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Guidance

Guidance on removal of additional qualifications approved for public funding: post-16 level 2 and 3

Updated 16 July 2026

Applies to England

漏 Crown copyright 2026

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This publication is available at /government/publications/level-2-and-3-qualifications-to-have-16-to-19-funding-approval-removed-in-2027/guidance-on-removal-of-additional-qualifications-approved-for-public-funding-post-16-level-2-and-3

Background 听

We will introduce the first tranche of new V levels and reformed level 2 qualifications from 1 August 2027. From this date, public funding approval for 16 to 19 year olds will be withdrawn from legacy vocational and technical qualifications with fewer than 1080 guided learning hours in the following areas:

  • level 3 digital
  • level 3 accounting and finance
  • levels 2 and 3 child development and well-being, teaching and lecturing, and direct learning support sectors

This is in addition to the qualifications with 1080 and above听guided learning hours in T level areas that were published in March 2026 and听will have funding approval removed from 1 August 2027.

We will not remove hospitality and catering qualifications from public funding approval in 2027 to 2028. This is because听the new level 2 qualifications in hospitality and听catering听are being听introduced in听different tranches. The occupational certificate will be available in 2027 to 2028. The foundation certificate听is听planned for听development听in听2029 to 2030.听听

Funding for adult qualifications is not affected by this process.听

What this guidance covers

This guidance sets out:听听

  • how we听have听identified听qualifications for funding removal听
  • the criteria against which you can听notify us听that a qualification should听not have funding approval removed听from 1听August听2027听
  • the process, evidence听requirements听and timescales for you to听notify us听
  • how to submit an appeal and notify us if you believe a qualification meets the criteria set out in the guidance

This听guidance is for awarding organisations and will expire on听31听July听2026.

Scope for funding removal for tranche 1听

We define a qualification to be one that is listed on听the听Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation鈥檚听(Ofqual)听Register of Regulated Qualifications听with a unique qualification number (QAN) and Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) regulated.听

Qualifications听are听in scope to be considered for funding removal from 1听August 2027 as part of this process:

  • if they were approved for funding for 16 to 19 year olds听for听all or some of the academic year 2026 to 2027
  • are听at levels 1 and 2, 2 or 3听and听cover听all qualification types except T level qualifications
  • are GCSE qualifications听and听A and AS level qualifications

Qualifications听are听out of scope of this process if they:

Criteria for funding removal听

To听identify听qualifications听for听removal听of听funding听for 鈥榥ew starts鈥� for 16 to 19 learners听from 1 听August 2027 we mapped the routes听that听will be reformed in 2027 to 2028听(except for hospitality and catering)听against听sector subject areas (SSAs).听This analysis听is听based on Skills England鈥檚 mapping of听SSA codes to听apprenticeships听(snapshot taken听1听February 2026).听

Where foundation certificates and occupational certificates at level 2 are split across multiple tranches of the reforms,听as听in the case of hospitality and catering,听these routes听will听have funding removed听once both types of qualification听are听developed at level 2.听

Education and early years听are mapped听at level 2 and 3听to:

  • 13.1听teaching and lecturing听

  • 13.2听direct learning support听

  • 1.5听child development and well-being听

To听maintain听a clear and consistent qualifications landscape听at level 2,听all听qualifications which are listed by听the听Department for Education (DfE)听as full and relevant for early years ratios in the听Early years qualifications list听have been听considered听in the education and early years route, regardless of听their听SSA 补蝉蝉颈驳苍尘别苍迟.听听

Digital at level 3听is听mapped to听

  • 6.1听digital technology (practitioner)听

  • 6.2听digital technology (users)听

Accounting and finance at level 3听is听mapped to听

  • 15.1听accounting and finance听

We excluded听a听number of听subject areas from funding removal in 2027 due to the need for further consideration. This includes:听

  • enrichment qualifications, for example,听information advice听and听guidance, paediatric first aid听
  • youth work and youth support work听听
  • additional听specialist qualifications,听for example听special educational needs,听specific learning difficulties and dyslexia awareness听

Criteria for notifications听

You can听submit听a notification for qualifications which are听due to have funding approval removed from 1听August 2027听as a result of听this process.听听

If your qualification has not had funding extended for another reason, for instance because it is no longer operational or听following funding removal published in March听2026,听we will not听accept notifications听as part of this process.听听

You can听submit听a notification, if one or more of the following criteria are met. The criteria are that:

  • we have made a technical error听by听identifying your qualification听is听in an incorrect SSA听(and not recognised as full and relevant in the case of early years) or听at the wrong level or because your qualification more closely maps to an occupational route out of scope for funding removal from 1 August 2027听听
  • your qualification is niche based on听the criteria set out in the Notifying us听of a niche听qualification听section

This听section explains听these criteria and the evidence听required听to support your notification.听

Please make sure that听any听evidence听submitted听is specific to the qualification and听which听criteria you are听notifying us听against听where听funding approval for the qualification should听not听be removed.听

Notifying听us听of a technical error听听

You can听notify us听if:听

  • an incorrect qualification type or level has been used to assess your qualification听

  • an incorrect听sector subject area听assignment听has been听used to assess your qualification,听with the exception of听early years qualifications which are听deemed听by DfE as full and relevant and which have听had funding removed听regardless of SSA assignment
  • the sector subject area used was correct,听but your qualification听aligns听more closely听to a different听听to the ones in scope of听funding removal听from 1听August听2027听

What you need to听do听

If you want to听notify us听of an incorrect qualification type,听level听or SSA you must听demonstrate听that the qualification was regulated听on听Ofqual鈥檚 Register of Regulated听Qualifications or QAA regulated at a different Level, SSA or qualification type to the one assessed听on听27听February 2026.听

If you want to听notify us听of your qualification听aligning to a route that is not in scope of having funding removal in 2027,听you must send us听as a minimum:听

  • the听current听qualification specification听for your qualification听

  • mapping听of your qualification content听against the route听in which the qualification was removed from funding听

  • mapping of your qualification听content听against听the听听you听consider to be most听appropriate for听your qualification听听

This evidence should show conclusively that your qualification aligns with the route not in scope for funding removal from 1 August 2027, rather than the route to which we have assigned your qualification.

Notifying us听of a niche听qualification听听

You can听notify us听if your听qualification听addresses a听niche听skills need at听an appropriate level,听is听suitable for 16 to 19 learners,听and听is not covered by an apprenticeship听or any reformed qualification(s).听

What you need to do听

If you want to听notify us听of a niche qualification,听you must send us听clear evidence听that shows听the听content of your qualification听against听all the criteria听set out below. The niche qualification:

  • provides service to support a specific听local or national听skills pipeline. (This should be听evidenced听through confirmation from an external sector body of skills body)

  • will听not听be听covered听through听any听qualifications which will be available in the academic year 2027 to 2028, such as T levels, V levels, occupational certificates or听foundation certificates听

  • is not covered by an apprenticeship听

  • is not covered by an occupational standard at a different level to the level of the qualification听

The content should also be suitable for 16 to 19听learners.

You should also include a current specification of your听qualification.听

Submitting an听appeal听

You must听notify us听by听5pm on听22听June听2026,听if you believe a qualification meets the criteria set out in the guidance.听听

We will be accepting notifications through听the new听Qualification Funding and Approval Service Tool (QFAST).听If you have not used the system before you may have to听take听additional听steps to set up access.听Please ensure you take these steps early in the听process.听听

Information on this can be found under听Apply for funding for a regulated qualification.听If you have issues using the system, please contact us on听qualifications.approval@education.gov.uk.听

We will not:

  • accept late submission of forms,听evidence听or other supporting information听
  • consider notifications that do not have all the required supporting evidence

Once we have received your听notification,听we will tell you if we require any further clarification.听

Assessing notifications听听

We will review the notifications you听submit听against the听criteria听set out in this guidance. If the听qualification(s)听meet the criteria, your qualification will听be听retained听in 2027 to 2028.听

As part of the assessment of the notifications, we may also听seek听further external advice听regarding听qualifications, if we need to. This could be from an听external body.听We will听notify you听of the outcome听in听July听2026.听听

Contact us听听

If you have any queries about the removal of听funding approval听from qualifications, or about the notification process, please send them to听qualifications.approval@education.gov.uk.

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