Some LEAs choose to subsidise these courses, so adult learners in their area will pay less for a course than those in an area where there is no subsidy. Some LEAs allow their adult education centres to set their own fees, so there may be a variety of fees even within an LEA area. Many LEAs also run programmes of accredited courses for which they draw down funding from the Further Education Funding Council. Fees are waived for students on means tested benefits doing examination courses. Some providers also waive fees for such students, and other low-income groups, on other courses.
Some courses aimed at learners from disadvantaged groups are free.
The average fee for examination courses is 118 pence per hour. It is very rare for any provider to charge less than 79 pence per hour. Over half the colleges charge between 84 pph and 127 pph. The average fee charged for non-vocational courses is 199 pph. Concessions may be given on these fees to people on various means tested benefits, or other groups such as unemployed students, people with disabilities, or young people.