NEW LEARNING PROVIDERS ADVANCED LEARNER LOANS SEMINAR

Welcome Today s Objectives Meet Funding Information Partner Account Managers and FE Account Mangers Be aware of SLC roles and responsibilities Understand the end to end administration processes Gain an understanding of our service standards and how to integrate them into your business processes Leave this session with the confidence to put the steps in place to be a competent Prime Provider delivering loan funded learning

Agenda Overview of Advanced Learner Loans and available Funding Information resources SLC Roles and Responsibilities Accessing the Portal Service Standards and Compliance Engagement, Support and Next Steps

Overview of Advanced Learner Loans and available Funding Information resources

Session Contents The Funding Information Partner Account Manager Team Advanced Learner Loan Policy Key Points Eligibility Criteria The Learners The Courses The Application Process Best Practice Repayment IAG Resources / Support

Funding Information Partner Account Manager Team

The IAG Team Funding Information Partner Account Manager We are tasked with... Establishing links with colleagues in recruitment, student services and careers departments to provide ongoing, timely Funding Information support and training Working collaboratively with learner facing colleagues to support the journey of learners from application to repayment Support the marketing and promotional work of your institution with increased understanding of Advanced Learner Loans Be a point of contact for any Funding Information Advanced Learner Loan queries www.practitioners.slc.co.uk

The IAG Team IAG Partner Account Managers We do this by... Delivering face to face Funding Information training to upskill, empower and increase confidence and awareness of Advanced Learner Loans with our learner facing practitioner partners and their colleagues Attend annual CPD events and offer regular keep in touch meetings to ensure staff are fully briefed about policy and procedural updates Being a point of contact for Funding Information queries and providing policy, procedure and resources updates through regular communications and termly emails Escalate cases requiring further investigation to our ALL Referral Team www.practitioners.slc.co.uk

SLC Support Network FI Partners Account Mangers Direct training and guidance for partners Focus on communicating policy, applications, repayment and resources key messages Regional point of contact for all funding issues HEP/FE Account Managers Provide on-going business to business support Expert advice and training on use SLC systems Guidance and support in associated functions including attendance submissions and CoCs Wider SLC Support Telephone based support from colleagues in Glasgow and Darlington based contact centre Practitioner support from the new Service Line

Policy Key Points

Advanced Learner Loan - Policy Key Points Advanced Learner Loans are... Available to eligible learners aged over 19 Available to learners studying approved learning aims at Levels 3,4,5 and 6 at an approved learning provider in England A loan paid to the course provider towards course costs only Available for a maximum of four learning aims Not limited by a learner s prior attainment or equivalent qualifications Repaid upon completion of the learning aim (based on learner income) ALL Learner Overview Factsheet

Eligibility Criteria

Advanced Learner Loan Learner Eligibility Learners do need to meet certain eligibility criteria... Be aged 19 or over on the first day of their learning aim UK Nationals UK resident for 3 years prior to the start of learning aim EU Nationals EEA resident for 3 years prior to the start of learning aim Applicants need to be resident in England on the first day of the learning aim Studying an approved learning aim with an approved provider in England Learners aged 19-23 who cannot get their first full Level 3 qualification funded through the Adult Skills Budget can access an Advanced Learner Loan Residency Fact Sheet

Advanced Learner Loan Eligibility Checker www.practitioners.slc.co.uk

Advanced Learner Loan Courses Eligible qualifications must be approved by the Skills Funding Agency and include A Levels, Access to HE Diplomas and Vocational Qualifications at level 3 to 6: The Skills Funding Agency will notify SLC of all approved courses and set the maximum fees SLC will access this database when assessing the applications to determine if learning aim has been approved for funding Loan amount available will be capped at the Skills Funding Agency s maximum funding rate or fee charged, whichever is lowest Minimum amount of loan available is 300 If providers charge more than the maximum funding rate then a learner will need to self fund the difference

Advanced Learner Loan Courses Learners can utilise their entitlement to Advanced Learner Loans in a variety of ways to achieve their learning aims: No more than four loans to undertake vocational qualifications including technical and professional qualifications at Levels 3, 4, 5 and 6 Up to eight loans to undertake up to a maximum of four full A-Levels; this will be treated as one single loan entitlement Learners can take out more than one loan at any one time and access more than one loan for the same level and type of course if required However, no more than one loan is available to complete an Access to HE Diploma Learners will need to apply for a loan for each learning aim

Advanced Learner Loan Courses Some specific policy rules apply to Advanced Learner Loans and Access to HE Diploma courses: If a learner is loan funded and completes an Access to HE Diploma course, they are not entitled to apply for a loan for a second Access to HE Diploma course If a learner self funded or was grant funded for a previous Access to HE Diploma course, they can apply for a loan for a second Access to HE Diploma course If a learner is loan funded and withdraws before the end of the course, they will no longer be able to access a loan to fund a second Access to HE Diploma course Upon completion of a subsequent HE course, the Access loan write off policy applies to the completed (and any uncompleted) Access loan balances Access to HE Diploma Fact Sheet

The Application Process

ALL Applications Best Practice Learners can access the application form via: www.gov.uk/advancedlearnerloan Learners should have details from their Learning and Funding Information Letter to hand in order to complete their application, including; Qualification codes Learning aim start and end dates UK Provider Reference Number Fee being charged Supply a valid passport number for overnight verification by HMPO Supply a valid NINO for verification with HMRC (Not required for EU learners) Learners should apply as soon as possible if in doubt apply and cancel Learners need to keep log in details safe and manage their account online

ALL Applications www.gov.uk www.gov.uk/advancedlearnerloan

ALL Applications Online Walkthrough The Application Walkthrough resource demonstrates how an application should be completed: www.lpservices.slc.co.uk

ALL Applications Quick Checklist LAFIL Ensure your learners have their LAFIL prior to applying. SLC require details from this (UKPRN, LARN), EU learners are exempt from providing a NINO ID Does the learner have a valid passport? If not, they can supply a birth/adoption certificate with accompanying Application Declaration of Identity Form (ADIF) Residency Learners from outside the EU may need to provide additional supporting evidence, including evidence of settled status or proof of immigration status (EU learners must demonstrate 3 years residency in EEA/Switzerland) Previous Study Encourage discussion around Previous Study? Should the learner be grant funded for their first Level 3? It is for the provider to ascertain if the learner should be in receipt of a grant if they are applying for the first Level 3 Signed Has the learner signed their declaration form? Have they made a note of their account log-in details? Learners can manage their account online and amend many aspects of their applications via the Change of Circumstances function

Repayments

ALL Repayments Overview Learners will repay their loans on the same income contingent basis as for HE students: Learners start to repay once earning over 21,000 a year ( 404 a week or 1,750 a month) Repayments will be automatically deducted from earnings through the HMRC tax system at 9% of earnings above threshold or via self assessment* If earnings drop below 21,000 repayments will stop Learners are due to start repaying their loan in the April after they finish or leave their course whichever comes first Any outstanding balance will be written off 30 years after entering repayment *Explained in a flowchart on the SLC Repayment Website

ALL Repayments The Figures Income each year before tax 9% will be deducted from Monthly Repayment (Approx) 21,000 0 0 30,000 9,000 67 40,000 19,000 142 50,000 29,000 217 60,000 39,000 292 Income 25,000 9% Deducted 4,000 from? Monthly Repayment? 30 www.studentloanrepayment.co.uk

ALL Repayments The Interest Interest levels will depend on a learner s income and circumstances: During study until entering repayment Income: Under 21,000 Interest Rate: Retail Price Index +3% Interest rate is: Set at RPI Only Interest Rate: RPI Only Income: 21,000 to 41,000 Interest Rate: RPI + up to 3% Income: Over 41,000 Interest Rate: RPI +3% www.studentloanrepayment.co.uk

ALL Repayments The Interest Income Contingent Student Loans for post 2012 students/learners: 2.5% 5.5% 0.9% 3.9% 1.6% 4.6% RPI Max Interest RPI Max Interest RPI Max Interest 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 www.studentloanrepayment.co.uk

Resources on ALL Repayments Funding Information Resources Learners need to fully understand their responsibilities relating to student loans and how the repayment system works: Some resources which can help communicate the facts include; Repayment Factsheet for ALL ALL Terms & Conditions Guide SLC Repayment Website Online Repayment Quick Start Guide ALL Repayment Guide

Advanced Learner Loans Funding Information Resources and Information

Dedicated Practitioners Website www.practitioners.slc.co.uk

Advanced Learner Loan Resources Resources for both learners and practitioners include; Guides and Factsheets Repayment and Application Quick Guides Learner Case Study Video Terms and Conditions Guide Funding Rules Information & Briefing Documents Media, website and promotional materials Loan Provider Toolkit

Learning Provider Services Website www.lpservices.slc.co.uk

Learning Provider Services Resources Provider specific resources, including; Quick Guides for key tasks on the Learning Provider Portal (Payments, Attendance, CoC s etc) Suite of Factsheets Learning Provider Portal FAQ s Service Definition and System Information Guides Information for New Providers User Guides and E-Learning Catalogue

Other Referral Sites and Resources

Referral Sites And Resources External sources of information on Advanced Learner Loans and money management include; National Careers Service The Money Advice Service Skills Funding Agency/Gov.uk

Advanced Learner Loans Roles and Responsibilities

Roles and Responsibilities Application, Assessment and Customer Contact Attendance and Payments Provider Relationship and Enquiry Management Service Management Framework Access to HE Diploma Write-off Repayments Support to Agency and Department for Education

Policy, Application and Assessment When can I see my learner s application form? Apply Submission Appear Paper Application Send form to SLC After SLC data entry Learning and Funding Information Letter Apply Submission Appear Online Application Click Submit Online After Submit is clicked

Application and Assessment Using UKPRN LAFIL SLC Receives Application Form Residency and Accompanying Evidence is Verified Check Provider Check Learning Aim Check Start and End Dates Review Fee and Loan Amounts Assess Application If Online Application a Declaration is Sent Out When Fully Approved NINO sent to DWP Payment Note CRN

Accessing the Portal

LP Portal and Supporting Information

Information Maintenance Maintain Groups Create groups of learners for members of staff to administer Users allocated to groups can only see group learners. Do not allocate yourself to a group if you want to remain as a superuser Administer User Create new users and edit existing users Including personal details and administration rights Learning Provider Details Check your details; If contact details incorrect, update with www.ukrlp.co.uk If bank details change, advise Skills Funding Agency ASAP Create and edit contacts

Roles User Roles 7 types of user roles (with optional read only or edit functions) Roles to cover each administration task SLC set up initial superusers (LP User Admin role) Contact Types 6 contact types Primary and Secondary contact receive all SLC correspondence You must be a Change of Circumstances (CoC) contact to submit a CoC A member of staff must be a named contact to talk to SLCs Operation Helpdesk To find out more information or to complete the e-learning on Users and Contacts follow this link to the Learning Provider Services website

Service Standards

Service Standards for Learning Provider Services Funding Rules state that You must provide the SLC with the information they need to administer loans in line with a formal service agreement being developed by the SLC Forums to determine our Service Standards Over 450 delegates attended Learning Provider Advisory Group & stakeholder group Launched at our annual seminar Best Practice

Service Standards for Learning Provider Services Activity Right First Time Elapsed Time Notes Ensuring the data is correct for approved applications before confirming attendance by submitting pre liability CoCs 100% accuracy for approved applications before attendance confirmation No timescale proposed It is a condition of attendance confirmation that details* are correct Details*are Learner Personal Data Learning Aim Reference Start Date End Date Fee and Loan Amounts ULN entry to Approved Application 99% accuracy 4 6 Weeks after the start date OR 2 weeks after the application received date if a retrospective application Attendance Confirmation (Initial) 99% accuracy 4 6 Weeks after the start date Although the measure is 4-6 week initial attendance can be confirmed from 2 weeks after the start date Attendance Confirmation (Subsequent) 99% accuracy Drawdown Date The measure will deem drawdown date as the Thursday evening in the week before the main monthly payment date Suspending Learners 99% accuracy 60% within 60 days remaining 40% within 90 days Must withdraw after 12 months Withdrawals 99% accuracy 60% within 60 days remaining 40% within 90 days

Service Standards - Administration Breakdown

Learner Information View Learner Info Export Learner Info Assign Groups LP Advisor LP Admin

Learner Information Learner/Learning Aim Information Search and View Check and track learner applications Export Learner Details view application info Export Learner Payment Schedules view multiple payment schedules Export Assessment Histories - view historical changes to application Bulk upload ULNs and other reference numbers

Learner Information

Detailed Learner Information

Detailed Learner Information Missing Evidence Pop Up UK National with outstanding Identity Evidence ROW National with outstanding; Evidence for Status Residency Evidence Identity Evidence Evidence of Date Status Granted

Detailed Learner Information Ineligible Pop Up Click the application state hyperlink and a box will appear One or more reasons will be shown in the correspondence box.

Detailed Learner Information

Change of Circumstances (CoC) Pre-liability No positive attendance confirmation received & no loan liability currently exists Post-liability Positive attendance confirmation received

Change of Circumstances (CoC) View Contacts View CoCs Create CoCs and export CoC info LP CoC Advisor LP CoC Administrator Changes can be applied to Approved applications Single learner - single & multiple types of change Multiple learners single & multiple types of change If no CoC contact details exist, the Create CoC functionality will be unavailable to prevent a user from creating a CoC

Change of Circumstances (CoC) The types of changes that can be made to a pre-liability application are; Change of fee charged Change of loan amount requested Change of learning aim details Change of learning provider Cancellation Re-instatement (this is only available if the application is cancelled) Applications will be auto-cancelled if learner has abandoned process or is at a pre-liability workstage Submission and CoC reports can be created from the portal

Change of Circumstances (CoC)

Service Standards for Learning Provider Services Activity Right First Time Elapsed Time Notes ULN entry to Approved Application 99% accuracy 4 6 Weeks after the start date OR 2 weeks after the application received date if a retrospective application ULN (mandatory before attendance can be confirmed) Can be entered for multiple learners via Learner Search Results or for individual learners via Detailed Learner screen Additional learner reference number (optional) Can be entered for multiple learners via Learner Search Results or for Individual learners via Detailed Learner screens Course Location and Course Trainer (optional) Can be entered for individual learners via Assessment screen

LUNCH

Service Standards for Learning Provider Services Activity Right First Time Elapsed Time Notes Attendance Confirmation (Initial) Attendance Confirmation (Subsequent) 99% accuracy 4 6 Weeks after the start date 99% accuracy Drawdown Date Although the measure is 4-6 week initial attendance can be confirmed from 2 weeks after the start date The measure will deem drawdown date as the Thursday evening in the week before the main monthly payment date Confirming attendance Payments

Confirming Attendance Manage Attendance Confirmations LP Attendance Admin

Confirming Attendance Attendance Confirmation: Initially two weeks after learner starts course Subsequently quarterly. Requested on the 1 st of the month for payment in that month and the remaining two months of the quarter are assumed Positive actual confirmation is assumed to apply to subsequent months in each quarter unless SLC receive notification to indicate otherwise In between quarters, attendance and therefore liability, is assumed on the first of every month in order to release payment later in the month If attendance is not confirmed 3 months after the start date, SLC will cancel the application

Confirming Attendance Support and Contact Information http://lpservices.slc.co.uk/support-materials-and-resources/factsheets.aspx

Confirming Attendance

Confirming Attendance Apply confirmations to all learners or individually Colour coded worklist to highlight where an attendance confirmation has been saved or if more than one is outstanding

Confirming Attendance

Confirming Attendance Attendance Confirmation Types Initial Liability Point In Attendance Application moves from Pre to Post Liability Payments Payments are scheduled to be paid Confirmation Type Not in Attendance Application will be cancelled Payments No payments will be made as learner not in attendance Change Start Date Application moves from attendance to CoC worklist Payments Payments are not released until a CoC has been submitted and the learner is then confirmed in attendance

Confirming Attendance Attendance Confirmation Types Subsequent Liability In Attendance NOTE Confirmation Type Confirmation Type Payments released for the quarter Not in Attendance NOTE Provider should inform SLC if the learner leaves within the quarter No payments released Application will move to CoC worklist for provider to inform SLC why and when the learner left study

Payments Payment Schedule Created upon approval of applications Payments await attendance confirmation from Provider Payments scheduled on a flat monthly profile based on initial liability point and learning aim end date Made in equal instalments where possible (last payment may be slightly different depending on loan amount) Paid on set date each month no interim / catch up payments

Attendance Confirmation and Payments Quarterly Attendance Dates (o=attendance, x=payment) Learner August September October November December January February March April May June July Learner (A) Learning Aim Start 1 Aug, End June Learner (B) Learning Aim Start 20 Aug, End June Learner (C) Learning Aim Start 1 Sep End June Learner (D) Learning Aim Start 30 Sep, End June Learner (E) Learning Aim Start 20 Oct, End June o xx x ox x x ox x x ox x x ox x ox x x ox x x ox x x o xx ox x x ox x x ox x x o oxx x x ox x x ox x x ox x x ox x x ox x x

Service Standards for Learning Provider Services Activity Right First Time Elapsed Time Notes Suspending Learners 99% accuracy 60% within 60 days remaining 40% within 90 days Must withdraw after 12 months Withdrawals 99% accuracy 60% within 60 days remaining 40% within 90 days Submit necessary post-liability Change of Circumstances (CoC)

Post Liability Change of Circumstances (CoCs) Post liability means SLC have received a positive attendance confirmation Post liability CoCs will have an effect on payments Post liability CoCs submitted in the same way as pre liability CoCs

Post Liability Change of Circumstances (CoCs) The types of changes that can be made to a post-liability application are; Change of fee charged Change of loan amount : Provider can reduce the loan amount Only the Learner can increase the loan amount Change of learning aim details Early Completion Withdrawal Suspension / break in learning Resumption

Post Liability Change of Circumstances (CoCs) Decrease Loan Amount Requested Reduce loan amount requested to less than the current amount Providers cannot increase a learners loan amount Decreasing Course Fee will automatically decrease loan amount Applied with other changes? Applied to multiple learners? What do SLC capture for the change? Pre-liability/post liability or both? Y N Learning Aim Fee Effective Date Both Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 0 40 40 40 40 40 CoC submitted in Nov to decrease loan from 500 to 400 ( 40) ( 40) ( 40) ( 40) ( 40) 40 40 40 40 40

Post Liability Change of Circumstances (CoCs) Increase Loan Amount Requested Learners must request this directly from SLC Example: Learner only opts for 500 but is entitled to 1000. After a few months, they decide to take the full loan. Catch up payments are made to the provider and the schedule is amended going forward CoC submitted in Oct to increase loan amount requested from 500 to 1000 Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 250 100 100 100 100 100 100

Post Liability Change of Circumstances (CoCs) Early Completion Learner completes their studies before scheduled learning aim end date Balance will be paid in next payment run Applied with other changes? Applied to multiple learners? What do SLC capture for the change? Pre-liability/ post liability or both? Y Y Effective Date Post-liability CoC submitted in late Jan to early completion of learning aim Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 200 0 0 0

Post Liability Change of Circumstances (CoCs) Withdrawal Learner withdraws from learning aim Provider has ability to reduce loan amount to less than total already paid if applying discretion as part of the change Any overpaid amount will be recovered during next payment run Applied with other changes? Applied to multiple learners? What do SLC capture for the change? Pre-liability/ post liability or both? Y N Effective Date Post-liability CoC submitted in Jan to withdraw from learning aim Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 0 0 0 0

Post Liability Change of Circumstances (CoCs) Suspension and Resumption Learner takes a break in learning due to personal circumstances, period of sickness, maternity etc Application will be auto-withdrawn if not resumed after 12 months Applied with other changes? Applied to multiple learners? What do SLC capture for the change? Pre-liability/ post liability or both? N N Effective Date Post-liability Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 N/A N/A N/A 50 50 50 50 50 50 0 0 0 50 50 50 50 CoC submitted in Jan to indicate a break in learning CoC submitted in Apr to record resumption of learning

Financial Reporting

Financial Reporting View and Export Financial Reports LP Financial Administrator

Loan Position Report

Remittance Report Statement shows each payment made view on screen or export Breakdown of each payment shown by learner and amounts paid Where applicable shows overpayment recoveries Status of the payment - Paid or Failed

Payment Schedule Export Report is available on Learner Information Search screens Current Payment Schedule and Attendance Report can be exported

Payments - Applications made after the start date Prompt applicant payment profile Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Late applicant payment profile Learner submits ALL application to SLC and attendance is confirmed in late November Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May 0 0 0 400 100 100 100 100 100 100

Compliance

Provider Compliance Activity Right First Time Elapsed Time Notes Ensuring the data is correct for approved applications before confirming attendance by submitting pre liability CoCs 100% accuracy for approved applications before attendance confirmation No timescale proposed It is a condition of attendance confirmation that details* are correct Details*are Learner Personal Data Learning Aim Reference Start Date End Date Fee and Loan Amounts ULN entry to Approved Application 99% accuracy 4 6 Weeks after the start date OR 2 weeks after the application received date if a retrospective application Attendance Confirmation (Initial) 99% accuracy 4 6 Weeks after the start date Although the measure is 4-6 week initial attendance can be confirmed from 2 weeks after the start date Attendance Confirmation (Subsequent) 99% accuracy Drawdown Date The measure will deem drawdown date as the Thursday evening in the week before the main monthly payment date Suspending Learners 99% accuracy 60% within 60 days remaining 40% within 90 days Must withdraw after 12 months Withdrawals 99% accuracy 60% within 60 days remaining 40% within 90 days

Provider Compliance Managing Learning Provider Portal Service Standards Financial Reconciliation Understanding Processes; NINO Access to HE Write Off Repayments Attending necessary events; Forums Seminars 1:1 Meetings

Engagement, Next Steps and Support

Next Steps... Share information with colleagues Create additional Users and Contacts Read User Guide or Quick Guides for more information Visit the Practitioners Website for IAG material Attend Provider Events Arrange 1:1 with your Account Manager to discuss business processes and further next steps

Role of your Account Manager Ensuring Learning Providers interests are represented throughout service design and their administrative requirements are met Overseeing Learning Provider Portal design, delivery, and testing Learning Provider Portal guidance to support users Learning Provider awareness seminars, advisory groups, and engagement forums Engage with Providers to maximise our effectiveness and ensure Providers get what they need from SLC Learning Provider monitoring and management

Engagement New Staff Training Financial Reconciliation Review Administration Processes 1:1 Meetings Expansion Strategic Planning Targeted Workshops

Contact General business to business queries on administrative systems and processes lpservices@slc.co.uk If you would like to inquire about a learners application status, or have a technical query contact Operations Services lp_operations_services@slc.co.uk 0300 100 0643 If a learner is having difficulty with the application process 0300 100 0619 For Learner Facing Funding Information www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/further-education For Partner Facing Funding Information IAG_partners@slc.co.uk Skills Funding Agency www.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/ 0370 2670001 Central Delivery Service (CDS) at servicedesk@sfa.bis.gov.uk