Adult education budget (AEB) funding rules 2021 to 2022

New for December 2021 – HGV flexibilities

In response to the department’s recent announcement to introduce a flexibilities to their adult education budget (AEB) and associated funding rules, providers will be able to use their existing allocation for 2021 to 2022 to fund both medical and HGV licences for 5 goods vehicles driving qualifications.

The flexibilities apply for learners who started one of the 5 qualifications on or after 1 August 2020. The HGV rules can be accessed from the document below and will be included in version 3 of the ESFA’s AEB funding rules, due to be published in the new year.

Version 2: July 2021

The main changes are below:

National Skills Fund – level 3 adult offer addresses eligibility for short course qualifications
Digital skills entitlement – non-regulated provision must be aligned with national standards for essential digital skills
New section 4: Performance management.

Section 4 includes rules for all AEB allocation lines, including 19 to 24 traineeships and National Skills Fund. The format of this section has changed and is now split by the funding agreement you have with the ESFA and subheadings for payments, reconciliation, increases and reductions. Also included are the arrangements for accessing additional National Skills Fund during the year.

If you have a specific query about a section or paragraph in the funding rules document, please use our online enquiry form or speak to your territorial lead contact.

For a summary of changes to the AEB rules, please see page 102.