The Defunding Timeline: What Providers Need to Know about V Levels
Which qualifications are being defunded, and when? What providers need to know about the V Levels rollout.
The government has confirmed the first V Level subjects and, with them, the timeline for defunding legacy Level 3 qualifications.
The Headline
Legacy Level 3 qualifications, including BTECs, sized between 421 and 1,079 guided learning hours will lose funding approval in the subject areas where V Levels and T Levels are introduced. The removals will be phased, starting from 2027.
What’s Being Defunded and When
| Defunding from | Subject areas |
|---|---|
| 2027 | Finance, Digital, Education and Early Years |
| 2028 | Business and Administration, Care Services, Construction and the Built Environment, Engineering and Manufacturing, Health and Science, Legal (as part of Legal, Finance and Accounting route), Sales Marketing and Procurement, Sports Fitness and Exercise |
This means providers currently delivering BTECs or other legacy qualifications in these subject areas will need to transition students onto V Levels, T Levels, or the new Foundation and Occupational Certificate pathways.
What’s Replacing Them
The reformed system introduces four routes for 16-year-olds:
- A Levels remain unchanged as the established academic route.
- T Levels continue as the technical route, combining classroom learning with an industry placement. New T Level subjects in Care Services and Sports, Fitness and Exercise Science will be introduced from 2028, with further expansion through to 2030.
- V Levels are the new addition. Each V Level is equivalent to one A Level, and students can mix and match them with A Levels and each other. For example, a student interested in the health and fitness sector could take three V Levels in Sport and Exercise Science, Digital, and Health and Care Services. Another student exploring creative industries might combine two V Levels with an A Level in Music.
The first V Levels in Digital, Education and Early Years, and Finance and Accounting will be available from 2027.
Foundation and Occupational Certificates provide new routes for students with lower prior attainment. The Foundation Certificate is a one-year programme preparing students to progress onto V Levels, T Levels, or A Levels. The Occupational Certificate is a two-year programme focused on moving into employment or an apprenticeship.
The Full Rollout Timetable
| Year | V Levels | Foundation Certificates | Occupational Certificates | New T Levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027/28 | Digital, Education and Early Years, Finance and Accounting | Digital, Education and Early Years | Catering and Hospitality, Education and Early Years | — |
| 2028/29 | Business and Administration, Care Services, Construction and the Built Environment, Engineering and Manufacturing, Health and Science, Legal, Sales Marketing and Procurement, Sports Fitness and Exercise Science | Business Administration and Law, Care Services, Construction and the Built Environment, Engineering and Manufacturing, Health and Science, Sports Fitness and Exercise Science | Care Services, Construction and the Built Environment, Digital, Engineering and Manufacturing, Business and Administration, Health and Science, Finance and Administration, Sports and Leisure | Care Services, Sports Fitness and Exercise Science |
| 2029/30 | Agriculture Environmental and Animal Care, Catering and Hospitality, Hair and Beauty, Protective Services | Agriculture Environmental and Animal Care, Catering and Hospitality, Hair and Beauty, Protective Services | Agriculture Environmental and Animal Care, Hair and Beauty, Horticulture and Floristry | Catering and Hospitality, expansion of Creative and Design, Hair and Beauty, Protective Services |
| 2030/31 | Art and Performing Arts, Creative and Design, Travel and Tourism | Art and Performing Arts, Creative and Design, Travel and Tourism | — | Art and Performing Arts, Travel and Tourism |
What About Level 2?
Legacy Level 2 qualifications will have funding approval removed once both the Occupational Certificate and Foundation Certificate are in place for that subject area. The government has not yet confirmed specific dates for Level 2 defunding.
What Providers Should Do Now?
The government has published a transition document to support providers with planning. A full Implementation Plan is expected by June 2026, and the first consultation on draft outline content for the new qualifications will launch in late Spring.
Providers delivering in Finance, Digital, and Education and Early Years face the most immediate pressure, with defunding from 2027 and the first V Levels launching in the same year.
The Funding Picture
These reforms are backed by nearly £800 million in additional funding for 16-19 education in 2026-27. Average per-student funding will increase to £6,874, up from £6,762 in 2025/26.
Changes to T Levels
Alongside the new qualifications, the government has confirmed changes to T Levels that will refine content and assessment, and give providers more flexibility to tailor industry placements. This is a direct response to the uptake challenges T Levels have faced since their introduction, with placement requirements proving a particular barrier for some providers and students.
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