# Paying for adult education and retraining in the UK

> Students & young adults · Last updated 25 September 2026

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## Quick answer

In England, adults who need them can get English, maths and basic digital courses free, a free level 3 course if they earn under £26,800, are unemployed or are 19 to 23 without one, and free Skills Bootcamps. Otherwise an Advanced Learner Loan covers fees. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own schemes.

## Who should skip this

Skip this if you're starting a full-time degree straight from school: our [student finance guide](/students/student-finance-explained/) covers that. If your course is at level 4 to 6 in England and starts on or after 1 January 2027, read our [Lifelong Learning Entitlement guide](/students/lifelong-learning-entitlement/) as well.

Going back to learning as an adult can cost less than you expect, but the funding is split across several schemes and differs in each UK nation. This guide sets out who pays for what in 2026/27, how the Advanced Learner Loan is repaid, what happens to Universal Credit while you study, and how tax works when you or your employer pay for training.

## Key facts

- In England, English and maths up to level 2 are free for adults aged 19 or over without a grade 4 GCSE, and essential digital skills up to level 1 are free for those assessed below level 1
- Free Courses for Jobs pays for a level 3 course (or level 2 in construction, engineering or manufacturing) if you earn under £26,800 a year or are unemployed; 19 to 23-year-olds without a full level 3 qualify at any income
- Skills Bootcamps last up to 16 weeks and are free to you; an employer training its own staff pays 10% of the price (under 250 staff) or 30% (larger firms)
- Advanced Learner Loans for courses started since 1 August 2023 are repaid on Plan 5: 9% of income over £25,000, with interest of 4.1% from 1 September 2026
- Work-related training your employer provides or pays for is free of Income Tax; employees get no tax relief on training they choose to pay for themselves
- Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own schemes, such as the SAAS Part-time Fee Grant and Wales's Personal Learning Accounts

## What can adults in England study for free?

Several types of course are fully funded for adults in England, so you pay no course fee. Which ones you qualify for depends on your age, your earnings and the qualifications you already hold. The rules below come from the adult skills fund rules for the funding year running from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027.

Areas with their own devolved adult skills budget can set different rules, including a different earnings limit, so ask the college which apply where you live, and whether you can get help with childcare or travel.

*Free and funded options for adults in England, 2026/27 funding year*

| Option | Who can get it | What you pay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| English and maths up to level 2 (GCSE or Functional Skills) | Aged 19 or over without a GCSE at grade 4 (C) or above, or assessed as working below that level | Nothing |
| Essential digital skills up to level 1 | Aged 19 or over and assessed as having digital skills below level 1 | Nothing |
| First full level 2 or level 3 qualification | Aged 19 to 23 without one already | Nothing |
| Free Courses for Jobs: level 3 list, plus some level 2 courses in construction, engineering and manufacturing | Aged 19 or over and earning under £26,800 a year, or unemployed | Nothing |
| Other courses up to level 2, and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) | Aged 19 or over | Nothing if you earn under £26,800; otherwise co-funded, so you or your employer pay part |
| Skills Bootcamps (up to 16 weeks) | Aged 19 or over | Nothing, unless your employer puts you on one as its employee (it then pays 10% or 30%) |
| Advanced Learner Loan (level 3 to 6) | Aged 19 or over, usually when the free routes don't apply | A loan, repaid once you earn over the threshold |

## Who qualifies for a free level 3 course in 2026/27?

You can take a level 3 course from the Free Courses for Jobs list without paying if you're 19 or over and earn less than £26,800 a year before tax, or you're unemployed. The adult skills fund rules for 2026/27, published in June 2026, raised this limit from £25,750. Some GOV.UK and Skills for Careers pages still showed £25,750 when we checked on 25 September 2026. Your college will ask for evidence, such as a recent payslip or Universal Credit statement.

If you're 19 to 23 and don't already hold a full level 3 qualification, the course is free whatever you earn. Level 3 subjects on the list include accounting and finance, digital, early years, engineering, health and social care, and building and construction. From August 2026 the offer also covers some level 2 engineering and manufacturing courses, alongside construction.

If you're 24 or over and earn above the limit, the funding rules point you to an Advanced Learner Loan instead. You can search for local courses on the National Careers Service course finder. If you're not yet sure what to retrain in, this practical [guide to changing career](https://coursetojob.com/guides/changing-career/) covers testing a new field cheaply before you commit to a course.

## How does an Advanced Learner Loan work?

An Advanced Learner Loan pays your fees for a level 3 to 6 course at an approved college or training provider in England, if you're 19 or over on the first day. There's no credit check and your income doesn't affect whether you get one. The minimum loan is £300, it's paid straight to the provider, and it doesn't cover living costs. You can have up to 4 loans.

It's repaid like a student loan. For courses starting on or after 1 August 2023 you're on Plan 5: you repay 9% of your income over £25,000 a year, starting no earlier than the April after your course ends, and anything left is written off 40 years after the April you're first due to repay. Interest runs from the first payment and is 4.1% from 1 September 2026. Loans for courses started between 1 September 2012 and 31 July 2023 are on Plan 2 (9% over £29,385, written off after 30 years). If you already repay another undergraduate student loan, you still pay a single 9% deduction, worked out from the lower threshold, not two.

If you borrow for an Access to Higher Education course, the loan is written off once you complete a higher education course eligible for student finance. Providers also run a bursary fund for costs such as travel, childcare and materials. From 1 January 2027, level 4 to 6 courses at providers registered with the Office for Students move to the [Lifelong Learning Entitlement](/students/lifelong-learning-entitlement/); level 3 courses stay with the Advanced Learner Loan. If you're weighing up a degree-level course, CourseToJob's [step-by-step guide to choosing a degree](https://coursetojob.co.uk/guides/choosing-a-degree/) covers comparing courses, careers and earnings.

## Worked example: repaying a £3,360 Advanced Learner Loan

The Student Loans Company's June 2026 statistics give £3,360 as the average balance of further education borrowers who became due to repay in April 2026 (a provisional figure). Here's how that balance behaves on Plan 5 at 2026/27 rates.

On a £28,000 salary you repay 9% of the £3,000 above the £25,000 threshold: £270 a year, or £22.50 a month. Interest at 4.1% adds about £138 in the first year (£3,360 × 4.1% = £137.76), so the balance falls by roughly £132. On £30,000 you'd repay £450 a year (9% × £5,000), and on £32,000, £630 (9% × £7,000).

If salary, threshold and interest rate all stayed the same, the £28,000 earner would clear the loan in about 17½ years, the £30,000 earner in about 9 and the £32,000 earner in about 6. In practice all three change: DfE says the Plan 5 threshold will rise with RPI after April 2027, and interest is reset every September.

*A £3,360 Advanced Learner Loan on Plan 5: first-year figures at 2026/27 rates*

| Salary | Yearly repayment (9% over £25,000) | First-year interest at 4.1% | Change in balance (approx.) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| £25,000 or less | £0 | £137.76 | Up about £138 |
| £28,000 | £270 | £137.76 | Down about £132 |
| £30,000 | £450 | £137.76 | Down about £312 |
| £32,000 | £630 | £137.76 | Down about £492 |

## Who pays for Skills Bootcamps and training through work?

Skills Bootcamps are free to you. They're courses of up to 16 weeks for people aged 19 or over, in areas such as digital, construction, green skills, HGV driving and early years, with a guaranteed job interview at the end. If an employer uses a bootcamp to train one of its own employees, the employer pays part of the price: 10% if it has fewer than 250 staff and 30% if it's larger. There's no employer contribution if you're self-employed.

Employers also fund apprenticeships, which are paid and free to the apprentice, and apprenticeship units: short courses of 30 to 140 hours for employed people aged 19 or over in England, in subjects such as AI leadership, solar PV installation and welding. Our guide to [apprenticeship pay and funding](/students/apprenticeships-pay-and-funding/) covers full apprenticeships.

If your organisation has at least 250 staff and you've been an employee for 26 weeks, you can formally ask for time off to train for your job once a year. Your employer must respond within 28 days, can refuse only for set business reasons, and doesn't have to pay you for the time. If your employer pays for a course, read any agreement to repay costs if you leave before you sign it. If you're moving into a new field, CourseToJob has advice on [writing a CV for a career change](https://coursetojob.co.uk/careers/advice/career-change-cv/).

## What help is there in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Adult skills funding is devolved, so the English schemes above don't apply elsewhere in the UK. The table shows what we could confirm on official sites on 25 September 2026. Scotland's Individual Training Accounts have no current page on Skills Development Scotland's My World of Work site or mygov.scot; the Scottish Government's March 2026 child poverty plan refers to them as an earlier scheme and announces a new £2 million Training Access Fund, still being developed. Check [My World of Work](https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/funding-and-support) before you enrol.

Northern Ireland's Skill Up programme has no current page on nidirect or the Department for the Economy's site, so ask your local further education college what funding it has.

*Adult learning support outside England (checked 25 September 2026)*

| Nation | Scheme | Who it's for | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Scotland | SAAS Part-time Fee Grant | Scottish residents on an eligible part-time course of 30 to 119 SCQF credits a year at a Scottish college or university, earning under £25,000 in the tax year to 5 April 2026 | Up to £1,805 a year for degree-level courses, £1,820 for 120-credit distance learning, £1,274 for HNC and HND, and £1,195 at private providers |
| Scotland | Digital Learning Initiative | Scottish residents and small businesses | Free online courses in subjects such as AI, cyber security, software development and data science |
| Wales | Personal Learning Account (funded by Medr) | Aged 19 or over, living in Wales, employed (including agency and zero-hours work), self-employed or a full-time carer, with a basic salary no higher than the Welsh full-time median (£35,796 in the figure Medr quotes for the tax year to 5 April 2025). The cap doesn't apply to the digital and net zero courses | Funded part-time courses at further education colleges in priority sectors such as digital, health and social care, net zero, hospitality, and transport and logistics. Apply through a college or Working Wales |
| Northern Ireland | Essential Skills | Aged 16 or over | Free English, maths and ICT courses at further education colleges and community venues |
| Northern Ireland | Assured Skills Academies | Aged 18 or over with the right to work, including people who are unemployed, under-employed or changing career | Short pre-employment courses with a training allowance of up to £185 a week, travel costs and a guaranteed interview |
| Northern Ireland | Advance ME | Adults upskilling for advanced manufacturing and related jobs (check eligibility and any cost with the provider) | Level 3 to 7 courses at the six further education colleges and Queen's University Belfast |

## Can you study while claiming Universal Credit?

Usually yes if you study part-time and stay available for work. Full-time students can't usually claim unless an exception applies, for example if you're responsible for a child, you live with a partner who is eligible, or you're disabled and meet the conditions.

Tell your work coach before you start. GOV.UK says many Universal Credit claimants can take full-time training for up to 16 weeks and keep claiming, and Free Courses for Jobs are open to claimants where the course improves your chances of getting work.

Maintenance loans count as income, based on the maximum you could get even if you don't take it, with the first £110 in each monthly assessment period ignored. Loans for tuition fees, which is all an Advanced Learner Loan covers, are ignored. Our [Universal Credit calculator](/tools/universal-credit-calculator/) can help you estimate the effect.

## Is training taxed or tax-deductible?

Work-related training your employer provides or pays for is free of Income Tax, including fees, exam and registration costs, and travel you could claim if the training were part of your job. It must be relevant to your current job or one you could realistically move to with that employer (section 250 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003). HMRC's guidance says leisure activities with no genuine link to your work are taxed in the normal way.

If you're leaving, your employer can also pay for a retraining course tax-free under section 311 of the same Act. The course must teach skills for work and last no more than 2 years; you must have worked there for the 2 years before it starts, start it while still employed or within a year of leaving, and leave within 2 years of it ending; and the offer must be open to other staff or a class of them. See our [redundancy rights guide](/work-earnings/statutory-redundancy-rights/).

Employees get no tax relief on courses they pay for themselves: HMRC says no deduction is due for training employees choose to do at their own expense. Self-employed people can claim training that improves skills they use in the business now, keeps them up to date with their industry, or supports the business, but not training to start a new business or move into an unrelated area. See our [self-employment basics](/work-earnings/self-employment-basics/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Is there an upper age limit for free adult courses in England?

No upper limit is set for the free English, maths and digital courses, Free Courses for Jobs or Skills Bootcamps: you must be 19 or over. The free first full level 2 and level 3 qualifications that don't depend on your earnings are only for people aged 19 to 23.

### Can I get a free level 3 course if I already have a degree?

Under the national 2026/27 rules, the Free Courses for Jobs offer for people earning under £26,800 or unemployed doesn't depend on the qualifications you already hold, but you can't be funded to repeat a qualification you've already achieved. Areas with their own adult skills budgets can set different rules, so check with the college.

### Does an Advanced Learner Loan affect my credit score?

There's no credit check when you apply, and GOV.UK says student loans don't appear on credit reports. Lenders such as mortgage providers may still take your monthly repayment into account when they check what you can afford.

### What happens if I don't finish a course I took a loan for?

You still repay what you borrowed, but only once your income is over the threshold, in the same way as if you'd finished. The Access to Higher Education write-off applies only once you complete an eligible higher education course.

### Do I pay tax if my employer pays for my course?

Not if it's work-related training: relevant to your current job or one you could realistically move into with that employer. If the course has no genuine link to your work, such as a leisure course, the payment is usually a taxable benefit.

## Primary source

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adult-skills-fund-funding-rules/adult-skills-fund-funding-and-performance-management-rules-2026-to-2027, https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan, https://www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/free-courses-for-jobs, https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/training-choice/free-courses-for-jobs, https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/training-choice/skills-bootcamp, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-skills-bootcamps/dfe-skills-bootcamps-technical-funding-guide-from-august-2025, https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/training-choice/apprenticeship-units, https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/your-training-options, https://www.gov.uk/training-study-work-your-rights, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-loans-in-england-2025-to-2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/student-loans-interest-rates-and-repayment-threshold-announcement--7, https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2025-26, https://www.saas.gov.uk/part-time/undergraduate-funding/undergraduate-eligibility, https://www.saas.gov.uk/part-time/undergraduate-funding/ptfg, https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/news-events/2025/september/new-training-offer-helps-scots-boost-their-digital-skills, https://www.gov.scot/news/supporting-parents-and-carers-to-work/, https://www.gov.scot/publications/bringing-hope-building-futures-tackling-child-poverty-delivery-plan-2026-2031-annex-6-impact-policies-child-poverty/pages/3/, https://www.medr.cymru/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Programme-Specification-Personal-Learning-Account-2026_27-English.pdf, https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/essential-skills, https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/assured-skills-academies, https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/advance-me-enhanced-investment-zone-skills-programme, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-students, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/1/section/250, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/1/section/311, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/work-related-training-480-appendix-9, https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/training-courses

## Related

- [Lifelong Learning Entitlement explained](https://moneyguide.org.uk/students/lifelong-learning-entitlement/)
- [Apprenticeship pay and funding](https://moneyguide.org.uk/students/apprenticeships-pay-and-funding/)
- [Universal Credit explained](https://moneyguide.org.uk/benefits-tax/universal-credit-explained/)
- [Claiming tax relief on work expenses](https://moneyguide.org.uk/work-earnings/uniform-and-work-expenses-tax-refund/)
- [Is university worth it? What the official data shows](https://coursetojob.co.uk/guides/is-university-worth-it/)

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Independent UK money guidance from [Money Guide](https://moneyguide.org.uk). Information only — not regulated financial advice.