An extra £20 million in post-16 capacity funding to help Leeds and Greater Manchester cope with “rising numbers” of 16- to- 19-year-olds in education has been announced today, as the government confirms how it is handing out £302 million to improve college buildings.
The Department for Education (DfE) said the funding will help repair colleges’ “leaky roofs, broken windows and dilapidated buildings” to ensure they can “continue to break down barriers to opportunity”.
It is six months since the funding was first announced at last October’s budget and the first condition allocation in two years, according to the government.
In a statement to Parliament, skills minister Jacqui Smith also announced an extra £10 million each for Leeds City Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority “to support capacity for rising numbers of 16- to 19-year-olds expected in 2025-26”.
She said: “This additional capacity will ensure young people continue in their education and training spreading opportunities across the country.”
The funding
The £301,999,999.98 in further education college condition allocations (FECCA) will be shared out between England’s 179 college groups based on a methodology that takes into account learning hours last academic year, space requirements for each subject, modelled non-teaching space, residential space, local construction costs and total expected space.
While the methodology does include apprenticeship delivery, it excludes learning aims such as distance learning, higher education, T Level occupational specialisms or end-point assessments.
Large college groups such as NCG and Capital City College will receive more than £7 million each, while 48 smaller institutions such as Calderdale College and Capel Manor College will receive less than £1 million each (see full list of allocations below).
According to Smith, the £322 million package confirmed today is part of the DfE’s £6.7 billion capital allocation, confirmed in the autumn budget.
She added: “This is a 19 per cent real-terms increase from 2024 to 25 demonstrating the government’s commitment to protecting education priorities against a tough fiscal context.”
Eligible and ineligible costs
Spend guidance published alongside the FECCA allocations says colleges have the “discretion” to decide how funding should be spent towards “improving the condition and preventing deterioration” of buildings and grounds.
A spending deadline of March 31, 2028, has also been attached to the grant, with colleges encouraged to plan and deliver “as soon as possible”.
However, the grants cannot be used to fund expansion of premises or to purchase land, and should not be spent on assessing potential future projects if this would lead to a “backlog of condition improvement problems”.
While the money can be used for IT infrastructure that is in “poor condition”, including stripping out and replacing cables, it cannot be used for new equipment or software.
Colleges have also been told to prioritise meeting net zero targets, sustainability and energy efficiency.
Smith said: “Further education colleges are at the heart of our mission to grow the economy and train the next generation of skilled workers under our Plan for Change.
“But the college estate we inherited is simply not fit for purpose.
“Today’s funding addresses these issues, allowing colleges to focus on what they do best: breaking down barriers to opportunity and inspiring the workforce of the future.”
Association of colleges deputy chief executive Julian Gravatt said: “This £302 million investment is significant and a crucial step towards ensuring that our colleges can maintain and improve their estates, providing a safe and conducive learning environment for students and staff.
“We are particularly pleased to see the government’s commitment to addressing the deterioration of college buildings and grounds.”
Gravatt also welcomed the DfE’s use of a formula to allocate the funding “for the first time in 20 years”.
Mayor boost for some cities
Leeds City Council welcomed the funding as a “major boost” in its efforts to provide enough learning space for students amid what Luminate college group’s principal calls a “capacity crisis” due to a population bulge, a shortage of spaces on courses, and a lack of strategic planning.
The city expects its 16- to- 19-year-old population to continue rising until 2030, to just under 30,000 people.
Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for children and families, said: “The pressures we face are not unique to Leeds, with all core cities nationally grappling with similar challenges, but we remain committed to finding a solution.
“To that end, we have made great strides so far to address the pressing need for further places, working closely with FE providers, community stakeholders and the Department for Education.
“This £10 million additional funding is a major boost in helping us to provide the physical spaces and learning environments needed to enable more students to continue their education and enjoy the best possible opportunities here in Leeds.”
Colin Booth, chief executive of Luminate Education Group, called the £10 million in funding for Leeds a “positive development” that could go “some way” in tackling rising numbers of young people not in education, employment or training.
He added: “Over recent years, post-16 capacity constraints in Leeds have resulted in growing numbers of young people being unable to access suitable forms of post-16 education.
“Today’s announcement represents forward-thinking investment that could benefit both the local economy and young people right across the city.”
However, he warned that funding should be “targeted” at growing capacity for high demand courses such as level 1 and 2, and some technical courses such as health and care, rather than local sixth forms and A-levels.
He said: “In Leeds, there is an oversupply and competition between, sixth forms for A-level students.
“But in the most disadvantaged postcodes of Leeds, fewer than half of 16-year-olds are able or want to study A-levels.”
Gravatt added: “With 16 to 18 student numbers having risen by 7 per cent this year and forecast to rise by 5 per cent nationally, the government needs a plan for technical education growth.
“The funds for Leeds and Manchester will help but there are pressures in other cities and towns across the country.”
Further Education College Condition Allocations announced today
| Provider name | Allocation |
| NCG | £7,555,502.94 |
| Capital City College | £7,391,320.54 |
| New City College | £5,861,633.26 |
| Chichester College Group | £5,216,864.85 |
| HRUC (Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge Colleges) | £4,571,725.41 |
| Luminate Education Group | £4,277,801.33 |
| Activate Learning | £4,188,176.34 |
| South Thames Colleges Group | £3,979,320.51 |
| Bedford College | £3,961,219.53 |
| Nottingham College | £3,813,156.90 |
| Exeter College | £3,605,425.46 |
| Newham College of Further Education | £3,378,156.47 |
| LTE Group | £3,159,807.60 |
| EKC Group | £3,119,951.90 |
| Sandwell College | £3,046,994.97 |
| City of Sunderland College | £3,036,150.45 |
| United Colleges Group | £2,989,412.78 |
| TEC Partnership | £2,892,520.30 |
| The Sheffield College | £2,880,549.97 |
| West Nottinghamshire College | £2,863,288.30 |
| West Herts College | £2,851,718.78 |
| Barnet and Southgate College | £2,735,182.61 |
| Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group | £2,619,198.86 |
| East Sussex College Group | £2,559,455.81 |
| South and City College Birmingham | £2,430,673.58 |
| South Essex College of Further and Higher Education | £2,426,969.56 |
| Salford City College | £2,413,150.88 |
| Inspire Education Group | £2,398,063.10 |
| Derby College | £2,374,476.76 |
| Norwich City College of Further and Higher Education | £2,356,653.99 |
| The Trafford and Stockport College Group | £2,354,139.57 |
| DN Colleges Group | £2,352,725.27 |
| City of Portsmouth College | £2,337,544.29 |
| Loughborough College | £2,312,121.34 |
| Middlesbrough College | £2,309,076.55 |
| The City of Liverpool College | £2,305,918.63 |
| Birmingham Metropolitan College | £2,279,243.53 |
| Barnsley College | £2,228,601.42 |
| South Hampshire College Group | £2,207,150.54 |
| Leicester College | £2,205,344.80 |
| Solihull College & University Centre | £2,196,589.99 |
| Cheshire College – South & West | £2,182,061.44 |
| London South East Colleges | £2,171,653.60 |
| Bridgwater and Taunton College | £2,167,449.46 |
| Dudley College of Technology | £2,162,122.72 |
| Blackpool and the Fylde College | £2,143,871.64 |
| Truro and Penwith College | £2,102,964.77 |
| Walsall College | £2,094,754.65 |
| Hartpury College | £2,082,090.16 |
| North Kent College | £2,080,003.50 |
| Windsor Forest Colleges Group | £2,075,288.50 |
| Heart of Yorkshire Education Group | £2,040,194.71 |
| Wigan and Leigh College | £1,992,454.52 |
| South Gloucestershire and Stroud College | £1,991,638.07 |
| Colchester Institute | £1,960,835.08 |
| Bradford College | £1,952,883.40 |
| Northampton College | £1,925,661.59 |
| Havant and South Downs College | £1,896,594.20 |
| Oaklands College | £1,895,551.75 |
| Cornwall College | £1,886,773.70 |
| City of Wolverhampton College | £1,878,646.14 |
| New College Swindon | £1,837,955.81 |
| Halesowen College | £1,823,014.19 |
| West Suffolk College | £1,819,223.23 |
| Warwickshire College Group | £1,815,020.90 |
| Waltham Forest College | £1,802,163.27 |
| Sparsholt College Hampshire | £1,787,223.98 |
| City of Bristol College | £1,774,733.55 |
| Kirklees College | £1,769,919.73 |
| Cambridge Regional College | £1,766,758.13 |
| York College | £1,757,466.76 |
| New College Durham | £1,756,550.45 |
| Lincoln College | £1,749,430.71 |
| MidKent College | £1,738,647.27 |
| Wiltshire College and University Centre | £1,734,133.69 |
| Runshaw College | £1,733,469.00 |
| Gateshead College | £1,716,380.53 |
| Burnley College | £1,690,301.41 |
| Croydon College | £1,665,082.55 |
| RNN Group | £1,659,896.39 |
| City College Plymouth | £1,648,690.96 |
| Weston College | £1,643,226.85 |
| Bolton College | £1,614,858.18 |
| Gloucestershire College | £1,607,086.48 |
| Bury College | £1,606,683.93 |
| Preston College | £1,597,841.04 |
| The Bournemouth and Poole College | £1,592,337.52 |
| South Bank Colleges | £1,562,931.59 |
| Tameside College | £1,527,057.02 |
| Myerscough College | £1,523,694.00 |
| Hopwood Hall College | £1,521,206.50 |
| Nelson and Colne College | £1,511,500.77 |
| Blackburn College | £1,503,291.07 |
| Barking and Dagenham College | £1,498,564.67 |
| Milton Keynes College | £1,470,772.37 |
| East Surrey College | £1,418,411.08 |
| Riverside College Halton | £1,408,301.21 |
| South Devon College | £1,392,127.61 |
| Hull College | £1,390,938.74 |
| Reaseheath College | £1,385,478.00 |
| USP College | £1,369,323.31 |
| Brockenhurst College | £1,362,524.38 |
| Harlow College | £1,355,731.15 |
| Coventry College | £1,352,714.97 |
| Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College | £1,348,071.40 |
| Chesterfield College | £1,342,129.75 |
| The Oldham College | £1,314,421.37 |
| The Education Training Collective | £1,308,869.13 |
| Buckinghamshire College Group | £1,291,856.33 |
| St Helens College | £1,270,594.08 |
| South Staffordshire College | £1,248,099.40 |
| North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College | £1,239,660.71 |
| Bishop Burton College | £1,222,305.19 |
| East Coast College | £1,218,589.15 |
| Suffolk New College | £1,202,352.94 |
| The College of West Anglia | £1,177,945.52 |
| Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College | £1,162,670.12 |
| Heart of Worcestershire College | £1,157,331.97 |
| Moulton College | £1,152,975.15 |
| Wirral Metropolitan College | £1,152,649.57 |
| Tyne Coast College | £1,121,357.57 |
| Warrington and Vale Royal College | £1,111,718.07 |
| West Thames College | £1,087,296.88 |
| Abingdon and Witney College | £1,085,927.92 |
| Hertford Regional College | £1,068,211.18 |
| Farnborough College of Technology | £1,062,333.94 |
| Chelmsford College | £1,052,519.18 |
| Hugh Baird College | £1,049,272.36 |
| North East Surrey College of Technology | £1,030,014.85 |
| Bath College | £1,012,757.75 |
| Telford College | £1,004,813.49 |
| Calderdale College | £999,585.98 |
| Stoke-on-Trent College | £990,329.88 |
| The SMB Group | £961,438.13 |
| North Hertfordshire College | £944,745.50 |
| Morley College London | £924,595.30 |
| Boston College | £903,236.01 |
| Askham Bryan College | £891,724.23 |
| Petroc | £867,455.28 |
| Southport Education Group | £858,839.95 |
| Yeovil College | £851,694.19 |
| Plumpton College | £844,731.42 |
| Weymouth and Kingston Maurward College | £842,771.90 |
| Burton and South Derbyshire College | £842,471.05 |
| Darlington College | £834,170.76 |
| City Lit | £820,089.09 |
| Kendal College | £816,829.60 |
| Stanmore College | £810,891.36 |
| Hartlepool College of Further Education | £790,990.87 |
| Leeds College of Building | £786,854.45 |
| East Durham College | £751,754.62 |
| The Isle of Wight College | £745,492.80 |
| Workers’ Educational Association | £715,420.88 |
| Brooklands College | £668,750.79 |
| Basingstoke College of Technology | £663,449.25 |
| Lakes College – West Cumbria | £610,361.86 |
| Macclesfield College | £591,966.58 |
| Craven College | £544,605.58 |
| Derwentside College | £538,377.41 |
| Lancaster and Morecambe College | £529,144.06 |
| Newbury College | £506,958.36 |
| Capel Manor College | £495,734.23 |
| WM College | £493,066.54 |
| Strode College | £478,869.08 |
| Richmond and Hillcroft Adult and Community College (Rhacc) | £471,309.91 |
| Furness College | £470,320.73 |
| Shipley College | £437,287.96 |
| Bishop Auckland College | £361,003.98 |
| Grantham College | £340,183.88 |
| The Northern School of Art | £276,896.22 |
| Writtle College Limited | £273,481.84 |
| Northern College for Residential Adult Education Limited | £253,462.99 |
| Hereford College of Arts | £244,485.84 |
| The Mary Ward Centre (AE Centre) | £180,121.47 |
| Ada National College for Digital Skills | £108,256.08 |
| Hereward College of Further Education | £102,955.98 |
| Fircroft College of Adult Education | £41,959.99 |
| Ruskin College | £31,025.31 |
| The Marine Society College of the Sea | £3,967.62 |
Source: DfE
Interesting that once again the ITP’s who are delivering significant support in tackling neets with higher volumes of study programme learners than most colleges listed are once again ignored!!