Hull Training and Adult Education’s approach to setting and collecting tuition fees and associated charges (such as materials and equipment) is reviewed on an annual basis.
The approach of Hull Training and Adult Education to recovering fees is largely dictated by its principal funding body.
2. Objectives
This policy seeks to ensure that -
Hull Training and Adult Education has a fees policy that is fair, equitable and clear.
- tuition fees and associated charges are calculated and applied consistently across the entire curriculum offer of Hull Training and Adult Education
- any barriers to participation presented by tuition fees and associated charges are mitigated by providing flexible payment options and/or assisting learners to access appropriate financial support to meet the cost of these
- Hull Training and Adult Education can respond flexibly to market forces and government policy, including fee guidance issued by its funding body, the ESFA
- Hull Training and Adult Education generates a proportion of its overall income from non-publicly funded sources
- Hull Training and Adult Education develops appropriate and effective targets relating to fee income generation, and reviews performance against these regularly, in relation to sector benchmarks
3. Responsibility for paying course fees
Hull Training and Adult Education has an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and seeks to ensure that arrangements for fees and charges are consistent with this.
Learners or their third party, unless they qualify for exemptions/ waivers, are to be charged.
Classroom based learners are ultimately responsible for ensuring that their fees are paid, even where a third party (e.g. an employer) intends to pay on their behalf.
All fees are due at enrolment, and continuing attendance on a course or programme of study and sitting examinations is dependent on the payment of all fees due. Appendix 1 sets out the fees payable for subsidised courses. Instalment arrangements are available provided that certain criteria are met.
No tuition fees are payable by adult learners who meet the specified criteria in Appendix 1.
Learners seeking a reduction or waiver of fees under these policies may be asked to provide documentary evidence of their entitlement to receive a benefit or proof of their membership of the relevant group.
For a learner to be eligible for Government funding for their learning programme, the learner must have the legal right to be resident in the UK at the start of the programme. There should also be a reasonable likelihood that the learner will be able to complete their programme of study. Other residency rules apply.
A learner’s status at enrolment (e.g. employed, in receipt of an eligible benefit) applies throughout the year on that learning aim.
Where a learner did not complete their examination and the learner resits the examination within further learning, a resit charge may apply.
Other charges imposed by awarding organisations (re-marking, requests for scripts) will be passed on to all learners.
Apprenticeships
Employers are contractually required to pay the agreed amount for each Apprentice as set out in the signed contract between the employer and HTAE, and a payment schedule will be agreed at the time of the contract being signed. For employers with a digital account the payments will be monthly from their Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account unless the funds are insufficient, at this point the employer is liable for the amount due for that month and until funds are available in the DAS, in this case an invoice will be issued to the employer for the required amount and is payable in line with our standard payment terms.
4. DfE funded provision
In addition to the DfE fee remissions (as detailed in Appendix 1), Hull Training and Adult Education may offer discretionary fee remission to learners -
Those who meet the DfE's definition of unemployed and/or in receipt of the following benefits -
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), including those receiving National Insurance credits only.
- Earnings Threshold - earn less than £25,750 per annum
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit, and their take-home pay as recorded on their Universal Credit statement (disregarding Universal Credit payments and other benefits) is less than £952 a month (learner is sole adult in their benefit claim) or £1534 a month (learner has a joint benefit claim with their partner)
As well as the above, we can also fund the following at our discretion -
- In receipt of other state benefits (not included in the list above) and take-home pay is less than £952 a month (if sole claimant) or £1,534 per month (if joint claim)
- Not receiving any benefits, want to be employed, and the learning undertaken is directly relevant to their employment prospects and local labour market needs.
Hull Training and Adult Education has a discretionary Learner Support Fund for courses leading to a qualification. Learners are considered on an individual basis by the Senior Lead Performance Funding and Finance.
The requirement to pay the cost of awarding body registration and examination is set out in Appendix 1.
5. Bespoke Employer Courses
Payment for such courses is due upon receipt of the invoice.
Cancellations giving notice of more than 14 days will incur a £10 administration fee. Notice of less than seven days will incur all fees.
6. Payment of Fees and Instalments
All fees become payable at the time of enrolment, either by the learner or a third party, unless the learner is entitled to full fee remission. Payment of fees may be made by cash, invoice, credit/debit card, or cheque and in the case of instalments, learners will be invoiced.
Where the total fee is more than £150, and the course is more than 12 weeks in duration, learners can pay a deposit followed by a maximum of two instalments. Other arrangements are available for courses with a course fee in excess of £500 and longer than 21 weeks.
7. Unpaid Fees
Hull Training and Adult Education will use appropriate debt recovery procedures where learners breach the terms of their instalment agreement and may exclude such learners from Hull Training and Adult Education.
8. Fee Refunds (General)
Fee refunds or waivers will be approved where Hull Training and Adult Education has cancelled a course, where there is a justified complaint, or in exceptional personal circumstances, at the discretion of the Head of Service.
If a learner wishes to withdraw from a course before its commencement and informs Hull Training and Adult Education in writing or by email at least 14 days before the start date, a refund will normally be given, less an administration fee of £10.
If a learner wishes to withdraw from a course before its commencement and fails to inform Hull Training and Adult Education in writing or by email before the start date (see 8.2), a refund will be given only at the discretion of the Head of Operations after the course’s continuing viability has been confirmed. Refunds will be subject to the deduction of the administration fee.
9. Interpretation of the Policy
Hull Training and Adult Education recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances in which a certain level of discretion may need to be exercised.
The Head of Service has discretion to waive or reduce deposits payable under instalment arrangements, having regard to the personal circumstances of individual learners. However, waivers and reductions will not be given to learners with a previous poor payment history.
Fees and Charges Policy
- Review Cycle - Annually
- Next Review Date - July 2026
- Person Responsible - Head of Service
- Approving Body - Senior Management Team