Introduction
This document sets out the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) adult education budget (AEB) funding rules for the 2021 to 2022 funding year (1 August 2021 to 31 July 2022). The rules apply to all providers of education and training who receive devolved AEB funding from the WMCA.
A key part of the AEB aims to engage adults and provide the skills and learning they need to equip them for work, an apprenticeship or other learning. It enables more flexible, tailored programmes of learning to be made available, which may or may not require a qualification, to help eligible adult residents engage in learning, build confidence and/or enhance their wellbeing.
The WMCA AEB will play a key role in supporting the recovery of the region following the pandemic and will continue to deliver the Regional Skills Plan (RSP), contributing to inclusive growth through the improvement of the qualification levels and skills of residents. Our focus is to use AEB to support those who are unemployed, and those residents in low-paid and/or low-skilled jobs who wish to retrain to source employment in higher-paid or more sustainable work.
These rules do not apply to apprenticeships, traineeships and advanced learner loans or to education and training services funded by the European Social Fund. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will continue to fund apprenticeships, traineeships and advanced resident loans for WMCA residents – you can access these separate funding rules on the GOV.UK website.
This document forms part of the terms and conditions of funding, and you must read them in conjunction with your funding agreement. You must operate within the terms and conditions of the funding agreement, these rules, and the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) Specification. If you do not, you are in breach of your funding agreement with WMCA.
All information, including any hyperlinks, was correct when the WMCA published this document. During the 2021/22 funding year, this document will be kept under review to reflect how we may need to respond to the changing economic context. The WMCA reserves the right to make changes to these rules and will publish any updated versions on the WMCA website.
Understanding the terminology
The term ‘WMCA’ refers to the West Midland Combined Authority. When WMCA refers to ‘you’ or ‘providers’, this includes Colleges, Sixth Form Colleges, independent training providers (ITPs), voluntary community sector providers and Local Authorities who receive funding from us to deliver adult education and training to WMCA residents. WMCA will use the generic term ‘you’ or ‘provider’ unless the requirements only apply to a specific provider type. The term funding agreement can be a Grant agreement or a contract. Key definitions used in the adult education budget (AEB) and a full glossary of terms are included in Annex M.
Contact
You can contact us through our query mailbox at aeb.enquiries@wmca.org.uk
You can also contact your assigned Skills Delivery Officer.