Today (29 July 2026), the Labour Government announced that the East Kent Colleges (EKC) Group, including Ashford College, has been awarded funding from the Department for Education (DfE) as part of the Phase Three Extension of Post-16 Capital Funding.

Mr Joseph has been a long-term supporter of Ashford College’s bid for additional Phase 3 capital funding and has today welcomed the positive news.

The DfE has allocated £191 million nationally for colleges to add capacity where there is a pressing need for places for 16 to 19-year-olds due to population pressures. This is part of a total £375 million the government is investing in Post-16 Capacity Funding, as announced in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy. The funding awarded to the EKC will support additional post-16 capacity at Ashford College.

Colleges were able to apply for up to £5 million capital funding, with more available should exceptional circumstances allow.

The DfE has confirmed that the EKC has been successful in its bid for Phase 3 funding to support capacity at Ashford College. The exact funding allocation is yet to be confirmed.

Sojan Joseph MP said:

“This is great news for Ashford, Hawkinge, and the surrounding Villages – and the wider East Kent region. This funding will help increase capacity at Ashford College, allowing more young people to access vital skills and education and giving them a step on the career ladder. Investment like this will help ensure that 16 to 19-year-olds can have the opportunity to be earning or learning, reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).”

Notes to Editors

Letter from The Rt Hon Baroness Jacqui Smith
Minister for Skills

Dear Sojan Joseph MP

Department for Education – Post-16 Capacity Fund
We are delighted to let you know that the department is offering EKC Group in your
constituency capital funding from the Post-16 Capacity Fund.

Our ambition is to build a world class Further Education system in England which underpins the opportunity and growth missions: boosting productivity and driving economic growth. A key part of this is ensuring colleges have sufficient capacity to accommodate increasing numbers of 16 to 19 year olds. This will enable the consistent, skilled pipeline of workers essential to the delivery of the Plan for Change and to reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training.

The Department for Education made £191m available for the Post 16 Capacity Fund to add additional capacity where there is a pressing need for places for 16 to 19 year
olds due to population pressures. This investment, alongside the £184m devolved to strategic authorities, is in response to the increasing population of 16 year olds which continues to grow nationally until the early 2030s. This is part of a total £375m the government is investing for Post-16 Capacity Funding, as announced in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.