(Aligned to NECA Devolved Adult Skills Fund Funding Rules 2025–26)

  1. Purpose of the Policy

This policy sets out how the Adult Learning Service applies tuition fees, fee remissions, and charging principles for all provision funded through the North East Combined Authority (NECA) Adult Skills Fund (ASF) for the academic year 1 August 2025 – 31 July 2026. It ensures compliance with NECA ASF Funding Rules 2025–26, including eligibility, residency, entitlements, and Free Courses for Jobs (FCfJ).

  1. Principles
  • The Service will ensure that no learner is charged a fee where NECA rules specify full funding is available.
  • Fees will only be charged where the learner does not meet the criteria for full funding under ASF or FCfJ.
  • All fees will be transparent, agreed annually in advance and applied consistently.
  • The Service will support widening participation by offering flexible payment options and signposting to financial support where appropriate.
  1. Eligibility for Funding

Eligibility for fee remission is determined by NECA ASF rules, including:

  • Residency requirements (aligned with NECA ASF Funding Rules, including UK nationals, EEA nationals, asylum seekers, and those with limited leave).
  • Age requirements (learners must be aged 19+ on 31 August 2025).
  • Programme eligibility (ASF, Tailored Learning, FCfJ) as determined by the NECA approved 2025-26 delivery plan.
  1. Fee Remission Categories (ASF 2025–26)

4.1 Fully Funded Learners

The following learners will not be charged fees, in line with ASF rules:

  1. English, Maths, ESOL, and Digital Entitlements

Learners are fully funded for:

  • English and maths up to Level 2 (provided they do not already hold English & maths at GCSE grade 4/ C or other level 2 equivalent).
  • Digital Skills up to level 2 (provided they do not already hold digital skills at GCSE grade 4/ C or other level 2 equivalent).
  • ESOL
  1. Level 2 and Below (including Full Level 2 Entitlement)

Learners aged 19–23 who do not already hold a Full Level 2 are fully funded for their first Level 2.

  1. Free Courses for Jobs (FCfJ) – Level 3

In 2025–26, FCfJ funding will provide fully funded Level 3 qualifications in priority sectors as determined by the sector subject areas and available qualifications that the Department for Education (DfE) has formally designated as eligible.

The Employment & Skills Service will plan relevant and appropriate qualifications to be provided by the Adult Learning Service within the 2025–26 academic year and continue to enrol learners to available start dates as long as places and funding remain available.

  1. Unemployed Learners

All learners who are unemployed and meet NECA criteria (e.g. receiving qualifying benefits) are fully funded for eligible provision.

  1. Low‑Waged Learners

Learners earning below the NECA earnings threshold of £30, 000 are fully funded for eligible courses.

  1. Co‑Funded Learners

Learners who do not meet the criteria for full funding may be co‑funded, meaning NECA pays a proportion of the cost and the learner may be required to pays the remainder. Co‑funding applies mainly to:

  • Level 2 and below for employed learners above the earnings thresholds
  • Some Tailored Learning provision
  • For courses identified as fully online learning provision at Level 2, Employment & Skills will remit the co-funded fee for all ASF learners (full details of these courses can be found here).
  1. Full Cost Recovery Courses

Where a course is not eligible for ASF funding, or the learner does not meet funding eligibility, the Service will usually charge a full cost recovery fee. Full cost recovery fees are calculated to provide a value for money affordable option for those not eligible for ASF funding and wherever possible will be kept to a minimum to reflect:

  • Direct delivery costs
  • Assessment and awarding body fees
  • Overheads and administration

Full cost recovery course fees are determined and set in advance during delivery planning for the academic year and subject to annual review.

  1. Tailored Learning (ASF)

NECA’s Tailored Learning offer supports wider outcomes such as wellbeing, parenting, and community development. The Employment & Skills Service will:

  • Apply fee remission where learners meet eligibility, low‑wage or unemployment criteria
  • Offer fee remission for wider participation where this is in the public interest and/or represents social value for agreed, target programmes including employability and family learning.
  • Charge a full cost recovery fee for identified courses where learners do not meet eligibility
  1. Additional Charges

The Service may charge for:

  • Materials or equipment that the learner retains
  • Optional trips or enrichment activities
  • Replacement ID cards or certificates

No mandatory charge will be applied where it would breach ASF rules.

  1. Payment Methods

Learners may pay by:

  • Instalment plans (for fees over a defined threshold)
  • Adult Learning Loan for applicable courses
  • In‑person or telephone payment
  • Employer invoicing

Instalment plans will be interest‑free.

  1. Refunds and Cancellations

Refunds for Provider‑Cancelled Courses

If the provider cancels a course before it begins, or discontinues a course after it has started for reasons within the provider’s control, learners will be offered:

  • A full refund, or
  • A transfer to an alternative course, where available and suitable.

Where a course is cancelled due to circumstances outside the provider’s control (e.g., extreme weather, staff illness, or other unavoidable operational issues), the provider will make all reasonable efforts to reschedule missed sessions.

If rescheduling is not possible, a proportionate refund may be issued.

All decisions will be made at the discretion of the Senior Programme Manager for Adult Learning or their appointed representative.

Refunds for Non‑Attendance

Refunds will not be issued where a learner fails to attend some or all of their course sessions, regardless of the reason for absence. This includes non‑attendance due to illness, work commitments, travel issues, or personal circumstances.

Learners are responsible for ensuring they can attend the scheduled sessions at the point of enrolment. In cases of prolonged absence due to serious or unforeseen circumstances, the Senior Programme Manager for Adult Learning or their appointed representative may consider alternative options such as deferral, course transfer, or partial credit, but refunds will only be issued in exceptional circumstances.

Refunds for Learner Withdrawal

Where a learner chooses to withdraw from a course for personal, professional, or other non‑provider‑related reasons, refunds will not normally be issued. Learners are expected to consider their availability and commitment before enrolling.

In exceptional circumstances, a partial refund may be considered if the learner withdraws before the course has begun or very early in the delivery period. Any such refund is entirely at the discretion of the Senior Programme Manager for Adult Learning or their appointed representative, who will take into account the timing of the withdrawal, any costs already incurred, and the impact on course viability.

Refund Requests Due to Dissatisfaction With Course Quality

Where a learner believes the quality of their course has fallen below reasonable expectations, a refund may be considered only in cases where the learner has submitted a formal complaint about the issue. The complaint must have been:

  • Raised during the course, or
  • Submitted within 14 days of the course’s expected end date,

and must have been officially investigated and upheld through the organisation’s complaints procedure.

If these conditions are met, the learner may be eligible for a refund. However, approval of any refund in these circumstances remains entirely at the discretion of the Senior Programme Manager for Adult Learning or their appointed representative, who will consider the findings of the investigation, the nature of the dissatisfaction, and any mitigating factors before making a final decision.

  1. Monitoring and Compliance

The Service will:

  • Review fees annually
  • Ensure ILR data aligns with NECA funding rules
  • Participate in NECA performance management processes (Schedule 2)

Retain evidence of learner eligibility for fee remission