Just how much apprenticeship funding went unspent?
- Department for Education
- Submitted 31 Aug 2022
Request
FoI submitted
By Nick Linford
Trying to understand exactly how much of the apprenticeship budget the DfE has spent
Request: In the most recent three full financial years, for each year: 1. What was the DfE apprenticeship levy budget from the Treasury? 2. How much of the levy budget was spent by the DfE? 3. What was the levy budget spent on (please provide a detailed breakdown, such as separating out apprenticeship delivery from incentive payments and from funds for the devolved nations)? 4. how much, if any, of the unspent levy budget was permitted by the Treasury to be used for non-apprenticeships activities and 5. and how much, if any, was handed back to the Treasury for each of the three years?
Holding reply
From DfE
Thank you for your request for information, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, that was received on 31 August.
Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in our response to you. I can confirm the response is in the final stages of clearance and we hope to be able to issue a full response to you shortly
DfE response
From DfE
I requested information for the last three financial years, but FY 21/22 was rejected under Section 22 of the Act. This exemption applies to information which is due to be published in the future. However, I’ve requested an internal review of this decision as this information has never been included before in any DfE publications.
The DfE response to the information request was as follows:
Q1. What was the DfE apprenticeship levy budget from the Treasury?
A1. The DfE ring-fenced apprenticeships budget was £2,469 million for FY19-20 and £2,467 for FY 20-21.
Q2. How much of the levy budget was spent by the DfE?
A2. £1,919 million for FY19-20 and £1,863 for FY 20-21.
Q3. What was the budget spent on?
A3. £1,919 million on apprenticeship delivery for FY19-20 and £1,831 million for apprenticeship delivery and 32 million for COVID recovery employer incentive for FY 20-21.
Q4. How much of the budget was used for non-apprenticeship activity?
A4. None
Q5. How much of the budget was handed back to the Treasury?
A5. £550 million for FY19-20 and £604 for FY 20-21.
Holding reply
From DfE
Thank you for your request for information, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, that was received on 31 August.
Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in our response to you. I can confirm the response is in the final stages of clearance and we hope to be able to issue a full response to you shortly
DfE reply
From DfE
Following your email, we have looked again at your request and we can confirm that we will be able to provide information you requested for the 2021-22 financial year by 30 November 2022.