Funding Guidance for Adult Skills Funded courses
Many of our adult courses are funded through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF). This funding helps adults gain new skills, improve employment prospects, or progress into further learning. To make sure this public funding is used fairly, there are some rules that all learners must meet.
The rules are very dependent on individual circumstances, so we do not recommend you rely on AI generated information on funding to decide whether you will be eligible for adult funding.
Who can receive Adult Skills funding?
You may be eligible for Adult Skills funding if you:
Are aged 19 or over on the 31 August before your course starts
Live in Lancashire, Cumbria, Liverpool, Greater Manchester or another area of the country where your local authority is not devolved.1
Have the right to live and study in the UK
Are not already enrolled on another government-funded course at the same level, unless allowed by the funding rules. This includes apprenticeships.
Eligibility is checked at enrolment, and you will be asked to provide evidence.
Courses that are fully funded
Some courses may be fully funded, meaning you do not need to pay tuition fees, if you meet specific criteria. This usually applies if you:
• Are studying up to a Level 2 qualification
• You are age 19-24 and this is your first Full Level 3 qualification (check fees list as eligibility for some course differ for Liverpool residents and certain courses)
• Are studying English or Maths (up to GCSE level), where funding is available regardless of prior achievement
• Earn below a set income threshold (where applicable)2
Funding availability depends on your individual circumstances and the course you choose.
Courses that require a learner contribution
If you are not eligible for full funding, you may still be able to enrol but be asked to pay a tuition fee or co funded contribution. The amount depends on:
• The level and type of course
• Your prior qualifications
• Your employment and income status
There is some initial guidance on the fees sheets on the website. If you require further information, please contact Myerscough admissions department courseinfo@myerscough.ac.uk
Evidence you must provide
To meet funding rules, you will need to provide accurate and original evidence, such as:
• Proof of identity (e.g. passport or birth certificate)
• Proof of address
• Proof of residency and immigration status (if applicable)
• Evidence of prior qualifications
• Evidence of employment or income, where required
This evidence will be requested through the application and enrolment process. Please see the ‘Adult Leaners - What Evidence do I need to Upload at Application and Enrolment? ‘guidance on our website.
Attendance and participation
To keep your funding, you must:
• Attend regularly and arrive on time
• Actively take part in learning and assessments
• Complete the course or follow correct withdrawal procedures
If you stop attending without telling us, your funding may be withdrawn and fees may become payable.
Accuracy and honesty
Adult Skills funding is public money. You must:
• Provide true and accurate information
• Tell us if your circumstances change before the start of the course (for example, employment or residency status)
Providing false or misleading information could result in funding being withdrawn and you may be required to repay course fees.
If you are unsure
Funding rules can be complex, but we are here to help. Our staff will:
• Check your eligibility
• Explain your funding status clearly
• Answer any questions before you enrol
Please speak to our Admissions team if you need advice.
Summary
• The funding rules differ depending on where you live. Please see the appendices for help on checking your postcode funding area.
• Generally, you will be funded for Level 2 and below if you meet the criteria listed above, ‘Who can receive adult skills funding’. If you don’t meet the income threshold criteria then you may be funded for part of your course (co-funded).
• Level 3 courses are more complicated, please check the fees sheet for more details. If you do not qualify for funding for a Full Time Level Three course, you may be eligible to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan. More information can be found on the finance pages of our website.
• If you need further support, please contact the admissions team.
Frequently Asked Questions
• Why does funding depend on where I live?
Some areas/ Local Authorities have applied to the government to become Devolved Authorities. Some of these authorities such as Liverpool, Manchester and Greater London have Metropolitan Mayors that oversee the area, but not all devolved areas have a Mayor. These authorities control the funding for adult courses and will only fund learners who live in their region. They may also choose to fund courses that are not funded elsewhere. Myerscough holds Adult Contracts in Liverpool (with some flexibility for Manchester Learners), Lancashire and for areas of England who do not have devolved government. Each contract has slightly different funding rules and allowances for their residents.
• What happens if my circumstances change after the start of the course?
All funding decisions are made based on the learner's situation on the first day of their course. We will not ask you to pay fees if your income increases above the area threshold after the start of the course. In the same way we will not be able to refund fees if your income drops after the start of the course.
• What if my circumstances change after enrolment but before the start of the course.
Please contact the College Admissions Department and we will discuss what evidence you need to send us in order to review your funding decision before your course starts.
• How will I know what the College’s funding decision is, once I have enrolled?
Once your enrolment has been processed, you will be emailed to inform you of the funding decision. This decision will be Fully Funded – no fees to pay; Co-Funded- Some fees to pay or Not Funded- Full cost of course must be covered by learner. More information can be found on the fees document in the adult section of our website.
• What if I do not agree with the funding decision made by the College?
The College must follow the Adult Skills Fund rules set down by the region you live in. If you feel you the College has made a mistake with your funding decision, please submit an appeal via email to admissions@myerscough.ac.uk. Please clearly state the reason for your appeal.
• What help is available if I am not funded?
If you are applying for a Full Time Level Three course, then in most cases you can apply for an Advanced Learner Loan. For other courses, there are some charitable organisations providing funding that you can explore. For further information on loans and charitable funding please see the finance pages on our website. If you are applying for a City and Guilds course, then you may be eligible to apply for a grant from the City and Guilds Foundation. If you are on benefits, then the Job Centre will be able to advise whether they can support the cost of any courses.
• Are adult learners eligible to apply for College bursaries?
Yes, our bursary fund will accept applications from adult learners. Bursary decisions are based on household income and bursary amount is based on course size. Bursary payments can be backdated to the start of your course.
• Are adult learners eligible for any learning support through College?
The College has specialist learning support staff for adult learners. If you would like to discuss possible support or exam access arrangements before the start of your course, please contact our Inclusive Learning Team. Tutors will discuss support and exam access arrangements at the start of your course.
• Are learners with active Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) eligible for adult funding?
Learners aged 19-25 with an active EHCP plan are treated within funding the same as 16–18-year-olds, so most courses will be fully funded. These learners do not qualify for adult funding. If learners have been out of education for a period and their EHCP plan has lapsed, then they will qualify for funding. We do however strongly recommend that learners between 19 and 25 with lapsed plans contact the college before application to discuss their needs as Adut Funding may not be able to provide the same support levels previously required by their EHCPs.
• I have applied for a Community Horticulture Course. Will I still need to pay if I don’t meet the requirements for being Fully Funded?
No, as long as you meet the initial funding requirements of age etc set out above, you will never be asked to pay for community horticulture programmes regardless of your income.
Appendices
1 How do I check which funding area I live in?
If you are unsure whether you live in a devolved authority you can use the Skills Postcode Checker Website to check your postcode (SkillsPostcodeCheck | - Devolved Area Postcodes)
- 105 – Areas not devolved – eligible for adult funding where available
- 110- Manchester- Most Level 1 & 2 courses are eligible for adult funding where available. Level Three courses are not eligible
- 111- Liverpool City Region- eligible for adult funding
- ??- Lancashire will become devolved in August 2026 however we are unsure of the number. The eligibility is the same as for 105 learners.
- Any other numbers represent Devolved Authorities. This unfortunately means Myerscough College is unable to access any funding for learners whose permanent address is in a Devolved Authority.
2 How does my income determine whether I might get funded?
We determine your income but looking at any combination of income that you personally are receiving (not household income). We are interested in Gross income, so the income you receive before things like tax and expenses are deducted. Your income might come from:
• Wages or self-employed income
• Benefits (excluding child benefit and carers allowance)
• Pensions and investments
We check your funding evidence at enrolment so please ensure you refer to the document on the adult section of our website to ensure you provide the correct information to allow us to make the correct decision based on your personal circumstances.