16–19 study programmes

The national funding formula

Each student is funded through a formula with five elements: student numbers, a national funding rate per band, a retention factor, programme cost weighting, and a set of formula-protected uplifts (disadvantage, area cost and high needs).

The band a student falls into is driven by their planned hours for the year — the total of qualification hours plus other timetabled, education-related activity.

• Funding = (student numbers × rate × retention) × programme cost weighting + uplifts
• Planned hours determine the band, not the number of qualifications
• Condition of funding: students without a GCSE grade 4 in maths and/or English must continue to study them

Funding bands by planned hours

Each student is placed in a national funding band according to their planned hours for the year (qualification hours plus other timetabled, education-related activity). The band sets the national funding rate per student, and the DfE reviews the rate for each band every academic year.

A student with 580 or more planned hours is in Band 5 and funded full-time. The current national funding rates per band are shown below — resolved live from the official DfE/ESFA rates document, so they are always current. Band 1 (part-time) is funded per full-time equivalent (rate × planned hours ÷ the FTE basis).

What counts in planned hours (and what doesn't)

Planned hours are the timetabled, planned and organised education hours that lead to a student's qualifications and approved study programme — including qualification hours, exam time and Education, Employment and Progression (EEP) activity that is planned, supervised and delivers a specific educational or developmental benefit.

Some activity is specifically NOT eligible and must be excluded from planned hours. Including it risks an over-claim and clawback on audit.

• NOT fundable: induction sessions and morning registration (routine administrative tasks)
• NOT fundable: homework or independent study/research that is not timetabled
• NOT fundable: voluntary extra-curricular activities or clubs outside the institution's normal working day
• NOT fundable: travel time to and from work experience placements or other off-site activities
• NOT fundable: externally certificated qualifications that are not approved for funding
• Fundable: timetabled qualification hours, exam time, and planned/supervised EEP activity with a clear educational benefit
• T Levels: planned hours exclude the industry placement (funded separately) but include EEP and English/maths

Disadvantage and area cost uplifts

Disadvantage funding (Block 1) is allocated for students from the most deprived areas based on the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI), and Block 2 supports students without a GCSE grade 4 in maths or English.

An area cost uplift adjusts funding for providers in higher-cost regions, principally London and the South East.

High needs and EHC plans

Students aged 19–24 with an EHC plan remain in the 16–19 funding model (funding model 25) rather than moving to adult funding. Element 1 provides the core programme funding; Element 2 provides £6,000 of additional support; Element 3 is top-up funding paid by the local authority.