WHO QUALIFIES
Three conditions
GOV.UK says you are eligible for full funding if you are aged 19 or over, are assessed as not having essential digital skills, and meet the residency rules.
Eligibility in detailStart
THE DIGITAL ENTITLEMENT, EXPLAINED
Learn it free,
at your level.
Digital skills courses can cost nothing at all.
England has a statutory digital entitlement: since 1 August 2020, adults with low digital skills can study for recognised qualifications with full funding. This independent guide explains who qualifies, what is on offer and how to find a course. It is not an institute or course provider and does not enrol learners.
FULLY FUNDEDsince August 2020
Compare the optionsKeep in mind
- Aged 19 or over
- Assessed first
- Placed at your level
- The course fits the learner
THE SHORT ANSWER
Check you qualify,
then find a provider.
The entitlement is set in law.
A provider's assessment decides your level.
QUALIFICATIONS
Two funded options
Essential Digital Skills qualifications and Digital Functional Skills qualifications, at entry level and level 1, assessed against national standards.
Compare the options
NOT READY YET?
Foundation courses first
If a qualification isn't suitable yet, foundation level courses covering basics such as turning on a device are funded through the Adult Education Budget.
Getting startedTHREE KINDS OF FUNDED LEARNING
Pick an option,
see what it is.
Choose a type of funded provision to see what GOV.UK says it is for. The bar shows how formal each option is, from confidence-building to a standardised qualification.
Based on GOV.UK, 'Fully-funded qualifications for adults with low digital skills' (England). A provider's initial assessment decides which level is right.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Who can learn,
and since when.
Both figures come from
the GOV.UK guidance.
19+
Minimum age for full funding
Adults aged 19 and over who are assessed as not having essential digital skills, and who meet the residency rules, are eligible.
ELIGIBILITY · GOV.UK
2020
Year the statutory digital entitlement began
The entitlement was introduced on 1 August 2020 to provide fully funded study on the new essential digital skills qualification offer.
IN LAW · GOV.UK
Ofcom's 2026 adults' media report found one in five online adults rely solely on a smartphone, and narrow internet users make up 21% of users, showing that being online is not the same as full digital participation.
FOUR STEPS TO A COURSE
From first question
to first lesson.
The GOV.UK guidance points to a few places to look. Funded courses are run by ESFA, mayoral combined authority or Greater London Authority funded providers.
Step 1
Ask for local advice
The National Careers Service can advise on digital skills providers near you, by phone on 0800 100 900 or online.
Step 2
Search the approved list
Look for 'essential digital skills' or 'digital functional skills' in the list of qualifications approved for funding.
Step 3
Take the initial assessment
The provider checks your current skills so you are enrolled at the right level.
Step 4
Start where you are
If a qualification is too big a step, ask about a foundation level course first.
ELIGIBILITY IN DETAIL
Three tests,
one assessment.
GOV.UK lists three conditions: being aged 19 or over, being assessed as not having essential digital skills, and meeting the residency requirements in the adult education budget funding rules. In most cases that means being resident in England on the day learning starts.
The initial assessment matters: it means only adults who do not yet have essential digital skills are fully funded, and that each learner starts at the right level. The national standards behind the qualifications were reviewed in January 2022 and left unchanged.
Questions
Questions on the way
Who can get free digital skills training in England?
Adults aged 19 or over who are assessed as not having essential digital skills and who meet the residency rules, usually being resident in England on the day learning starts.
What qualifications are fully funded?
Essential Digital Skills qualifications and Digital Functional Skills qualifications, both available at entry level and level 1.
What happened to ICT Functional Skills?
GOV.UK says Digital Functional Skills qualifications replaced Functional Skills qualifications in ICT from August 2023, and funding approval for entry level and level 1 ICT FSQs was removed from 1 August 2023.
How do I find a course near me?
GOV.UK suggests searching the list of qualifications approved for funding, or contacting the National Careers Service on 0800 100 900 for advice on local providers.
Is this site an institute or college?
No. This is an independent informational guide quoting GOV.UK and Ofcom. It is not an institute, club, church or course provider, and it does not enrol learners.
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