Skills Funding Agency
Last week colleges and training organisations received their funding statements, setting out their funding allocation for the 2015 to 2016 funding year. We have now included the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE) facility for those colleges and training providers who receive this facility.
The Agency has published a document which includes more information about the funding facility.
The Skills Funding letter published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on the 26 February sets out the governments priorities. The letter is addressed to the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) but is a key document for the sector.
In line with the priorities in the letter, in calculating allocations we have:
- prioritised apprenticeship provision
- maintained the current level of investment in traineeships
- maintained the current level of investment in English and maths
Whilst finalising funding allocations for the 2015 to 2016 funding year, we published revised allocations methodology. A letter from Keith Smith, Director Funding Programmes, sent out to colleges and training providers with their funding statements, is included below.
In February, our Chief Executive, Peter Lauener wrote to colleges and training organisations about the funding for 2015 to 2016. He acknowledged this will be challenging year and that individual colleges and training providers may wish to talk to us about their individual circumstances.
We continue our dialogue with the colleges and training organisations to ensure they are clear of what their allocations mean for them and we are in the process of contacting those most affected by reductions in the other adult skills budget to discuss the implications for their organisation. Colleges and training providers wishing to discuss their funding statements should contact their CDS Adviser in the first instance.
In the meantime we continue to make good progress in streamlining the funding system (i.e. by removing the monthly learner funding cap). We know there is more to do and we will continue to work with the sector on all areas of simplification.
A full list of allocations will be published on our website in July 2015, once contracts have been issued. Activity for the funding year 2015 to 2016 begins on 1 August 2015.