METRO Mayor Steve Rotheram has confirmed that Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will pay 100% of agreed funding for all providers of Adult Education Budget activities until end of July.

The move is intended to provide stability and help to protect the sector during the current uncertainty created by the Coronavirus crisis.

Mr Rotheram said: "However long this crisis is, we know that it will create a huge economic shock to the UK economy.

"As we attempt to recover, ensuring that the people of our city region have the right skills to thrive and help local businesses to recover will be more important than ever.

"By supporting our Adult Education Budget providers at this difficult time we will enable them to support their existing learners as well as the learners of the future."

Whilst all funding will be allocated, it will be subject to robust monitoring arrangements and any funding deemed to have been spent inappropriately will be recovered from providers.

Under its devolution agreement, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority took control of its £51.3 million annual AEB funding in August 2019, which has enabled it to take this action.