Adult education and skills funding allocations

Adult education and skills funding allocations 

We use this page to explain how we allocate funding for: 

• adult skills fund (ASF)  

• advanced learner loans facilities and bursaries 

• apprenticeships carry-in and apprenticeship non-levy extensions 

We will provide updates as we move through the funding allocation cycle and issue all allocations through manage your education and skills funding. 

How we calculate allocations 

We explain how we calculate your funding allocations in our technical guidance when we start to issue the allocations. We calculate allocations annually using nationally consistent methodologies, taking into account the current policy position and affordability. 

The general principles we typically follow when setting allocations are to: 

• reflect historic (lagged) delivery and current allocations to ensure that future allocations are in line with what providers can realistically earn 

• ensure that we treat all providers fairly and equitably 

• protect public funds and meet principles of public law 

• enable providers to respond to government priorities 

Information for academic year 20262025 to 2027 2026 

Our funding allocation guidance will help you to understand how we’ve calculated your funding and what data sources we have used. 

We will publish calculators to help you understand your allocation value. 

Allocation timeline 

We will publish updates to the timeline as we deliver funding allocations. The latest news column on the timeline shows updates. 

Month	Activity	Latest news
DecemberJuly and August 2024	We will issue 2024 to 2025 funding agreements/contracts to providers. Providers must digitally sign agreements and contracts on Manage your education and skills funding.	We have issued the contracts.
October 2024	This is the individualised learner record (ILR) R14 deadline. We use this to calculate additional funding in line with the extra ASF review published in the ASF funding rules.	The R14 data return is now closed.
December 2024	This is the ILR R04 deadline. We use this to calculate procured non-levy apprenticeship allocations for 20262025 to 2027.2026.	The R04 data return is now closed.
December 2024	We aim to issue the final values for ASF (non procured) continuing learners following the completion of the 2023 to 2024 funding year.	Allocations issued 10 December 2024.
February 20262025	We will issue apprenticeship non-levy extension contracts for financial year 20262025 to 2027.2026.	Allocations issued 6 Feb 2025.
March 20262025	Apprenticeships non-levy extensions Providers must sign their contracts by 3128 March 20262025 otherwise they will expire. The business case deadline for these allocations is 3128 March 2026. 2025. Submit a business case to address significant R04 data errors that have affected your funding allocation. Do not submit a case to request growth.	The window for these has now closed.
MarchApril 20262025	We aim to complete issuing funding allocations for advanced learner loans, loans, ASF and  and ASF contract contract for services by the end of the month and update our funding allocations guidance. We will provide calculators and business case forms.	Advanced learner loans allocations issued 3 April. ASF allocations issued 24 April 2025.
May 20262025	The business case deadline for for ASF and and advanced learner loans allocations is the end of May 2026.2025. Submit a business case to correct significant data errors. Do not submit a case to request growth.	The window for these has now closed.
June 2025	5 June 2025 is the R10 data return deadline. It is important that providers with apprenticeship carry-in or traineeship allocations submit accurate data as we will use this data to set 2025 to 2026 allocations.	The R10 data return is now closed.
June 2025	We will communicate the outcomes of of ASF, advanced learner loans and apprenticeship non-levy business cases.	Outcome letters sent via document exchange on 26 July 2025.
DecemberJuly 20262025	We will updateissue ASFapprenticeship carry-in allocations foron continuingmanage learnersyour inskills newlyand devolvededucation areasfunding.	Allocations followingissued R14on data2 return.July 2025.

Business cases for significant data errors 

When to submit a business case 

You should only submit a business case if you: 

• have made significant data errors that have affected your funding allocation 

• had a contract value for fundingthe year2024 to 2025 tofunding 2026year but did not use it and therefore you have not received a 20262025 to 20272026 allocation 

• want to request a reduced allocation amount or remove allocation

When not to submit a case 

We do not accept requests for growth or cases that are not related to data errors. 

How to submit a case 

Submit your business case using our digital form after reading our form guidance.

Thresholds for business cases 

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

For cases where you had contract value for fundingthe year2024 to 2025 tofunding 2026year but did not receive a 20262025 to 20272026 allocation, allocation: 

• we will email you to confirm the maximum you can request is £25,000 or your current contract value, whichever is lower. 
  lower 

For cases where you have made significant data errors that have affected your funding allocation,allocation:  

• the minimum overall impact must be more than 5% of allocation. 
  allocation 

Response timelines 

We aim to communicate the outcomes byin the end of June 20262025 through Document exchange. 

Contact us 

If you have questions after reading our guidance, or if there’s anything else you need help with, you can find more support in our customer help centre. 

Published allocations 

You can view institutional level funding allocation data for the last 7 years. You can view older, archived funding allocations on the National Archives website.

2025 to 2026 funding allocations to training providers

2024 to 2025 funding allocations to training providers 

2023 to 2024 funding allocations to training providers 

2022 to 2023 funding allocations to training providers 

2021 to 2022 funding allocations to training providers 

2020 to 2021 funding allocations to training providers 

2019 to 2020 funding allocations to training providers 

2018 to 2019 funding allocations to training providers