To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to extend full fee remission for adult education courses to full time carers under Adult Education Budget rules.

The Adult Education Budget (AEB) currently supports 3 legal entitlements to full funding for eligible adult learners:

• English and maths, up to and including level 2, for individuals aged 19+, who have not previously attained a GCSE grade A* - C or grade 4, or higher.
• First full qualification at level 2 for individuals aged 19 - 23.
• First full qualification at level 3 for individuals aged 19 - 23.

A fourth legal entitlement to fully funded specified digital skills qualifications for adults, aged 19+, with no or low digital skills will come into effect from 1 August 2020.

In addition, the AEB supports delivery of flexible tailored provision for adults up to level 2 which is either fully funded or co-funded depending on a learner’s age, prior attainment and circumstances.

For the 2019/20 academic year, the AEB is continuing a trial to support those in work on low incomes, which allows providers to fully fund eligible learners on low wages, who would otherwise be eligible for co-funding. The trial will apply in respect of learners who are resident outside of devolved areas.

From August 2019, approximately 50% of the AEB has been devolved to 6 Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Mayor of London, through the Greater London Authority. They are now responsible for commissioning and funding AEB provision for learners resident in their areas.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) remains responsible for funding learners resident in non-devolved areas. For those learners, we will continue to consider how we can most effectively support learners. However, currently there are no current plans to extend full fee remission to full time carers under the ESFA AEB funding rules.