Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, (a.) if she will review the scope of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement to ensure it does not create a ceiling at Levels 4–6; (b.) what consideration has been given to including Level 7 professional and postgraduate qualifications; and (c.) what steps she is taking to ensure that the Lifelong Learning Entitlement is learner-led, including by reducing regulatory duplication for providers and enabling professional bodies and Growth and Skills Levy registered providers to deliver LLE funded courses alongside Office for Students regulated institutions.

The lifelong learning entitlement (LLE) will transform the student finance system in England, broadening access to high-quality, flexible education and training.

When launched, it will support individuals to learn, upskill and retrain across their working lives. It will create opportunities for both young people and adults to develop the skills needed to succeed in life, contributing to growth across the country.

The LLE will fund all courses currently funded through the Higher Education Student Finance system, including Level 7 integrated master’s and postgraduate certificate in education courses.

Beyond this, we will continue to deliver a tailored loans package for postgraduate study. Postgraduate master’s loans provide up to £12,858 for tuition fees and living costs, and the Disabled Students’ Allowance is available to support with the extra study-related costs that may arise for students who have a disability.

Learners will be able to use the LLE to fund individual modules as well as full courses at Levels 4 to 6, regardless of whether they are provided in colleges, universities or independent providers.