Government funding for training providers: Pathways Advantage Ltd are specialists in bid writing and management, financial modelling, continuous improvement, research and evaluation. We have particular expertise in the publicly funded employment and skills sector, with clients who provide provision on behalf of the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP), the Skills Funding Agency and similar funders

1. Funding Outlook &
Opportunities Update
for Training Providers
in England
Safaraz Ali
uk.linkedin.com/in/safaraz
Updated
16th
June 2015

2. No Skills Funding Statement but letter of priorities: 2015/16:
•July 2015 Budget key for the sector for next 5 years
•Skills Funding Agency (SFA) Adult Skills Budget (ASB) budget
reducing 24% per annum
•Apprenticeship funding protected. Government plan to grow
apprenticeships to 3 million in this parliament
•Government funding focus for Further Education (FE) -
Traineeships, Apprenticeships, English and Maths, Higher Standards,
Better Qualifications
Apprenticeships Under Reform: Full Imp 2017/18 (signs of shifting to 2018/19):
•Employers at centre of reform
•Trailblazers – Employers leading development of new standards. First standard
based app’s being delivered in 2014/15. 8 phase 1, 31 phase 2, 76 phase 3
•Consultation to move funding to employer – vouchers to be used
•Plan was for compulsory cash contribution – but softening
•Apprenticeship Grant for Employer (AGE) Grant changed to <49 employees, ends Dec
2015
Funding Outlook

3. Traineeships:
•Work preparation, english/maths, work placement plus flex
to deliver vocational qualification.
•16hr JSA rule exemption
•Extended to 16-24, min/max work placement time removed,
8 week consecutive placements agreed with JCP from 8/14,
pre level 3 harmonised for 16-18/19-24 from 1/15, further JCP
flexibilities to ease delivery/benefit conflict, combined work
prep/placement from 8/15
24+ Loans:
•For Level 3 and 4 stand alone qualifications.
•Growth area and further opportunities here – 2015/16 £498 million budget –
very few spending allocations
RPA: Raising Participation Age:
•Must remain in education to age 18 (currently 17) from August 2015
(includes school 6th
form, FE College courses, apprenticeships, traineeships)

4. LEP’s (Local Economic Partnerships)
•Increasing in importance, responding to local needs.
•City Deals, Devolution, Combined Authorities
Qualification reform:
•Government VQ reform plan published March 2014 – improving
quality and standard of qualifications
•QCF being phased out by Ofqual
SFA changes:
•Further restructuring of Skills Funding Agency with large staff
reductions.
•Provider Financial Assurance (PFA) audits increasing in importance
and rigour.
•Grade 3 Ofsted is the minimum level of expectation

5. Future Opportunities
NEW ESF Tendering Rounds on the horizon – Consortiums have
started writing their bids now, contracts to starts in Dec 2015 in
reality it will be from January 2016
Growth case opportunities with SFA for Apprenticeships and
Traineeship and for subcontracting Apprenticeships however
delays from SFA are happening
LEP linked opportunities e.g. Big Lottery Fund, Communities
For comments and additional thoughts- please connect with me
via: @SafarazAli

6. Future Opportunities
NEW ESF Tendering Rounds on the horizon – Consortiums have
started writing their bids now, contracts to starts in Dec 2015 in
reality it will be from January 2016
Growth case opportunities with SFA for Apprenticeships and
Traineeship and for subcontracting Apprenticeships however
delays from SFA are happening
LEP linked opportunities e.g. Big Lottery Fund, Communities
For comments and additional thoughts- please connect with me
via: @SafarazAli