Skills Bootcamps in Lancashire 2026 to 2027: what has changed and who can apply

The Skills Bootcamps funding allocations for 2026 to 2027 were published on 1 June 2026. If you have been thinking about doing one, this is the year to move early rather than late, and it is worth understanding why.

What Lancashire has

Lancashire has been allocated £3.2 million of Skills Bootcamps funding for 2026 to 2027, of which £800,000 is ringfenced for construction. Across all non devolved areas, £46.4 million was allocated in total.

Why allocations moved

The method changed this year. Areas now receive a proportionate share of the available funding based on historical grant spend in 2024 to 2025. Previously allocations were based on maximum indicated demand.

That is a significant shift. Demand based allocation rewarded areas that said they needed a lot. Spend based allocation rewards areas that actually delivered. The practical effect in many places is a smaller budget than last year, and therefore fewer places.

Do they work?

The most recent published national outcomes cover 2023 to 2024 and were released on 18 September 2025. They show 60,410 starts, a 71 per cent completion rate and a 47 per cent positive outcome rate. The North East recorded the highest completion rate at 80 per cent.

We would rather you saw those numbers than a marketing claim. A 47 per cent positive outcome rate means roughly half of people got the job or progression the bootcamp was aiming at. That is a real result for a programme lasting a few weeks, and it also means the outcome is not automatic. What you put in matters.

Note that these figures are two years old. Do not read them as current performance, ours or anyone else's.

Who can apply, and what to do

Our bootcamps run in digital marketing, early years, health and social care, and IT and web development. They are fully funded, run over eight to ten weeks, and are built around getting you into work rather than around a certificate.

Given the funding position, places this year are more limited than they have been. If you are interested, check your eligibility now rather than waiting for the next cohort to be advertised.

Sources

GOV.UK, Skills Bootcamps funding allocations 2026 to 2027
Explore education statistics, Skills Bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes