Guidance

16 to 19 funding: allocations

Information about how 16 to 19 funding is allocated to colleges, providers, schools and academies.

Applies to England

16 to 19 funding allocations

Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funds schools, academies, colleges and independent learning providers. We calculate funding using the 16 to 19 funding formula.

Funding allocations are driven by student recruitment and the funding formula includes factors that reflect student retention, higher cost subjects, disadvantaged students and area costs. The funding education for 16 to 19 year olds page includes further information about each element within the 16 to 19 funding formula.

We supplement the funding calculated using the 16 to 19 funding formula with additional funding for high needs students and funding that provides financial support to students to help with their education costs.

16 to 19 funding information for academic year 2024 to 2025

We’ve published details on the key changes to funding for 2024 to 2025.

Allocations timeline

We will publish updates to the timeline as we deliver funding allocations. Please read the latest news column on the timeline for regular updates.

Month Activity Latest news
December 2023 6 December 2023 is the individualised learner record (ILR) R04 deadline. This is the first 16 to 19 data return for 2023 to 2024. The R04 data return is now closed.
December 2023 Publication of dedicated schools grant schools block and high needs block allocations for 2024 to 2025 (prior to academy recoupment). We have published this information.
January 2024 Publication of outcomes of the high needs place change process for 2024 to 2025. We have now published the allocation calculation toolkits and the high needs place change process.
February 2024 6 February 2024 is the ILR R06 deadline. The R06 data return is now closed.
February 2024 We will issue supporting guidance and allocation calculation toolkits containing funding factors to institutions.  
March 2024 We will begin to issue allocations to all institutions and publish supporting guidance. We aim to issue all allocations by the end of the month.  
April 2024 The business case deadline is 30 April 2024 for all institutions to return any business cases in relation to a significant data error or exceptional circumstances affecting their allocation. This excludes institutions in scope of the high needs place change process because we opened a 2-week window for enquiries in January 2024.  
May/June 2024 We will review and process business cases received by the deadline with full and complete information and communicate these outcomes by the end of June 2024.  
July/August 2024 We will issue funding agreements/contracts to institutions either directly or through the lead contact. Agreements/contracts signed and returned by funded organisation.  
August/September 2024 We will make the first payment to local authorities (in respect of schools with sixth forms) and directly to academies, colleges and other institutions.  

Business cases for major data errors

You should only submit business cases if you have made a significant error in your 16 to 19 schools census or ILR data. This should be by exception and only after you have received your funding allocation statement.

Timelines when submitting a business case

Cases received with full information before 30 April 2024:

  • we aim to communicate outcomes for straightforward cases by the end of June 2024
  • complex cases can take longer to investigate and we aim to communicate outcomes for these before the end of July 2024

Cases received after 30 April 2024 or those that require further information:

  • we aim to let you know the outcomes as soon as we are able, but for more complex or late cases you might receive decisions from July 2024 onwards
  • for these cases, we will action any adjustment to your allocation as a contract variation

When not to submit a case

This process does not cover business cases for high needs place funding for institutions that are within scope of the high needs place change notification process.

For institutions returning the ILR, we will not accept business cases where an error in the 2022 to 2023 R04 (or R46) has reduced the ratio for the 2024 to 2025 allocation. This is because any such error will have also resulted in an equivalent increase in the 2023 to 2024 allocation.

How to submit a case

You must contact us using our online enquiry form clearly stating the nature of your business case. The head of institution must authorise all business cases.

Please do not upload business cases to Document exchange until you have completed an online enquiry form because we will not see them.

When appropriate, we will send you a pre-populated template after you contact us to make sure we have all the evidence we need.

We will not accept:

  • extracts from allocation calculation toolkits with associated corrections
  • templates from previous years

Thresholds for business cases

We apply standard minimum thresholds to decide whether we will consider a case.

For cases affecting T Level allocations:

  • we will consider cases where data errors had an impact on 5 or more T Level students

For cases affecting lagged student numbers, full-time/part-time split, funding factors and the maths and English condition of funding:

  • an overall impact of 5% on total programme funding or £100,000, whichever is lower. Total programme funding refers to the core programme funding (including any condition of funding adjustment) as outlined in ‘Figure 1: 16 to 19 funding formula’ in the 16 to 19 funding: how it works guidance

For cases not covered above:

  • an overall impact of 5% of the funding related to that element
  • for example: if the case relates to the high value courses premium, the 5% would be in relation to the total high value courses premium funding

We have maintained the reduced T Level threshold for business cases for academic year 2024 to 2025. Higher thresholds may apply for future academic years.

Data sources

Data sources for 16 to 19 and post-16 high needs funding for academic year 2024 to 2025

This section sets out the methods we will use to determine the number of students attracting funding in 2024 to 2025. We have set this out by institution type.

Please note from academic year 2024 to 2025 we will include all T Level data in the calculation of funding factors.

Schools, academies, free schools, studio schools, university technical colleges

Lagged numbers based on 2023 to 2024 students in the autumn 2023 census. We fund some academies on estimated numbers where their funding agreement states this.

Further education (FE) colleges, some other FE or higher education institutions

We take the number of eligible students with a reference date of 1 November 2023 based on R04 (2023 to 2024).

We multiply this by the ratio of 1 November to all-year student numbers based on R04 (2022 to 2023) and the R14 return for that year.

We compare this figure with the student numbers calculated from R06 (2023 to 2024), both the year-to-date (as at 1 February) figure and the number recruited by 1 November (R46) to determine the final student number methodology that we will use: R04 multiplied by the ratio, R46 multiplied by the ratio or R06.

Independent learning providers

Depending on the profile of recruitment for the individual provider, we will either use:

  1. a 12-month rolling figure for February 2023 to January 2024 based on R14 (2022 to 2023) and R06 (2023 to 2024) data
  2. the same approach as set out above for FE colleges, or
  3. the average of approaches 1 and 2

There may be a delay in issuing allocations for institutions where we use R06 data.

Local authorities, some other FE institutions

If using in-year data is not appropriate, we will use a full year figure based on R14 (2022 to 2023).

Maintained special schools

We allocate post-16 high needs place funding directly to local authorities. Local authorities then determine the post-16 place funding to allocate to individual maintained special schools.

Special academies

We use published 2023 to 2024 academic year high needs place numbers, revised by place changes notified to ESFA by local authorities in November 2023.

Special post-16 institutions (SPI)

We will allocate programme funding (element 1) and high needs funding (element 2) using counts of valid students from 2023 to 2024 ILR R06 data returns. We will use a reference date of 1 February 2024.

Lagged approach

Note that for those institutions normally subject to lagged funding, the lagged approach does not apply where there is a material change in the volume of provision offered by the institution. In those cases, we remove the institution from the lagged approach and we calculate funded student numbers as set out in the funding rates and formula guidance.

Formula elements

These are the methods we will use to determine the other formula elements for institutions with 16 to 19 funding in 2024 to 2025.

Data sources for formula elements/Institution type Institutions making ILR return Institutions making census return Institutions with no historical data
Retention/Size of programme/Programme cost weighting/Disadvantage block 2 instances/High value courses premium and English and maths funding R14 2022 to 2023 Autumn census 2023 (end-year 2022 to 2023 data) National average for institution type
Disadvantage block 1 factor/instances and discretionary bursary instances R14 2022 to 2023 Autumn census 2023 (end-year 2022 to 2023 data) Local authority average for institution type
Large programmes 2021 to 2022 young people’s matched admin dataset (YPMAD) 2021 to 2022 YPMAD No impact
Industry placements/Condition of funding R14 2022 to 2023 Autumn census 2023 (end-year 2022 to 2023 data) No impact
Advanced maths premium 2023 to 2024 R04 data with a reference date of 1 November 2023 Autumn census 2023 (2023 to 2024 data) If institution is open in 2023 to 2024, then ILR/census as appropriate. If not open in 2023 to 2024, then no impact
Core maths premium 2023 to 2024 R04 data with a reference date of 1 November 2023 Autumn census 2023 (2023 to 2024 data) If institution is open in 2023 to 2024, then ILR/census as appropriate. If not open in 2023 to 2024, then no impact

If you have any queries, please contact us using our enquiry form.

Resources

Published allocations

Published 10 March 2014
Last updated 13 February 2024 + show all updates
  1. We've updated this page with information on funding for academic year 2024 to 2025 including the timeline and data sources for funding allocations.

  2. We’ve updated the allocations timeline from July to September.

  3. We have extended our allocations timeline for academic year 2023 to 2024 to account for the revised statements due to the extra funding announced in July.

  4. We have added a new section in about business cases for T Levels in academic year 2023 to 2024. The deadline is 21 July 2023.

  5. We have updated the timeline for April to say the business cases deadline has now passed.

  6. We have updated the timeline for March to note that allocations were issued by 31 March.

  7. We have updated the timeline for February 2023 to say the R06 data return is now closed.

  8. We have updated the timeline for January 2023 to say ACT files have been shared with institutions via DocX. We have also updated the timeline to say we have published the allocation calculation toolkits and the high needs place change process.

  9. We have updated the page with all the relevant information for academic year 2023 to 2024 including the timeline for allocations, business cases and data sources.

  10. We have updated the guidance for 2022 to 2023. This includes the updated timeline and business case information.

  11. We have updated our 16 to 19 revenue funding allocations timeline and information for academic year 2021 to 2022.

  12. Link to the 16 to 19 funding allocations data for 2020 to 2021 has been added.

  13. We have updated the progress along the allocations timeline for August/September 2020.

  14. We have updated progress along the allocations timeline.

  15. We have updated our progress along the allocations timeline for April 2020

  16. We have updated our guidance on COVID-19 exceptional business cases for free meals in further education and 16 to 19 bursary fund

  17. We have updated the Business cases for major data errors section for 16 to 19 funding.

  18. We have produced a video to help you understand your revenue funding allocation statement for 2020 to 2021

  19. We have updated our advice on when to submit a business case for major data errors

  20. We have updated the ‘When not to submit a case’ section because the high needs place change notification process is now complete.

  21. We have updated our timeline

  22. We have added a how to submit business cases section

  23. We have updated the page with data sources for 16 to 19 and post-16 high needs funding for 2020 to 2021

  24. We have updated our timeline for activities completed in November

  25. We have updated our timeline and information for academic year 2020 to 2021

  26. We have added a link to the allocations data for 2019 to 2020

  27. The allocations timeline has been updated

  28. We have updated the page with the latest information for academic year 2020 to 2021

  29. We have updated the allocations timetable.

  30. We have updated this guidance with information for special post-16 institutions.

  31. 16 to 19 revenue funding allocations process for academic year 2019 to 2020 has been added.

  32. 16 to 19 allocation timeline updated.

  33. A video on the 16 to 19 funding allocations process for 2018 to 2019 has been added.

  34. 16 to 19 allocation timeline updated.

  35. 16 to 19 allocation process for 2018 to 2019 has been updated.

  36. 16 to 19 funding allocation timeline updated.

  37. Added a new section to the allocation timeline.

  38. A video explaining the funding allocations for 2017 to 2018 has been added.

  39. This page has been updated to reflect 2017 to 2018 allocation cycle

  40. Allocations process for academic year 2017 to 2018 has been updated.

  41. Added link to the 16 to 19 funding allocations for the 2016 to 2017 academic year

  42. General update to page.

  43. Section under Allocations process 2016 to 2017 academic year has been added.

  44. Changes to EFA funding for 16 to 19 year olds - 2016 to 2017 video has been added

  45. updated information and tables added to 16 to 19 funding allocations

  46. Explanatory note further education student number statement - academic year 2015 to 2016 has been added

  47. Calendar updated - funding video added

  48. 2014 to 2015 allocation explanatory notes uploaded to page

  49. First published.