Funding & ILR

ILR and apprenticeship funding software, funding-safe by design

Stop reconciling funding in spreadsheets. Journey computes every figure against versioned DfE and ESFA rule packs, builds your ILR, checks required fields and funding consistency, and keeps an audit-ready evidence pack behind every number.

All features

Funding computed against the right rules

Funding-sensitive figures are calculated server-side against versioned DfE rule packs, selected by date. The controls help providers apply the relevant academic-year pack and retain evidence for review; Journey does not determine claim acceptance.

ILR build and data-quality checks

Assemble ILR from the live learner record, check required fields and funding-rule consistency before export, and keep a complete submission history. External XSD/FIS conformance is still completed in the submission process.

Audit-ready by design

An append-only audit log records who did what and when. Generated funding figures retain their supporting evidence pack, helping providers prepare a defensible trail rather than relying on a spreadsheet.

What's covered

Journey covers the funding and ILR workflow end to end, so the numbers you claim and the evidence behind them never drift apart.

  • Versioned DfE / ESFA apprenticeship funding rule packs
  • Server-side funding band, co-investment and incentive calculations
  • Off-the-job (OTJ) hours evidence feeding funding compliance
  • ILR build, data-quality checks and submission history
  • Funding forecasting and period-on-period exports
  • ILR identity, actual end date and break-in-learning handling
  • Append-only audit trail and per-figure evidence pack

Last reviewed: June 2026

Why funding belongs on the same record as delivery

When funding is reconciled in spreadsheets, the figure you claim and the evidence behind it live in different places — and they drift. Journey computes every funding-sensitive figure server-side from the live learner record, so the number on a director's dashboard, the figure in the ILR and the evidence pack behind it all come from one source. The client can request a state transition but never supplies the resulting figure.

Off-the-job hours, key dates and decisions are captured as part of delivery and feed directly into funding compliance, with an append-only audit log recording who did what and when. The result is that a funding audit or Ofsted inspection finds a defensible trail rather than a spreadsheet cell with no working behind it.

2026/27 funding rule coverage

Journey holds the apprenticeship funding rules as packs versioned by academic year, selected by each apprentice's start date through a single source of truth. It carries the 2024/25, 2025/26 and published 2026/27 version 3 packs. The 2026/27 pack covers apprenticeship starts from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, alongside the historic packs rather than in place of them.

Journey is independent software built around published funding rules. Its date-based pack selection and checks help providers organise evidence and review their records; they do not certify every funding-rule clause, make a funding decision or guarantee funding or inspection outcomes.

Funding & ILR questions

Does Journey handle ILR submissions?
Journey builds the ILR from your live learner record, checks required fields and funding-rule consistency, and keeps a full submission history. External XSD/FIS conformance and submission remain controlled downstream steps.
How does Journey keep funding figures correct?
Funding-sensitive figures are computed server-side against versioned DfE rule packs chosen by date. This helps providers apply the relevant academic year's rules and retain an evidence trail for review; clients can request a transition but never supply the resulting funding figure. Journey does not determine DfE or ILR acceptance.
Is Journey ready for an ESFA funding audit?
Journey keeps an append-only audit log and attaches an evidence pack to funding figures, including off-the-job hours and key dates, to support provider funding assurance and inspection preparation. Providers remain responsible for their submissions and for responding to any audit findings.
Does Journey track off-the-job training hours?
Yes. Off-the-job (OTJ) hours are captured against the apprenticeship standard, with shortfall alerts, and feed directly into funding compliance and audit evidence.

Evidence-linked and accountable by design

Built so your team can trace evidence, decisions and actions

Hard tenant isolation

Every record is scoped to your organisation on each read and write — one provider can never see another's data.

Append-only audit log

Every state change is recorded against the real person who made it, so the history stands up at audit.

Versioned DfE rule packs

Funding-sensitive figures use centrally managed packs selected by start date: 2024/25, 2025/26 and published 2026/27 version 3 coverage.

Governed AI

After provider, DPIA and release approval, Advance AI is metered per tenant and prepares authorised drafts and K/S suggestions for human review. It does not make regulated decisions or change the source record.

Evidence-led security controls

Tenant isolation, access controls, audit records and governed operations are designed into the platform.

Your data and employers stay yours

No lock-in: export your data whenever you like, and your employer relationships always remain yours.

Journey is independent software and is not DfE or Ofsted approved. It does not guarantee funding or inspection outcomes.