Millions lost in fraud from Covid apprentice payments Independent covid counter-fraud report finds only £1 million recouped in apprentice incentive scheme
Acland-Hood: I was wrong about our FE probe policy The DfE still hasn’t released the findings of hundreds of investigations into FE providers
Liverpool college repays DfE after investigators find ‘inaccurate’ funding claims The college said the issues stem from the ‘complex’ apprenticeship system and remote working during the pandemic
Reports into nearly 200 college and ITP financial probes remain hidden Yet most financial investigations are into FE providers
Weston College governance failure allowed ‘concealment’ of £2.5m payments to former principal Paul Phillips was paid £1.8m in 2023, including a ‘significant’ six-figure retention payment which his COO son ‘resisted’ paying
DfE announce 6% cut to national adult skills budgets Funding will prioritise ‘essential sectors’ when allocations are released next month
Former apprenticeship boss avoids director ban ‘Errors’ in funding claims did not make the director unfit to run a company, a judge ruled
Only 1% of fraud or financial irregularity probes are published Details of several high profile cases remain secret
Administrators called in after DfE and MCAs end provider’s contracts The company earned millions providing publicly funded courses for adults seeking work before being judged ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted