DfE Relaxed Functional Skills Rules for Apprentices – What This Means for Providers

Overview of Functional Skills Rule Changes

The Department for Education (DfE) has Relaxed Functional Skills Rules for apprentices. Under the new policy, adult apprentices (19+) will no longer need to pass Functional Skills English and maths to complete their apprenticeship, making these qualifications optional. However, apprentices aged 16–18 must still work towards these skills.

This change will affect apprenticeship providers by decreasing the number of learners taking Functional Skills exams. As a result, maintaining in-house testing may become financially unfeasible.

Impact on Training Providers

Decrease in Exam Demand

With fewer adult apprentices required to take Functional Skills exams, training providers will likely see a decline in exam participation.

Financial Strain of In-House Testing

Running an internal exam system incurs costs such as exam board fees, administrative expenses, and per-exam charges. A reduction in learners taking exams may render in-house testing inefficient and costly. A practical alternative is transitioning to a pay-per-exam service like Pass Functional Skills (PFS).

A Cost-Effective Alternative: Pay-Per-Exam Services

Moving to a pay-per-exam model minimizes overhead expenses by eliminating the need for:

• Annual exam board fees

• Dedicated administrative staff

• Internal exam coordination

  
  

This method ensures compliance while allowing providers to pay only for necessary exams, helping to cut costs effectively.

Adapting to the Functional Skills Policy Updates

By removing Functional Skills as a mandatory requirement for adult apprentices, the Relaxed Functional Skills Rules streamlines apprenticeship completion. However, for training providers, maintaining in-house exams may no longer be financially sustainable.

Adopting a pay-per-exam model enables providers to adjust to these changes efficiently, reduce costs, and simplify Functional Skills administration.

Find Out More

For a fully managed, cost-effective Functional Skills exam solution, contact Pass Functional Skills at 020 4574 9155 or fill out the contact form below. Our specialists will get in touch to discuss how these Relaxed Functional Skills Rules may impact your organisation.