Are you a UK resident over 19 looking for ways to kick-start your career? If yes, the Adult Education Budget may just be the right move for you.
The Adult Education Budget is a government-funded programme that enables adults over the age of 19 to get a wide range of qualifications. Employers can also take advantage of this funding to up-skill and support the career progression of their staff.
However, few people are aware of this programme, leading to insufficient available funds.
This continuous underspending shows that funding is available, but fewer people opt for this programme.
So, if you want to know more about whether or not you are eligible for AEB funding, keep reading.
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This article will discuss everything related to the Adult Education Budget, from history to how it works, approved qualifications, eligibility, and others.
So, let’s get right to it, shall we?
The Adult Education Budget (AEB) is a government-funded programme developed to address the skills shortages in young adults in the UK. It also helps individuals and employers improve career opportunities or fund career changes.
This way, young adults will be equipped with the needed skills for the workforce and further learning.
The AEB ensures more tailored and adaptable learning programmers are available to help eligible adults enhance their skill set, build confidence, and improve employability.
The courses funded by the AEB are delivered by different providers, including universities, further education colleges, adult learning institutes, independent training providers, sixth-form colleges, employers, and local authorities.
The AEB used to be nationally managed by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (EFSA). Still, since the start of the 2019/2020 academic year, the government has transferred the responsibility for the Adult Education Budget to the Mayor of London.
This means that the Mayor of London is now responsible for the yearly funding management and allocation. Additionally, the main priority of the Adult Education Budget funding is to ensure that adults have unrestricted access to the skills training that they need.
The Adults Education Budget is shared across different regions in the country, and more than half of the budget is managed by combined regional authorities. Only local training providers, like universities, mayoral authorities, and employers, can access these funds. Outlined below are the different ways the AEB funding is used.
Learners can only be fully funded for one qualification from the list highlighted below.
As mentioned earlier, the Adult Education Budget can be used to fund English and mathematics qualifications for adults over 19 fully. English and mathematics are critical skills needed in almost every path, whether further education or an apprenticeship.
With a recognized level 2 qualification — GCSE or grade 4, it can be easier for individuals to further their careers. This is why the AEB is funding this qualification to bridge the skills gap and help individuals kick-start their careers.
Employers can also use the Adult Education Budget to help employees improve their basics, enabling them to further their careers.
The eligibility for the Adult Education Budget funding is based on the individual’s age, circumstances, and past attainment. However, the basic eligibility requirement is that you must:
Now that we know the basic requirements for AEB funding let’s look at some examples of individuals that meet the residency requirements and are eligible for this funding.
We have highlighted different examples of individuals that do not meet the eligibility criteria. So, if you fall into any of these criteria, you are not eligible for funding.
As an employer, you can access the Adult Education Budget funds to up-skill and re-skill your employees, aid their career progression, and solve skill shortages.
Before accessing the funding, employers need to ensure that the learners are eligible, and they can do that on the government website.
Then, they can create an account with The Hub to access the funds directly.
The Adult Education Budget can also offer support funding to adults with learning difficulties or disabilities, enabling them to achieve their learning goals. The Learning Support Funding commonly referred to as LSF1, is directly available through the ESFA for adult education.
For institutions to claim this funding, they need to offer evidence at the start of a learner’s programme alongside continuous monthly supporting evidence.
Additionally, this funding is available to ensure adult learners with learning disabilities get the same high level of support as their counterparts.
A targeted level 3 adult funding offer was introduced on 2 April 2022 for adults who are unemployed or low-wage. This will include funding for level 3 qualifications that support new skill development for an adult to improve their prospects in the labour market.
This funding is majorly for adults above 24 years to access fully funded level 3 qualifications.
The Adult Education Budget is one of the many ways the government is looking to bridge the skills gap in the country. As long as you are 19+ and meet all the criteria discussed in the article, you can look for eligible local providers in your region and apply for funding – it’s that easy.
Also, if you have a learning disability, don’t worry, as there is special funding available to help you get the same learning opportunities as others.