PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Adult Education: Finance (7 June 2022)

In the 2019/20 and 2020/21 academic years the department lowered the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) grant funded Adult Education Budget (AEB) reconciliation threshold from 97% to 68% and 90% respectively. We also introduced an associated business case process to support ESFA grant funded providers whose curriculum plans were affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Where approved, these business cases thereby enabled ESFA grant funded providers to cover their essential costs of delivery, where factors outside their control disrupted their recruitment plans.

The department recognises the challenges providers have faced because of the pandemic. But we also know that many providers have been able to continue to deliver successfully and have adapted the way that they teach. For the current academic year (2021/22) we plan to maintain the ESFA AEB reconciliation threshold at 97%.

Separate arrangements apply for devolved AEB which are the responsibility of the relevant Mayoral Combined Authority or Greater London Authority. This includes Stockport which is in a devolved area (Greater Manchester Combined Authority).