Advanced Learner Loan bulletin - April 2025

Advanced Learner Loans training events

We’ll be hosting a series of face-to-face training events throughout May.

The events are suitable for new providers, new staff or those who wish to refresh or expand their knowledge. We'll hold the events in the following locations:

• Exeter – 14 May
• Darlington – 15 May
• London – 21 May
• Manchester – 21 May
• Birmingham – 22 May

The events will be full day, face-to-face sessions with lunch and refreshments provided. Attendance at the training day will be subject to a fee of £120 plus VAT per person to cover our costs.

You can register now on the SLC Events website.

Academic year 2025/26 online application service launch date

The Advanced Learner Loans online application service is due to open in early June 2025 for new learners starting their course on or after 1 August 2025.

We'll confirm the date in the coming weeks. Please make sure that you do not issue Learning and Funding Information Letters (LAFILs) before this date.

When you issue LAFILs to learners, please check that we've approved the leaning aim for funding in academic year 2025/26.

Please let learners know that they can only submit applications once the service launches. We'll mark any applications submitted before this as ineligible.

DfE will soon publish the LAFIL template for this year. You'll be able to view and download the template on GOV.UK.

We'll let you know when DfE make this update.

DfE Advanced Learner Loans funding rules for academic year 2025/26

DfE has published updated Advanced Learner Loans funding rules for academic year 2025/26.

These include

• the performance management points outlining the review points
• tolerances
• minimum thresholds required to be in scope for a growth award

Loan facility contract for academic year 2025/26

Your learners will only be able to apply when the service launches if you've digitally signed and returned your academic year 2025/26 loans contract to DfE. Please check that your contract manager has done this.

Your loan facility award should be visible ahead of launch on the LP Portal. You can access this by navigating to the 'Financial Home' page and then the Loan facility Details Report.

Please raise any queries about your funding allocation with DfE before signing the contract.

Advanced Learner Loans service review forums

We've now completed our schedule of service review forums. We'd like to thank those who attended these face-to-face events. By sharing experiences and contributing to the discussion you helped to make these sessions valuable and successful.

You can find the slides in the Past Events section on the LP Services website.

Home Office Data Sharing (HODS)

Our Funding Information Services Team has created a blog post providing information on the digital HODS process on our practitioners website.

Digitisation of our student correspondence letters

We'll stop printing 20 customer letters initially over the next 7 weeks. These account for approximately half of our annual letter count.

This programme focuses on improving efficiency and reducing costs. It also supports our drive to be a more efficient, modern and digital organisation.

Customers will now receive a digital prompt by email, directing them to view their message securely in their online account. They'll also still have the option to switch back to printed correspondence if they need to continue to receive it.

Partners Support Desk

Our Partners Support Desk is here to help you with any day to day operational questions about individual learners, application processing, payments and system issues.

You can contact the support desk on 0300 100 0643 or by emailing lpservices@slc.co.uk