DfE concedes AEB and apprenticeship funded providers ‘may be eligible for support’ in new guidance

t level

Adult education and apprenticeship funded training providers “may be eligible for support” in line with the Cabinet Office’s supplier relief rules that allow payment in advance of delivery, the Department for Education said tonight.

In new guidance, the DfE wrote: “Where a provider receives adult education budget (AEB), or apprenticeship funding, as part of a direct contract for services with ESFA, and is at risk financially, they may be eligible for support (subject to meeting additional criteria) as part of DfE’s response to the Cabinet Office’s Procurement Policy Note 02/20.

“Support provided through that mechanism would count as public funding for the purposes of conditions covering the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.”

It comes after weeks of the DfE failing to explain why they would not comply with Cabinet Office rules that permits publicly funded bodies to pay their suppliers in advance of delivery until the end of June owing to the coronavirus lockdown.

Apprenticeships and skills Minster Gillian Keegan said tonight that she is “aware of the huge challenge faced by the FE sector in continuing to deliver training at this time” and she is “really pleased to confirm that we will provide additional targeted financial support for FE providers that meet the criteria”.

“This support will help make sure we can continue to deliver the best education and training possible and rebuild our economy after the COVID-19 outbreak,” she added.

“We will set out further detail next week about how our new ‘provider relief scheme’ will work.”

Association of Employment and Learning Providers chief executive Mark Dawe said: “On the face of it, this looks encouraging, but clarity is still required and hopefully we will get it early next week.”

The DfE’s guidance states that “further guidance on the operation of any supplier relief scheme for providers funded under a contract for services with ESFA will be published when available”.

Providers “should email ESFA.PPN220Queries@education.gov.uk to register their interest in the scheme”.

FE Week understands further guidance is due early next week.

Latest education roles from

English Tutor

English Tutor

Central YMCA

Maths Tutor

Maths Tutor

Central YMCA

Head of Department – Student Services

Head of Department – Student Services

Barnsley College

Nursery Practitioner

Nursery Practitioner

Capital City College Group

Nursery Practitioner

Nursery Practitioner

Capital City College Group

Director of Governance (Part-time)

Director of Governance (Part-time)

Halesowen College

Sponsored posts

Sponsored post

The college roadmap to AI maturity – and a reskilled workforce

AI is poised to drive economic growth, reshape jobs, and transform industries, demanding urgent upskilling. Education must swiftly adapt,...

Code Institute
Sponsored post

Assessing Skills for Job-Ready Learners 

Discover how hands-on practice and authentic assessments help educators build both technical expertise and essential soft skills in learners.

Advertorial
Sponsored post

Sandwell College and NHS Trust launch £18 million Learning Campus, creating hundreds of jobs and training opportunities in the West Midlands

Sandwell College and Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust recently announced a landmark agreement, which is set to secure...

Advertorial
Sponsored post

#GE2024: Listen now as Let’s Go Further outlines the FE and skills priorities facing our new government

The Skills and Education Group podcast, Let’s Go Further, aims to challenge the way we all think about skills...

Advertorial

More from this theme

AEB, Devolution

Adult training axed to avoid court fights, authority admits

Training contracts targeted at the unemployed and low skilled have been delayed until January

Josh Mellor
AEB, Devolution

Combined authority abandons botched AEB procurement

Providers left in the dark over West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s decision to ditch adult education tender

Anviksha Patel
AEB

‘Frustrating’: ESFA extends ASF contracts 6 weeks before delivery

Providers will receive a rollover of their 2023/24 adult education allocation

Billy Camden
AEB, Devolution

Combined authority ‘rewinds’ adult education budget tender after complaints

West Yorkshire Combined Authority said it had faced ‘substantial challenges’ to its contract awarding decisions

Josh Mellor

Your thoughts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *