Free courses where you live: devolved areas explained
In some parts of England, the money for free adult courses doesn’t come from the national Adult Skills Fund. It goes to a combined authority, the Greater London Authority or a council instead, and that body sets its own rules. These are called devolved areas.
If you live in one, you may still be able to study for free. But you may need a different provider, and the rules may be a little different.
Which areas are devolved in 2026/27
From 1 August 2026, these 20 areas run their own adult skills funding.
Devolved before 2026:
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- West Midlands
- Liverpool City Region
- West Yorkshire
- South Yorkshire
- North East
- Tees Valley
- West of England
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
- East Midlands
- York and North Yorkshire
- Cornwall
New from 1 August 2026:
- Buckinghamshire
- Devon and Torbay
- Greater Lincolnshire
- Hull and East Yorkshire
- Lancashire
- Surrey
- Warwickshire
The list goes by where you live, not where your provider is based.
Why online providers turn some people down
Some free online courses are run by national providers with national funding. The Adult Skills Fund rules say that money is for people who live outside devolved areas. It can’t be used for new learners who live inside them.
So if you live in, say, Greater Manchester, a national provider may say your postcode isn’t eligible. That’s about their funding, not about you. A provider that has a contract with your combined authority or council may be able to fund the same course.
The seven new areas started on 1 August 2026, so provider websites may not be up to date. If you live in one of them, a course you could get free last year may now need a different provider.
What’s different in a devolved area
Each area publishes its own funding rules. Things that can differ include:
- the earnings limit for a free course, which may not be the national £26,800
- which courses are funded. For example, in devolved areas the mayoral authority decides whether it funds the new Level 2 engineering and manufacturing Free Courses for Jobs courses
- which providers can offer funded courses to local people
- any extra local help that is offered
The legal entitlements are English and maths up to Level 2, digital skills up to Level 1, and a first full Level 2 and 3 for 19 to 23-year-olds. Devolved authorities are expected to fund them, but check with your combined authority or local council what is available near you.
What to do if you live in a devolved area
- Start local. Colleges and adult learning services in your area are often funded by your combined authority or council.
- Ask the provider directly. Before you apply, ask: “Can you fund learners who live in my area?”
- Check your combined authority or council website. Most have a page on adult skills or adult learning, with funded providers and courses.
- Don’t give up after one no. Another provider may be able to fund you.
You can still use the “Am I eligible?” check on any of our free online courses. It gives you a guide and shows which providers offer the course. The provider makes the final decision, including whether it can fund people in your area.
Check if you can get a course for free
Whether you can study for free depends on the course you choose and on finding a provider that can fund you. So start with the course:
- Choose a course you're interested in.
- Answer a few quick questions in the "Am I eligible?" check on its page.
- See whether you're likely to be eligible, and which providers offer that course.
Or choose a subject:
- Health & social care courses
- Mental health courses
- Childcare courses
- Business courses
- English, maths & digital courses
The check is a guide, not a promise. The provider makes the final decision.