Baroness Garden of Frognal

The Charity Commission for England and Wales announced, on 9th January, that it had opened a statutory inquiry into City and Guilds of London Institute. The independent regulator is examining information about the charity’s sale of its City and Guilds awards operation to a private company in October 2025. The inquiry is looking at information provided by the charity to the Charity Commission regarding the sale, and the trustees’ decision making regarding the sale.

Anyone with relevant information about matters under investigation is encouraged to share it with the Charity Commission, and the Charity Commission has said that it may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional regulatory issues emerge. It is the Charity Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing the issues examined, action taken, and the inquiry’s outcomes.

The international student levy will fund the reintroduction of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students studying level 4 to 6 courses aligned with the government’s missions and the Industrial Strategy.

Higher education (HE) providers are independent from government and responsible for managing their own finances, including any impact from the international student levy. To support providers’ financial planning, the levy will be introduced in 2028/29 and paid one year in arrears, with an allowance of 220 students applying per provider per year.

We have also announced tuition fee cap increases in line with forecast inflation for the 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28 academic years, and will legislate, when parliamentary time allows, to increase caps automatically for future years. Over the next five years, these uplifts could generate an additional £6 billion for HE providers, significantly outweighing the currently projected less than £1 billion levy cost.

The international student levy will fund the reintroduction of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students studying level 4 to 6 courses aligned with the government’s missions and the Industrial Strategy.

Higher education (HE) providers are independent from government and responsible for managing their own finances, including any impact from the international student levy. To support providers’ financial planning, the levy will be introduced in 2028/29 and paid one year in arrears, with an allowance of 220 students applying per provider per year.

We have also announced tuition fee cap increases in line with forecast inflation for the 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28 academic years, and will legislate, when parliamentary time allows, to increase caps automatically for future years. Over the next five years, these uplifts could generate an additional £6 billion for HE providers, significantly outweighing the currently projected less than £1 billion levy cost.

The international student levy will fund the reintroduction of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students studying level 4 to 6 courses aligned with the government’s missions and the Industrial Strategy.

Higher education (HE) providers are independent from government and responsible for managing their own finances, including any impact from the international student levy. To support providers’ financial planning, the levy will be introduced in 2028/29 and paid one year in arrears, with an allowance of 220 students applying per provider per year.

We have also announced tuition fee cap increases in line with forecast inflation for the 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28 academic years, and will legislate, when parliamentary time allows, to increase caps automatically for future years. Over the next five years, these uplifts could generate an additional £6 billion for HE providers, significantly outweighing the currently projected less than £1 billion levy cost.

City and Guilds of London Institute is an independent organisation. The government has no role in its governance or commercial decisions, including the sale of its charitable assets in October 2025.

Following the sale of City and Guilds Ltd, the organisation has confirmed they will continue to deliver qualifications within the further education sector and work constructively with providers as usual.

Ofqual remain actively engaged with City and Guilds Ltd.

City & Guilds of London Institute is an independent organisation. The government has no role in its governance or commercial decisions, including the sale of its charitable assets in October 2025.

The department did not hold discussions with parties involved in that sale prior to it taking place.

Following the sale of City and Guilds Ltd, the organisation has confirmed they will continue to deliver qualifications within the further education sector and work constructively with providers as usual.