Briefing - Lifelong Loan Entitlement

16 March 2023

Over time, the Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) should give more people the opportunity to learn, upskill and retrain throughout their lives, helping to grow high-level skills, revitalise our local, regional, and national economies and level up opportunity across the UK.

To deliver these gains, it must be developed in a way that supports and complements the UK’s internationally renowned undergraduate degrees and foundation years, as well as encouraging new modular delivery. This will ensure that whatever educational route, learners choose to take they will benefit from high quality, flexible teaching and learning.

To maximise opportunities for learners, employers and providers, the LLE must:

1. Develop flexible learning pathways resulting in awards recognised by universities and employers, whilst protecting the autonomy afforded to higher education institutions.  
2. Support high-quality modular provision with the right resources for high-quality courses to be developed, including in the higher cost STEM courses critical to filling UK skills gaps.
3. Provide wrap around support for student success recognising LLE students may have distinct needs from other learners. 
4. Adopt a proportionate and risk-based quality assurance framework to ensure all students can access a minimum baseline of quality, regardless of their course type.
5. Encourage take-up from prospective students and employers.

Read our full briefing on the Government's proposals below.

Related case studies

National recognition for Sheffield counselling service

The University of Sheffield counselling service was the first UK university counselling service to have been awarded a service-wide quality assurance accreditation mark by the Accreditation Programme for Psychological Therapy Services.

Read more >

INSPIRE medical research at Bristol

Medical students at the University of Bristol have the chance to get involved in research supported by a competitive funding programme. 

Read more >