Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether financial assistance to absorb the cost of changes to Employer National Insurance and minimum wage, similar to arrangements for maintained schools, will be provided to institutions that receive funding through the Music and Dance Scheme.

For the 2024/25 academic year, the department adjusted the Music and Dance Scheme bursary contribution for families with a relevant income below £45,000 to account for the VAT introduction from January 2025. This methodology will be reviewed for future years and details will be set out in due course.

With reference to employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage, the Music and Dance Scheme grant funding of both private schools and Centres for Advanced Training relates to financing places for individual students via means-tested bursaries only and is not intended as direct funding to meet wider employment costs.