Requires
Published policy & fees
Declaration
Twice a year
Accountable
Lead (direct) provider
Trend
Reducing reliance
Fees and transparency
Management fees retained by the lead provider must be reasonable and published. Funding flows through the directly contracted (lead) provider, which remains accountable for the quality and compliance of subcontracted delivery.
Assurance
External assurance and subcontracting declarations are required: at least twice in each funding year (for apprenticeships, by 31 October and by 30 June). Non-compliance, including excessive fees or undeclared delivery, is treated as a serious funding risk.
Indicative summary only. Always confirm against the official source documents before making funding or compliance decisions.
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Official sources
- Funding rules: subcontracting — DfE / DWP