The Education Funding Agency (EFA) is one of four new executive agencies within the Department for Education, set up to work alongside policy teams to deliver the Government’s education priorities. It will fund the education system for 0- to 19-year-olds (or up to 25 for learners with a disability), including academies, Free Schools, maintained schools, general further education and sixth-form colleges and independent private providers.
As such, it will be responsible for the allocation and payment of approximately £50 billion revenue and capital funding each year, and for the delivery of capital programmes.
In the vast majority of cases the existing relationships you have with DfE, Partnerships for Schools and Young People Learning Agency staff will continue within the EFA. However, we will no longer be separate organisations. Rather, we will be a single body which will allow us to provide, over time, a more joined-up service for our customers and partners.
Contact details
The email addresses for EFA staff will be in the same format as Department for Education emails, which is firstname.surname@education.gsi.gov.uk.
Your contacts will be telling you if their telephone numbers have changed following the launch of the EFA. The Department for Education switchboard (0370 000 2288) will be able to direct you to teams and individuals in the EFA if you are unable to get through to an existing contact on their direct dial.
Academies
We are operating a dedicated enquiry service for academies. Colleagues working in open academies are encouraged to use the local email address as listed below:
- Northern territory (North West, North East and Yorkshire and Humberside) - northacademiesenquiries@efa.education.gov.uk
- Southern territory (South East and London) - selacademiesenquiries@efa.education.gov.uk
- Eastern territory (East Midlands and East of England) - EMEEAcademiesenquiries@efa.education.gov.uk
- Western territory (West Midlands and South West) - wm-swacademiesenquiries@efa.education.gov.uk
All other customers should use the national contact point - academyquestions@efa.education.gov.uk.
16-19 providers
Local authorities, schools, colleges and other (non-academy) providers should use the following email addresses to contact the EFA from 2 April:
- Northern territory (North West, North East and Yorkshire and Humberside) - ypnorthern.EFA@education.gsi.gov.uk
- Southern territory (South East and London) - ypsouthern.EFA@education.gsi.gov.uk
- Eastern territory (East Midlands and East of England) - ypeastern.EFA@education.gsi.gov.uk
- Western territory (West Midlands and South West) - ypwestern.EFA@education.gsi.gov.uk
- National office - enquiries.EFA@education.gsi.gov.uk
- Health and Safety reporting - HSincident.EFA@education.gsi.gov.uk
Learner Support
The Learner Support Service helpline numbers will remain the same. These are for transitional Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and Adult Learner Grant, Care to Learn, Dance and Drama Awards and Residential Support Scheme:
- Provider line 0845 600 7979
- Learner line 0800 121 8989
- For general enquiries (not bursary fund), providers should email learnersupport.EFA@education.gsi.gov.uk
- 16-19 Bursary Fund - 1619bursaryfund.EFA@education.gsi.gov.uk
- Discretionary learner support funds - dlsenquiries.EFA@education.gsi.gov.uk
- Residential Support (Residential Bursary Fund) - residentialsupport.EFA@education.gsi.gov.uk
