A New Era for Adult Education: What You Need to Know About the Latest Legislation

In a move set to reshape adult education across England, the UK government is handing over new powers to nine regional authorities. These changes, encapsulated in the Combined Authorities (Adult Education Functions) (Amendment) Order 2025, are designed to enhance the management of adult education and ensure that local skills training aligns with the needs of regional economies.

Key Highlights:

1. Enhanced Funding Powers:
From August 2025, nine mayoral combined authorities including Greater Manchester and West Midlands will have the power to fund new technical qualifications for adults. This is a significant expansion of their existing roles, allowing them to tailor educational offerings to better meet local demands.

2. Streamlining Local Control:
This order is part of a broader government initiative to devolve powers and give local regions more control over their economic futures. By transferring the ability to fund new technical qualifications, authorities can ensure that adult education provision is more closely aligned with local job markets.

3. Addressing Regional Disparities:
The new legislation aims to eliminate regional disparities in access to high-quality education. Without this change, adults in certain areas might miss out on newly reformed qualifications, potentially stunting local economic growth.

4. Supporting Economic Well-being:
The government believes that these changes will improve economic, social, and environmental well-being across the regions involved. By aligning education with employer needs, the hope is to create a more robust skills pipeline and foster sustainable economic growth.

5. Legal and Administrative Adjustments:
The new order amends several existing statutory instruments to incorporate the additional powers, ensuring that the combined authorities can operate effectively under the new framework.

Implications for Adult Learners:

For adults seeking to enhance their skills, this means access to a wider range of qualifications directly relevant to the job market. The focus is on creating educational pathways that lead to sustainable employment opportunities, ensuring that learners can meet the needs of modern employers.

Next Steps:

The combined authorities will now prepare to implement these changes, with new qualifications becoming available from August 2025. They are expected to work closely with local stakeholders to ensure that the transition is smooth and that the educational offerings are aligned with regional economic strategies.

This legislative change marks a significant shift towards local empowerment in education, promising a more responsive and dynamic adult education system that can adapt to the unique challenges and opportunities of each region.