Sources of funding for skills

There is no single source of funding for skills. The responsibility for the public funding of skills development is shared across a number of organisations, but currently the three main organisations are:

• The Skills Funding Agency - funds learning for people over the age of 19
• The Young Peoples Learning Agency - funds learning for people aged 16-19
• The National Apprenticeship Service - funds for people aged from 16-25

Skills Funding Agency

The role of the Skills Funding Agency is to regulate and fund Further Education colleges and other skills providers to deliver learning both in the workplace and in the classroom for adults. Funds go directly to approved providers (listed on the Skills Funding Agency website) not learners directly.

Providers can decide which courses to offer (so you may need to try more than one) and these should reflect local needs.

Not all qualifications are funded and for those that are the level of funding is determined by the learners personal circumstances. The Next Step website is a useful source of information that aims to help adults (19+) make decisions about skills, careers, work and life choices.

Next Step advisors can provide:
a) careers advice
b) skills advice
c) funding advice (what the learner may be eligible for)
d) information on courses
e) information on providers
f) assistance to register and access an Lifelong Learning Account,

The Lifelong Learning Account is a useful resource that can help learners to find out what Government funding they may be eligible for.

Young People Learning Agency

The Young People Learning Agency exists to support the delivery of training and education for all 16-19 provision in England. For more information visit www.ypla.gov.uk.

National Apprenticeship Service

Skills for Care, in partnership with the Department of Health, actively promotes social care Apprenticeship programmes.

An Apprenticeship is a combination of on and off the job training and learning. Apprenticeships are not just for young people but for all ages.

As employees, apprentices work alongside experienced staff to gain job-specific skills, getting paid whilst working towards a number of qualifications and gaining experience.

Skills for Care designs the framework for those working in social care and the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) has the responsibility for Apprenticeships in England.

Apprenticeships enable employers in the social care sector to develop individuals with the skills that they need. The Apprenticeship framework is a combination of knowledge and work-based learning. The National Apprenticeship Service has the overall responsibility for apprenticeships and this includes the co-ordination of funding from the Skills Funding Agency. For 16-18 year olds undertaking apprenticeships (on an approved framework) full funding is usually given. For those learners aged 19 and over a contribution is usually required by the employer.

From April 2012 National Apprenticeship Service will be offering small employers an incentive to take on an apprentice aged 16-24. In conjunction with this there will also be an employer subsidy payable to small employers who take on a jobless young person aged 18-24 for 6 months. Please see http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Employers/Steps-to-make-it-happen/Incentive.aspx for further information or contact 08000 150 600.

Other sources of funding are also available. Please click on the link for more information.