Glossary

R04

The fourth ILR return of the funding year, closing in early December. For FE colleges it is the main source of the student numbers used in the following year's 16 to 19 allocation.

In full

R04 closes in early December. For 16 to 19 provision at FE colleges it matters most, because the students it records at the 1 November reference date are the main basis of the following year's student numbers. DfE also compares the R06 figures before setting the method.

Because 16 to 19 funding is lagged, an R04 error does not usually change this year's cash. It changes next year's allocation, which is why it is checked more carefully than any other in-year return.

Where this comes up

module

The collection year: what each return is for

Fourteen returns, each restating the whole year. Three of them matter more than the others, and knowing which is most of the job.

Sources

These are the official documents this page rests on. Where a figure, a deadline or an exact rule matters, the document is the authority and this page is the explanation.

Advice: funding rules for 16 to 19 provision 2026 to 2027 (opens in a new tab)

GOV.UKOfficial funding document2026–27Checked recentlyLast checked 24 October 2026

16 to 19 education funding allocations (opens in a new tab)

GOV.UKOfficial funding documentChecked recentlyLast checked 24 October 2026

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