Financial Education in the Curriculum: We Must not Leave Post-16 Behind

The Department for Education’s announcement that financial education will become statutory in the national curriculum for primary schools, with provision strengthened in secondary schools, marks a major milestone. For many of us in the sector, it’s a long-awaited recognition of what we’ve known for years: that financial literacy is not a “nice to have” but an essential life skill. 

This is a breakthrough moment, but it’s not the whole story. 

While the Curriculum and Assessment Review brings welcome progress, it makes no proposed changes to financial education at post-16 level. The review acknowledges positive examples of financial education across colleges and sixth forms, often delivered as part of enrichment or non-qualification activity, and recommends sharing more guidance and best practice. However, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Financial Education has long identified post-16 as a key gap in provision. This is a crucial stage of life when young people take their first steps towards independence, managing money, earning wages, and making decisions that can shape their financial wellbeing for years to come. 

A long road to recognition 

The journey to this point has been shaped by decades of advocacy and collaboration. The financial education agenda has enjoyed cross-party support and engagement from multiple government departments, including HM Treasury, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Money and Pensions Service. Meanwhile, industry partners have played an indispensable role. From banks and building societies to fintech firms and credit unions, the financial services sector has stepped up to fund programmes, develop teaching resources and send volunteers into classrooms. 

This commitment has filled an important gap in provision, particularly as schools and colleges juggle a crowded curriculum. Now that provision has been agreed to for earlier education stages, we must extend that same ambition to post-16. 

Why post-16 matters 

Financial education at this stage goes far beyond budgeting. It’s about real-world financial decision-making, managing wages, understanding payslips and taxes, avoiding debt traps, and navigating the costs of work, study and independent living.  

For students in further education, many of whom are working part-time or supporting families, these are immediate, lived experiences, not hypothetical case studies. 

Research from the APPG and Young Enterprise shows that confidence and competence in managing money are directly linked to social mobility, mental health and long-term economic resilience. For learners in FE, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, financial capability is a vital lever for levelling up opportunity. 

From policy to practice: collaboration is key 

To make the most of this policy moment, government must build on what works. There is already a strong evidence base, high-quality resources, and proven models such as Young Enterprise’s Centres of Excellence in Financial Education and the national Quality Mark framework. These initiatives demonstrate how financial education can be embedded across a whole institution, connecting curriculum learning with employability, wellbeing and life beyond college.

However, scaling this success across post-16 settings will require collaboration and innovation. Colleges and training providers need time, guidance and professional development to deliver confidently. And this is where the private sector must continue to lean in. Far from withdrawing as government steps up, businesses have an opportunity to shape and support delivery, bringing industry expertise, real-world relevance and investment in resources and technology. 

A call to action 

We must not let post-16 and further education fall by the wayside. If financial education is to be truly universal, it must accompany young people into adulthood, through FE, apprenticeships and beyond. This is the point at which financial independence becomes reality, and where the right support can prevent poor financial decisions from becoming lifelong challenges. 

The government’s commitment to early financial education is an historic step forward. The next must be to ensure that no learner is left behind at 16. Through partnership between government, educators and industry, we can equip every young person, in every setting, with the knowledge, skills and confidence to navigate life’s financial choices. 

Because in the end, financial education isn’t just about money. It’s about opportunity, wellbeing and the future of our economy. 

By Sarah Porretta, CEO of Young Enterprise