PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Vocational Education: Finance (21 April 2021)

At Spending Review 2020, the government announced £291 million of investment in Further Education in 21-22, to ensure that core funding for 16-19 year-olds is maintained in real terms per learner, rising in line with demographic growth, as well as £180m of additional capital funding to build new FE college places, for the roll-out of T Levels, and for Institutes of Technology.

The Government is also maintaining its commitment to provide £1.5 billion of capital funding to bring the entire college estate up to a good condition by 2025, announced at Budget 2020, of which £200m was allocated in 20-21 for immediate remedial projects.

Spending Review 2020 also committed £375 million from the National Skills Fund for 21-22. This includes £138 million to deliver the PM’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee - of which £95 million will fund free in-demand technical courses for adults at Level 3 (equivalent to A Level) and £43 million to expand employer-led skills bootcamps across England - and £110 million, including £50m of capital investment, to drive up higher technical provision in support of the future roll out of a flexible Lifelong Loan Entitlement, and to test and develop innovative models for local collaboration between skills providers and employers.

Funding beyond 21-22 will be considered as part of the next Spending Review.