A new chapter for adult education in the county has opened as Surrey County Council has greenlit the first wave of devolved adult skills funding, worth £11.2 million. The cabinet’s decision on 30 June means courses will begin from September, directly targeting the nearly 27,000 Surrey residents who are out of work but want to work.
The £11.2 million Adult Skills Fund for the 2026/27 academic year is the first tranche to move from Whitehall to County Hall under the County Deal struck in March 2024. Thirteen local training providers have been provisionally awarded direct grants to keep courses running from the autumn term, pending approval of their delivery plans and final sign-off by the cabinet member. Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said the investment aims to equip people with the skills they need to enter or advance in work, adding that the council will now use local evidence and connections to shape an approach that fits Surrey.
The devolution marks a significant shift. Previously, the Department for Education and later the Department for Work and Pensions held the purse strings for adult education. Now, for the first time, Surrey County Council has direct oversight. The full adult education package stretches beyond the core fund: the Adult Skills Fund covers English, maths and digital skills; Skills Bootcamps will offer £1.5 million in free fast-track training in growing sectors; £1 million goes to Free Courses for Jobs; and £7.7 million is reserved for post-16 capacity improvements. Providers wanting to deliver courses under the Adult Skills Fund or Free Courses for Jobs schemes must submit their applications through the Business Surrey website by Wednesday 8 July. Residents can later find full course listings on STEP Surrey, the county’s single employment and skills gateway.
From the 2027/28 academic year, the council expects the majority of provision to come from Surrey-based organisations and is already working with local providers to gauge their ability to scale up. The County Deal itself was confirmed in March 2024 after negotiations with government, and council officers began setting the framework at a September 2025 cabinet meeting. The Local Skills Improvement Plan for 2026 to 2029 is being developed jointly with Surrey Chambers of Commerce, further embedding business needs into the training landscape.
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