24+ Advanced Learning Loans Learning Provider Seminars May Skills Funding Agency Update. Chris Bradley / Nina Ketcher.

Transcription

1 24+ Advanced Learning Loans Learning Provider Seminars May 2015 Skills Funding Agency Update Chris Bradley / Nina Ketcher Welcome

2 Purpose SFA overview Overview of SFA management of 24+ Advanced Learning Loans programme focusing on: national budget management operation of loan facilities and bursary allocations Question & answer session A chance to ask questions about managing loan facilities and the bursary fund

3 SFA roles 1. Managing the overall budget for loans 2. Approving qualifications for loans and setting maximum loan amounts 3. Approving providers and issuing Facility Conditions and bursary allocations 4. Managing loan facilities and bursary allocations, including approving increases and reductions 5. Issuing regular updates to Student Loans Company about changes/updates to qualifications and provider details

4 Budget Budget managed centrally by SFA: responsible for confirming if SLC can approve loans regular updates from the SLC on budget uptake Funding available for 2014 to 2015 funding year 450 million Funding available for 2015 to 2016 funding year 498 million

5 Budget 600,000 Funding year summary 000s 500, , , , , / /16 Approved budget Approved facilities Approved loans Figures as at 31 March 2015

6 Qualifications Approved qualifications published on the Learning Aim Reference Service (LARS) accessed through the Hub initial offer for 2015 to 2016 funding year published early 2016 regular updates as qualifications continue to be approved Qualification types covered A levels Access to HE diplomas level 3 and 4 certificates and diplomas Tech levels Early years educator courses

7 Qualifications Maximum loan amount linked to SFA funding rate Student Loans Company assesses application based on date learner is due to start a qualification

8 Approving providers Currently approved loans providers 776 in 2014 to 2015 funding year 764 (offered) for 2015 to 2016 funding year Figures as at 31 March 2015 Eligibility to deliver provider is on the Register of Training Organisations, and has Adult Skills Budget funding, or has been successful in Expression of Interest process SFA issues Facility Conditions each year sets out the terms with which providers must comply required to allow Student Loans Company to assess and approve loans

9 Approving providers Loans bursary offered to all providers with a loan facility available to support loans-funded learners provides learner and learning support and includes area costs provider manages allocation and publishes bursary policy process for earning funding differs based on provider type grant-funded providers can combine loans bursary with discretionary learner support (DLS) to use flexibly for both loans learners and other learners

10 Managing loans Managing loan facilities SFA issues and manages loan facility, including Facility Conditions learner applies for a loan directly to SLC payment made to provider by SLC loan facility subject to SFA performance management providers can request changes to loan facility by ing request to a central mailbox 24PlusALL-FacilityRequests@sfa.bis.gov.uk

11 Managing loans Managing loan facilities (continued) SFA delivers quick turnaround on requests for increases over 75 changes so far in 2014 to 2015 responses within five working days SFA assesses requests against standard criteria current ASB provider or current facility minimum standards OfSTED fraud or audit issues budget availability Variation issued centrally by

12 Managing loans Request form - Provider name - Funding year - Requested facility - Requested bursary - Reason for request - Applicant contact details

13 Managing loans

14 Managing loans Managing bursary allocations SFA issues and manages bursary allocation; included in main Terms and Conditions or loan Facility Conditions loan bursary subject to performance management requests for increases alongside loans requests grant-funded providers able to use combined DLS and bursary budget flexibly any variation issued through normal contracting route payment process for bursary is different dependent on provider type

15 Managing loans Payment process for bursary Grant-funded providers paid in three instalments (August, January and April) two funding claims (mid-year and final) based on ILR and Earning Adjustment Statement (EAS) data returns Private training providers paid monthly for eligible learners according to ILR and EAS

16 Information transfer SFA issues updates to SLC using secure data transfer Monthly to confirm approved providers details contact details for learning provider portal bank details for payments provider status for loan approval and payment Weekly for changes to qualifications learning aim reference, title, type and level maximum loan amount validity start and end dates Monthly SLC data to the Agency aligned to ILR data provides information about programme delivery and payments by the SLC

17 Questions?