Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding allocations for adult learning in the (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27 financial years.

This government is facing a very challenging fiscal context. Fixing the foundations of the economy will take time and tough decisions are needed across the public sector to get finances back under control and ensure delivery on priorities through the Plan for Change.

The department will spend about £1.4 billion on the Adult Skills Fund (ASF) in the 2025/26 academic year to ensure that adult learners can access the education and training they need to get into employment or progress in work. Currently, 62% of the ASF is devolved to 9 Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) and Greater London Authority. ASF allocations to MSAs are based on 2017/18 learner data and these authorities are responsible for the allocation of the ASF to learning providers.

The department is responsible for the remaining ASF in non-devolved areas, and allocations are made on an academic year basis. Our allocation methodology for the 2025/26 academic year recognises where providers have delivered above their allocations. It also recognises priority courses at higher funding rates introduced in August 2024. We are choosing to prioritise those higher funding rates which recognise delivery in certain subjects, such as engineering or construction.