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The audit evidence requirements are not so simple and the references to the AEB funding rules in the audit working guidance includes the following requirements:
Unemployed (learners self-declaration)
94.11. if applicable, a learner’s self-declaration as to what state benefit they claim
Learners in receipt of low wage (confirmation you have seen the evidence)
- You must have seen evidence of the learner’s gross annual wages in these circumstances. This could be a wage slip or a Universal Credit statement within 3 months of the learner’s learning start date, or a current employment contract which states gross monthly/annual wages. Please note this is not an exhaustive list, but you must evidence your decision to award full funding to an individual who would normally be eligible for co-funding.
Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) (Copy of referral notice)
- You must keep a copy of the claimant’s SWAP referral notification issued by Jobcentre Plus in the evidence pack setting out start date and times for their ESFA AEB funded pre-employment training.
Providers generally include benefit evidence as a requirement as they may have to confirm they have seen it depending on the reason for co-funding.
HTH
One day, when I'm in charge (a day that is highly unlikely to come!!!), I will stop funding any AEB provider who asks for proof of benefit for simple courses (not including SWAPs!), it has not been a requirement to see evidence for MORE THAN A DECADE but people still do it... Also, bear in mind that it was changed at the request of DWP who didn't have the resource to supply people with all this evidence!
Thank you both. I think I understand a bit more why some might if they need for evidence of low wage or SWAP just as a standard process, I was just surprised when I looked through other enrolment processes how many actually ask for evidence and state it must be provided.
I do still feel unsure about why it's a blanket though for some providers (asking for information that we don't need?, especially with the amount of electronic uploads today in enrolment processes - where does it stay...forever??!!)
In think the answer is layered questions on enrolment forms to ensure we only collect data in line with GDPR requirements.
The provider manual contains such guidance for Collecting employment status data which is aimed to ensure we only collect the data required.
All this would be inline with Steveh post in that most evidence would be covered in the first instance as a learner declaration on the enrolment form be it paper or electronic.
Melissa Haase
Benefit evidence
Created
Just wanted to get some clarification and opinions on this as it seems like providers do a mixture of self-declaration and evidence needed.
In the funding rules it says we need a self declaration of learner's benefits and then presumably we wouldn't need to see evidence of this because the funding rules only require a self declaration. I've seen a lot of providers, on their enrolment forms still state that evidence must be provided to back this up, is this just for their own assurance/requirements as there is no need to do this from an audit perspective/ESFA funding rules perspective either?