SurreyFE Briefing: Adult Skills Funding in Surrey

Our successes in ASF include: 

• SurreyFE meets National Skills Priorities

• 19+ learners on digital courses do better on SurreyFE provision

Our Position – we welcome devolved funding to Surrey County Council

• Inclusion must be funded, not just promised. Adult learners facing barriers- whether financial, digital, linguistic or neurodiverse – require tailored support. Funding must reflect the true cost of inclusive delivery. 

• Local responsiveness is key. National frameworks often overlook Surrey’s unique socio-economic profile, including pockets of deprivation, an ageing workforce and sector-specific skills gaps.  

• Funding must match ambition. Surrey’s adult learners deserve access to high-quality, flexible provision that supports upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning. Current funding levels and mechanisms fall short of enabling this. 

• Focus on the basics: SurreyFE’s offer focuses on learners with few prior qualifications, with provision covering basic literacy and numeracy at Level 2 and below. Addressing these skills needs is essential when tackling educational disadvantages and enabling everyone to contribute to Surrey’s economy. It is important that this provision continues to be supported. 

• Funding Flexibility​: SurreyFE welcomes flexibility to develop bespoke programmes in response to employer requirements and where they are in priority skills sectors in addition to the Skills Bootcamp model. 

Our Commitment

SurreyFE is ready to co-design solutions with government, employers, and communities. We bring deep local insight, sector-wide collaboration and a track record of inclusive delivery. With the right funding, we can transform adult skills into a catalyst for growth, equity, and pride across Surrey. 

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