Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement on (a) mature student enrolment numbers and (b) local upskilling opportunities in Gloucester constituency.

The lifelong learning entitlement (LLE) will replace and transform the existing student finance system for higher education at Levels 4-6. It will support this ambition by making modular provision eligible for funding for the first time.

An equality analysis was published about the LLE in 2023 and is available on GOV.UK. A subsequent equality analysis was published alongside the Lifelong Learning (Fee Limits) Regulations 2026 that were laid before the House on 18 May 2026.

The department expects the LLE to have a positive impact on mature learners and for them to benefit from the ability to use their student finance entitlement more flexibly.

The department has not made an estimate of the impact on mature student enrolment, or local upskilling opportunities specifically in the Gloucester constituency.