Change of https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-funding-regulations-for-post-16-provision

Change description : 2026-02-04 13:34:00: We have updated any references to Ofsted to reflect the new inspection framework. [Guidance and regulation]

Showing diff : 2025-04-30 11:43:39.546363414 +00:00..2026-02-04 13:34:29.470325041 +00:00

Guidance

Advice: funding rules for 16 to 19 provision

Guidance on 16 to 19 education and skills funding rules for the current and previous funding years.

Applies to England

Documents

Student eligibility and funding advice covering academic year 2024 to 2025

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Details

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) closed on 31 March 2025. All activity has moved to the Department for Education (DfE). You should continue to follow this guidance.

Advice: funding rules for 16 to 19 provision 2025 to 2026 

These rules and guidance cover the period 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026 for all types of institutions (except for academies whose funded year is 1 September 2025 to 31 August) and is our current advice for the funding year. 

We have made the following additions and updates to this guidance: 

  • the guidance title has changed from “funding regulations” to “funding rules” to clarify its purpose and align with other Department for Education (DfE) funding guidance and rules.rules.  Institutionsinstitutions should continue using this document as they always have- its purpose and application remain unchanged

  • paragraph 56 includes additional detail on enrolling Year 11 students on to a study programme who completed their studies in the summer

  • paragraph 99 advises institutions on actions to take if  planned activity for a student becomes unavailable

  • section 7 reflects the latest maths and English condition of funding guidance for academicthe year 2025 to 2026 academic year

Updates to this page

Published 10 March 2014
Last updated 430 FebruaryApril 20262025 + show all updates
  1. We have updated any references to Ofsted to reflect the new inspection framework.

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Update history

2026-02-04 13:34
We have updated any references to Ofsted to reflect the new inspection framework.

2025-04-30 12:43
We have added the funding rules for 16 to 19 provision 2025 to 2026 guidance.

2024-05-17 13:19
We have updated the funding regulations for 2024 to 2025 and added the changes to the what’s new section. Section 6: subcontracting now includes all our subcontracting advice for schools and academies. Our advice on terms that must be included in contracts for subcontracting is set out in paragraphs 203 to 205 for schools and academies.

2024-03-27 11:10
We have added the guidance document Advice: funding regulations for post-16 provision 2024 to 2025.

2023-03-29 11:16
We have added Advice: funding regulations for post-16 provision 2023 to 2024. We have made the following additions and updates to this guidance:Student eligibility• confirmation that those coming to UK as foreign tourists are ineligible for 16 to 19 fundingT Levels and Traineeships• see Section 7 for confirmation that the Condition of funding requirements now also apply to students undertaking T Levels• from 1 August 2023, we will no longer fund a standalone national traineeships programme. Traineeship provision will be integrated into 16 to 19 study programme and adult education provision from 1 August 2023. The last start date for traineeships under the current programme is 31 July 2023. Traineeships started on or before this date will continue to be funded as set out in this guidance.

2022-07-29 11:07
We have updated the Advice: funding regulations for post-16 provision 2022 to 2023 guidance document.

2022-06-23 07:23
We have published a powerpoint to support the ESFA funding guidance for young people 2021 to 2023.

2022-04-05 11:16
The Student eligibility and funding advice for 2021 to 2023 presentation is now live.

2022-03-30 12:03
Added funding regulations for post-16 provision 2022 to 2023, removed November 2020 advice that may apply to either funding year.