High needs funding: due diligence process for special post-16 providers

This guidance explains the process that may lead to a grant funding arrangement with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to deliver provision for high needs students.

In order to be eligible to receive ESFA funding, special post-16 institutions (SPI) are required to be referenced within their provider LA high needs place change request workbook (required by 1810 November 2022)2023) and must be named on at least 10 Education Health and Care plans.

Once they have met the above requirement, ESFA will undertake due diligence to ensure themselves that the SPI is eligible to receive ESFA funding.

The guidance and accompanying documents explain the due diligence process.

Financial information requirements

For an institution that has actively traded for a minimum of 3 months but not produced its first set of financial statements, it must supply its management accounts detailing actual trade to date and be supplemented with forecast information to equal a minimum of 12 months of financial information.