For the 10% tolerance
As there was no delivery at band 7 but delivery has taken place in other bands, we would apply the 10% tolerance to band 7 (4 students) and increase the student numbers in band 5 by 36.
For band 6 we have increased the student numbers by 10 and reduced the student numbers in band 5 by the same amount. We will not increase your total student number allocation.
For the 20% tolerance
As there was no delivery at band 7 but delivery has taken place in other bands, we would apply the 20% tolerance to band 7 (8 students) and increase the student numbers in band 5 by 32.
For band 6 we have increased the student numbers by 10 and reduced the student numbers in band 5 by the same amount. We will not increase your total student number allocation.