Funding documents
24+ Advanced Learning Loans Budget Management
The 24+ Advanced Learning Loans Budget Management briefing note is relevant to colleges and private training organisations and describes the budget management process for 24+ Advanced Learning Loans.
The document describes how colleges and private training organisations can obtain an increase to their Loans Facility and provides further information about the Loans Bursary.
The briefing also contains Annex A – Loans Facility Adjustment Request Form.
Adult Skills Budget Funding Claims and Audit Returns 2012/13
The Adult Skills Budget (ASB) Funding Claims and Audit Returns 2012/13 provides guidance for colleges and training organisations paid on the basis of an annual profile for their ASB and explains how and when they should submit funding claims to the Skills Funding Agency for 2012/13.
Please read the ASB Funding Claims and Audit Returns 2012/13 guidance before completing this Annex A Funding Claim 2012/13 workbook.
Performance Management of the Sector for Quarter Two 2012/13
As we approach the review of performance for Quarter 2 in the 2012/13 contract year, this document sets out how we expect the sector to continue to align their provision to meet the needs of employers and the demands of their local communities.
Principles for increasing maximum contract values to support learners and employers
The Agency continues to operate a robust allocations and performance management approach to ensure funding supports the choices of learners and employers.
Principles for Awarding Growth 2012/13 describes the approach the Agency when increasing maximum contract values during 2012/13.
Updated Reconciliation Policy for the contract year ending 2011/12
This Updated Reconciliation Policy note will be of interest to all providers funded by the Agency in receipt of an Adult Skills Budget for the year ending 2011/12.
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It provides further details on how the Agency will manage the performance of the sector as part of the year end arrangements for 2011/12.
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It will be applied to the final claims and ILR returns submitted in November 2012.
The Agency is updating this policy to reflect the latest delivery position, which includes ensuring that we recognise the performance of colleges and providers that have done more to meet the needs of learners and employers.
We are revising the reconciliation policy for year ending 2011/12 previously published in Guidance Note 8.
These changes include increasing the 2012/13 allocations for those providers that have delivered to within 3% of their 2011/12 allocation. This will ensure they are not only rewarded for their current performance, but they can continue to meet the needs of local communities over the coming year.
2012/13 Provider Performance Management Guide
The Provider Performance Management guide describes the performance management arrangements the Skills Funding Agency will use to manage participation funding and support funds in the 2012/13 contract year. These arrangements will apply to all organisations that contract with the Agency to deliver education and training services.
Update of Provider Agreements for the 2012/13 Contracting Year
Further to the briefing in Update Issue 110 where we alerted providers to the publication of the 2012/13 agreements, please note there have been a couple of additions to these documents.
These changes are in respect of subcontracting where the following two clauses are now included:
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where the Contractor/Body/College has not previously subcontracted the delivery of education and training it must seek the consent of the Chief Executive in writing to enter into any subcontract to deliver education and training funded by the Chief Executive under this Contract. Any request for consent must be accompanied by a report prepared by the Contractor’s/Body’s/College’s external auditors giving assurance that the Contractor/Body/College has in place the necessary processes and controls to carry out the effective management of any subcontractors.
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where the Contractor/Body/College subcontracts the delivery of education and training funded under this Contract it must provide a report from its external auditors at the end of the Contract year which provides assurance that the funding which it has retained is no more than is required to cover the actual costs directly incurred in managing its subcontractors.
In addition to the above additional clauses the Agency has also agreed to work with representatives from the Sector on a number of other areas which will ultimately form part of the contractual terms and conditions. These include:
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how we will better use existing and possibly new-quality measures to inform any redistribution of monies during the 2012/13 contracting year to increase/decrease Maximum Contract Values (MCVs).
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for new providers to whom we award contracts, we will be requiring personal guarantees from Directors to repay funding in cases of fraud or negligent mismanagement. We will work with the sector in what circumstances we might require this for existing providers. The purpose of this is not to discourage new entrants, but simply as a reasonable means of recourse in cases of misuse of public funds.
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and that as part of the Agency’s Assurance Audits the Provider insurances and subcontract documentation will be reviewed.
If you have any queries relating to this note then please contact your relationship team in the first instance.
Funding Agreements 2011/14 – Updated
Below are Revised 11/14 Funding Agreements and tables of changes.
Each Table of Changes is a quick guide identifying the changes made from the 11/12 documents to the 12/13.
Skills Funding Agency Final 2012/13 Allocations Methodology briefing note
Following the publication of New Challenges, New Chances and the Skills Investment Statement 2011-2014, by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), this briefing note describes the methodology used to calculate the final funding statements for all Agency-funded providers for the 2012/13 contracting year, for each of the following Agency budget lines:
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Adult Skills Budget (including Adult Apprenticeships)
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Apprenticeships for 16-18-year-olds
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Community Learning (formally known as the Adult Safeguarded Learning, or ASL)
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Additional Learning Support (ALS)
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Discretionary Learner Support (DLS).
The note also confirms:
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the continuing freedoms and flexibilities for colleges, training organisations and employers
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the integration of Formal First Step into the Adult Skills Budget (ASB)
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the updated position on job outcome payments for 2012/13
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how we will treat funding for Sixth Form Colleges and Specialist Designated Institutions, including protection for Professional and Community Development Learning (PCDL) provision within Community Learning allocations
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the next steps for issuing contractual agreements for the 2012/13 contracting year.
2011/12 Shadow Funding Calculation User Guide
This document provides information on how to use and interpret the 2011/12 shadow funding calculation included in the release of the Learner Information Suite (LIS) V19.03. This analysis will give an early insight into how the funding for 2013/14 will work.
A new streamlined funding system for adult skills
This document sets out the features and arrangements for testing a new, simplified funding system to be implemented in 2013/14. It has been produced following consultation with the Association of Colleges and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers.
Second Allocations Methodology for Initial Funding Statements
The Second Agency Methodology for Initial Funding Statements has now been published. The guidance should be read in conjunction with the updated initial funding statement for 2012/13.
Amendments to the Funding Requirements 2011/12 for Apprenticeships and the Adult Skills Budget and the Learner Eligibility and Contribution Rules
The Skills Funding Agency will be significantly streamlining and improving the clarity of its funding documentation for 2012/13. As part of that process the Agency is publishing the above-mentioned document in response to changes in legislation and providers’ feedback requesting clarification of our current funding requirements.
If you want to clarify any of the information contained in the document, please contact your Agency Relationship Manager.
Amendments to the Funding Requirements 2011/12 for Apprenticeships and the Adult Skills Budget and the Learner Eligibility and Contribution Rules
A new streamlined funding system for adult skills
After working closely with the further education sector, we are now in a position to set out our plans for the simplification of the adult skills funding system. We will continue to work with the sector to realise the benefits that simplification will bring.
A new streamlined funding system for adult skills - Published 10 October 2011
2011/12 Funding Requirements and Learner Eligibility
The 2011/12 Apprenticeship Funding Requirements and 2011/12 Adult Skills Budget Funding Requirements set out the way in which the Skills Funding Agency will fund learning. It builds on previous Funding Requirements from 2010/11.
2011/12 Learner Eligibility and Contribution Rules Version 2 is issued with additional clarification and minor corrections. It follows feedback from the sector where Version 1 was not clear in its intent or additional information was requested. The changes are itemised at the start of the document.
2011/12 Adult Skills Budget Funding Requirements Version 1.1 and 2011/12 Learner Eligibility and Contribution Rules Version 2.1 have been revised following the announcement from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on freedom to deliver skills for employment and growth. The amendments to the previous versions are listed at the front of the documents.
2010/11 Funding Requirement Documents
2010/11 Funding Requirements for Apprenticeships
2010/11 Funding Requirements for Train to Gain
2010/11 Funding Requirements for Adult Learner Responsive
Guidance note series
The Agency created the guidance note series to provide information for colleges and training organisations on the funding allocation processes and management for the 2010/11 academic year.
Guidance note 8 (published July 2011)
Guidance note 7 (published April 2011)
Guidance note 6 (published December 2010)
Guidance note 5 (published July 2010)
Guidance note 4 frequently asked questions (published June 2010)
Guidance note 4 (published June 2010)
Guidance note 3 (published April 2010)
Guidance note 2 (published February 2010)
Guidance note 1 (published December 2009)
Funding guidance for the year 2008/09 and earlier published by the Learning and Skills Council can be found in the LSC archive.
