Action for ESOL: more and different adult learners Friday, February 11, 2011 - 16:41

NIACE is concerned that the Government has not yet announced an Equality Impact Assessment, promised in January, on the likely effect of its proposals to reform the provision of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).

NIACE wrote to John Hayes, the Minister of State, asking for an early assessment of the impact of the proposed funding changes on the most vulnerable learners.

The proposed changes in ESOL funding are complex but, combined, will have a potentially devastating impact on some groups of current learners, especially women. The removal of the discretionary Learner Support Fund, the change in the programme weighting from 1.4 to 1.0 and the introduction of fees, risk preventing many existing learners from progressing next September.

This week, NIACE wrote to its members in all top tier local authorities calling for evidence of current learners who are eligible for fee remission but who would have to pay from next September and therefore might be unable to continue their studies. This mirrors a similar exercise undertaken by the Association of Colleges (AoC) among its members.

In preparation for a formal Equality Impact Assessment, NIACE suggests all ESOL providers identify which learners are in receipt of the following benefits:

• Job seekers' allowance
• Employment and support Allowance
• Income support
• Council tax benefit
• Housing benefit
• Pension credit
• Working tax credit

NIACE believes it will strengthen evidence-based policy making if ESOL providers are able to demonstrate which groups of learners will be hardest hit. If, as appears likely, a significant proportion of women learners are in receipt of income support, or are the spouses of people on ‘active' benefits, ESOL providers would be able to make a more powerful case for this group to be included within the national systems of concessionary fees, at least.