Adult courses in the North East are funded through North East Combined Authority, which controls a £68.4 million adult skills budget for 2026/27. You can usually get a fully funded course if you are 19 or older and earn under £30,000. There are currently 1,062 funded courses listed at centres in the North East.
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Who qualifies for a free course in the North East?
North East Combined Authority has not yet published its 2026/27 funding rules. Its last published earnings cut off is £30,000 (from its 2025/26 rules), and that figure stands until new rules appear. People who are unemployed or on certain benefits usually qualify too.
The provider confirms eligibility when you enrol. The quickest way to check is the eligibility checker, which uses your postcode.
What is different in the North East?
North East Combined Authority sets its own rules, but has not yet published a 2026/27 rulebook. Everything shown here is its last published position. This page updates when new rules appear.
The core offer follows the national pattern: a free first full Level 3 for adults without one, free English, maths and digital skills, and full funding under the earnings cut off above.
What can you study free in the North East?
The 1,062 funded courses listed at the North East centres are led by functional skills / esol (275), adult social care (120), beauty / hair / nails (89), construction (83), skills bootcamps (80). Around 3,400 more funded online courses are available wherever you live.
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Browse free courses or search the full course directory to see what is running near you.
Who delivers funded training in the North East?
81 training providers run funded courses at the North East venues. The largest by listed courses:
- Sunderland College (199 funded courses)
- Northumberland Council (71 funded courses)
- New College Durham (70 funded courses)
- Durham County Council (63 funded courses)
- Bishop Auckland College (52 funded courses)
See all 81 funded training providers in North East.
What does North East Combined Authority say its priorities are?
26/27 skills element ‘under review’; strands Skills Foundation / Skills Activation / Skills for Work (Q&A 2026-01-30); HICSA construction programme 1M (2026-01-19).
The area’s employer led skills plan (the LSIP, led by North East Automotive Alliance) names: advanced manufacturing, Construction, creative industries and content, Digital, defence, security and space, offshore wind and energy transition, social care, tech, digital and ai.
How much funding does the North East control?
North East Combined Authority receives £68.4 million in adult skills funding for 2026/27, through its Integrated Settlement. See how that compares to every other area in our adult education funding guide.
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Sources: the authority’s own published funding rules and committee papers, gov.uk grant determination letters and Integrated Settlement tables, and the JobYay course directory. The eligibility estimate is JobYay analysis of ONS ASHE 2025 earnings data. Full figures and sources: adult education funding in England.
Page last updated: 4 August 2026. Course counts refresh with the directory; funding facts refresh when rules are published.