2021-22 Annual Business Plan - GOV.UK
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Annual
Business Plan
2021-22
Business Plan
Contents
page
01 Chief Executive's Foreword 4
02 The Business Environment 6
03. Business Plan 2021-22 8
Introduction 8
SLC’s Mission and Lenses 9
3.1. The Frontline Lens 10
Apply-to-Pay 10
Repayments 12
3.2. The Customer Lens 14
3.3. The Corporate Lens 16
Managing Change 16
The Policy Portfolio 16
SLC Technology Strategy 19
Managing Public Money 21
Financial Plans 22
Governance 24
People Strategy 24
04. Risk 26
05. Conclusion 27
2 3
Chief Executive's Foreword
01
01
Chief Executive’s
Foreword
The coming year will see the but lay the foundations for Right now, there is an urgent
first tangible outcomes of a truly efficient and effective need to rebuild the pandemic-
our Customer Engagement service in future years. impacted economy and skills
Management (CEM) must be at the centre of that.
After a remarkable year – in predecessor was. But we will Improvements in technology,
programme. We will enable SLC exists to enable people
which SLC processed more not let these challenges get CEM and Operations mean
customers to self-serve to invest in their futures
applications and paid more in the way of the important that we will generate data that
and proactively keep them through further and higher
students than ever before and necessary changes that we can use to drive further
informed on the status of education. The Government
while the vast majority of we have planned. improvement and strategic
their application. CEM will has set out its ambition for a
colleagues pivoted to home- insights. Our Excellence in
As a company we are also increase SLC’s capacity new approach to learning via
working – I am delighted to Data workstream will help
transforming. We are to support customers with a ‘lifelong loan entitlement,’
introduce SLC's Business build the technical capability to
delivering a change agenda more complex and challenging with the potential for significant
Plan for the financial year deliver data insights, enabling
to improve the quality of needs via a case-management change for SLC in years to
2021-22. While we continue us to identify priority areas
service to our customers. approach. And we are come. A challenge for sure, but
to manage the impacts of of focus based on value and
This includes an integrated putting particular focus on an opportunity too, to tackle
the pandemic, our focus is feasibility.
and seamless digital the customer experience of some of the complexity within
on continuing our steady
customer experience vulnerable students and those At the centre of all of this the student finance system.
progress towards building
through modernised and claiming Disabled Students change are our people – Given the scale of change that
a modern, responsive and
more customer-intuitive Allowance (DSA) to ensure that colleagues across three UK we delivered last year, I am
sustainable organisation.
systems and processes. We all our customers have equality locations who continue to meet confident that SLC will be up
For a second year, it is likely are building new technology of choice and access. the challenges presented by to the mark for changes yet
that we will continue to be while maintaining and the pandemic and our growing to come.
Delivering CEM supports our
a predominantly home- modernising the foundation and evolving business. We will
goal to become a leaner, more
working organisation. We technology on which our deliver on a strategic workforce
cost-effective organisation via
also anticipate another year business rests. We are plan this year and we will see
‘Operations 2.0’, a substantial
of significant increases in doing this because we aim to the introduction of career
student finance application be a responsive, customer-
upgrade to our Operations Paula Sussex
pathways which will support
volumes, continued volatility focused organisation. We
Directorate which will benefit Chief Executive Officer
colleagues to develop and
customers and colleagues. We
in student/applicant don’t always get it right just progress their careers. And
will exploit the new technology
behaviour and, the potential now, but the changes we are SLC will continue to focus on
SLC has invested in to deliver
need to prepare for changes making will help us improve staff wellbeing in the context
a better customer experience –
to future admissions cycles and when mistakes are of the post-pandemic return
and one that we simply cannot
– all of which indicate that made, will enable us to put to the office, with colleague
deliver with current systems.
2021-22 is likely to be things right quickly. safety being the number one
New operating models across
at least as challenging a priority. It is one of my key
the business will not only
year from an operational areas of focus and will remain
deliver efficiency in 2021-22
perspective as its so throughout the year.
4 5
The Business Environment
02
02 We have six Directorates:
Product, customer and external relations (PCER)
Operations
The Business Repayment and Customer Compliance (R&CC)
Technology Group (TG)
Environment
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
People
SLC’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT):
SLC is a UK public sector organisation
established to provide student funding
(in the form of loans and grants) to over
two million new and returning students
and learners annually, in colleges and
universities across England, Northern
Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We are
a non-profit making limited company
which is Government-owned. In total,
Paula Sussex Product, Customer Operations Repayment and
we have 8.5 million customers and Chief Executive and External Relations Derek Ross Customer Compliance
manage a nationally significant loan (PCER) Executive Director, (R&CC)
David Wallace Operations Bernice McNaught
book worth £156.5bn (as of 31 March Deputy Chief Executive Executive Director,
2020)1. The four UK Government and Chief Customer Repayment and Customer
Officer Compliance Directorate
Administrations are our shareholders. (R&CC), and Senior
manage a range of FE and postgraduate Responsible Owner
SLC plays a central role in supporting the products and services that are tailored for Evolve
higher education (HE) and further education to the differing requirements of
(FE) sectors. We do this by making timely Government Administrations, alongside
and accurate payments of maintenance various 'targeted support' grants to
loans to students and learners and tuition enable people to overcome barriers to
fee loans on their behalf to HE and FE participation in FE and HE
providers. Moreover, we are taking an
increasingly active role in helping to shape administer bursary payments on behalf of
student finance in the future. many UK HE providers
In detail, we: work with HMRC to collect repayments
through PAYE and self-assessment Technology Group (TG) Chief Financial People
manage the full end-to-end ‘apply, systems while directly collecting from Stephen Campbell Officer (CFO) Morven Spalding
assess, pay and repay’ process for borrowers outside the UK tax system or Chief Information Officer Jacqui Smillie2 Executive Director,
undergraduates in England and Wales Chief Financial Officer People
those nearing the end of their repayment
and Executive Director
and provide the payment and repayment
term for Finance, Commercial,
parts of this service for Scotland and Estates and Enterprise
Northern Ireland; we also maintain the We employ more than 3,000 staff across Risk & Compliance
assessment systems and online portals four sites: in Glasgow (city centre and
used for applications and assessments nearby Hillington), Darlington and Llandudno
in Northern Ireland Junction.
1 2
6 The value of the loan book as of 31 March 2021 will be published on www.gov.uk/slc as part of the company’s official statistics. Jacqui Smillie left SLC in May 2021 7
(These statistics are embargoed until their release each year in June.)
Business Plan 2021-22
03
03 Lenses
Business Plan SLC is a complex business with many different customers, products and stakeholders. To create
alignment and clarity - both internally and for external audiences - we report on our business
performance via three perspectives or views that we call 'lenses'. We view our overall objectives
2021-22
and measure progress against these lenses:
Introduction The Frontline The Customer Lens The Corporate Lens
SLC’s business plan outlines our objectives for the financial year Services Lens We will provide a great We will manage change
2021-22, set in the context of our three-year Corporate Plan. Through each academic customer experience, projects in a timely manner,
The business plan also defines how success will be measured. cycle, we will ensure existing helping customers to invest balancing lowest practical
products are delivered in their futures by providing cost with the need for
Each year on behalf of all shareholders, the Department for securely, effectively, an intuitive, supportive and achieving quality outcomes
Education (DfE) sets out the Government shareholders’ key sustainably and efficiently trusted service. and agreed benefits. SLC
priorities for SLC and agreed funding in the Annual Performance to our customers. We will will also improve financial
and Resource Agreement (APRA) letter. also increase repayment management and compliance
compliance, administer the with Government and other
The APRA letter also sets out shareholders’ priority performance loan book effectively and controls, through a well-
measures and associated targets (‘APRA targets’) for the efficiently, and deliver post managed, skilled, engaged
year ahead, which form a subset of SLC’s Key Performance loan sale obligations. and motivated workforce.
Indicators (KPIs).
Directorate
Measures and Targets
(include relevant corporate KPIs, agreed with
SLC's Mission the CEO for each Directorate)
Our mission is to enable people to
invest in their futures through further
KPIs
and higher education by providing (Corporate Measures and
trusted, transparent, flexible and Targets, including APRA targets,
agreed with the SLC Board)
accessible student finance services.
APRA
Measures
and Targets
(Agreed with
Government shareholders)
As the top tier metrics,
APRA measures and
targets are set out in this
Business Plan.
8 9
Business Plan 2021-22
03
3.1. The Frontline Lens ‘Operations 2.0’ Performance Management
As we see more efficient and effective The two APRA measures and associated
Our frontline service is the face of SLC Implementation of Customer engagement with customers through targets agreed with Government for the
for our customers and comprises of two Engagement Management (CEM) implementation of better customer Assess to Pay part of the Frontline Lens,
areas – our Apply-to-Pay operational systems, we need to ensure that and which are both related to quality, are:
teams and our Repayments teams. CEM is a key component of the Evolve alongside this we have the right structures
transformation programme which will 92% or more of applications
and skills, and improved processes. This
assessed should meet the 'right first
Apply-to-Pay substantially improve customer service. will also ensure more meaningful work for
time' Quality Assurance (QA) criteria;
It shifts SLC from a task-based model our staff.
We are committed to delivering the of customer engagement to one which and
‘business as usual’ academic cycle of focuses on customer outcomes through Operations 2.0 provides that structure
92% or more of customer telephone
processing applications and payments case management. It is supported by and is the new operating model to
calls handled by SLC staff should
to the high standards that we set for the Salesforce system which provides which SLC will transition during 2021-
ourselves in collaboration with DfE and meet the 'right first time' QA criteria.
clear, concise and integrated data that, 22. The new model will provide greater
the devolved administrations, while also flexibility through the creation of the Additionally, we will also carefully monitor
in due course, will be shared directly with
transforming our frontline business. Student Finance Officer role, which will and report monthly progress against both
customers through online self-service
This is no small undertaking when we see colleagues skilled across different the expected and the actual volume of
or by notifications through a variety of
expect around a 10% increase in new SLC services, and is supported by the applications and enquiries.
channels including email and SMS.
applications for student finance and as implementation of career pathways which
we continue to manage our business and CEM will support SLC to move to online will enhance our employee experience
serve customers remotely. processing wherever feasible and provide and deliver customer benefit. These
intuitive online capability for customers changes will also benefit the taxpayer
Deliver the Academic Cycle
and real time data that either enables through efficiency savings of 8% against
Despite the scale of planned change in customer self-service or enables SLC to the 2020-21 baseline, which we expect to
Apply-to-Pay Operations during the year, provide a 'right first time' service. realise from the final quarter 2021-22.
we will continue to focus on ensuring that
applications are processed accurately and This level of integrated service – which Coupled with CEM, Salesforce and other
on-time, and that customers’ enquiries customers have rightly come to expect improvements, Operations 2.0 will create
are handled efficiently. Paying the right from service providers – is simply not the basics that will ensure we more
customers the right money at the right possible with our current systems. easily deliver a digital service that will
time remains our overall priority and will allow our customers to self-serve. This
therefore continue to be our focus. level of change, coupled with anticipated
increases in application volumes and
Priority Milestones continued homeworking will, however,
add pressure to our contact centre during
Implementation The initial launch of our new customer service system went live in February
the 2021-22 cycle. While we have put a
of CEM 2021. The Salesforce system enhances the information presented to our contact
range of mitigating actions in place, such
centre staff to enable them to more efficiently answer customer questions, and
provides the capability to track and manage customer issues effectively. as increased customer service capacity
and more focus on assessments, we
Further releases are planned throughout Q2 2021 with a continued commitment anticipate that, unfortunately, customers
to improve the experience for the teams within SLC and for our customers.
may need to wait longer than normal to
This will be achieved by integrating more of our customer information into the
speak to us.
Salesforce system and expanding the functionality to manage the customer
experience. We will train our teams to use the new system and scale our
capability in advance of August 2021 (i.e. before the peak of the academic
cycle).
From Q2 we will also introduce digital Self Service and Notifications capabilities,
initially for small groups of test customers with the intention of providing a
comprehensive Self-Serve capability from November 2021. Notifications will
automatically keep our customers informed and assured of progress through the
key stages of their applications, relieving them of the need to call us.
10 11
Business Plan 2021-22
03
Repayments up-to-date information such as their loan Collect Every Pound Due Performance Management
balance, interest rate and repayment
SLC’s Repayments and Customer Some of SLC’s proactive collections The APRA measure and associated target
options without the need to telephone us.
Compliance Directorate’s key goal is to and arrears management activities agreed with Government for repayments
ensure that funds are returned to the UK While CEM will be the major deliverable were paused during 2020 as part of our is that:
taxpayer: by ensuring that customers who for our Assess to Pay operations during response to the pandemic. We transferred
90% or more of borrowers in
are due to repay comply with their terms 2021-22, we will also maintain the resources focused on collections to
repayment are fully compliant with
and conditions; that we prevent and good progress made in terms of the our apply-to-pay operations in order to
their repayment obligations.
respond to fraud and error; and that we development of the repayments service. maintain our application service.
effectively manage post loan book sale This will include: By doing this we ensured that students Additionally, we will measure, and report
servicing. and institutions were paid on time. monthly on:
Enhancing the ORS service by
SLC works in partnership with HMRC to providing additional self-service While SLC has recently restarted A recoveries target – meaning the
collect repayments through PAYE and opportunities for end of loan collections activities, we are mindful that money we receive directly from
self-assessment and collects repayments processes and receiving refunds; and the economic fallout from the pandemic borrowers - of £71.25 million for the
directly from those borrowers outside will have affected many of our borrowers. year, and
Replacing our outdated collections
the UK tax system. We also provide a We are therefore making it a priority to
system and introducing self-service A quality assurance target of 92%
direct-debit option for customers, and ensure that all collections activity is fair
for customers in arrears by the or more.
actively encourage those borrowers who and supportive. At the same time, and
year-end.
are nearing the end of their repayment consistent with Managing Public Money,
term to use this facility, as it allows the Excellence in Data we are ensuring that those borrowers
company to manage the remaining who do earn above the income threshold
SLC’s Excellence in Data project is a key - and should be making repayments - are
balance in real-time and thus removes the
strand in Evolve. The successful delivery compliant with their obligations.
risk of incorrect PAYE deductions which
of our customer service and of our
could otherwise result in customers over-
collections efforts relies on the quality and
repaying their loans.
integrity of our data, and it is vital that this
SLC and HMRC service the entire is accurate and consistent. This project
Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) focuses primarily on building quality,
loan-book, which is partly owned by governance, integrity and accuracy in
Government and partly owned by private our data to deliver a better customer
investors. experience, a better user experience and
to enhance the value of loan repayments.
The key priorities for 2021-22 include:
SLC will develop an enterprise-wide
Technology Enhancements approach to data quality and governance
SLC’s new Online Repayment Services during the coming year through the Evolve
(ORS) was launched in July 2020, Excellence in Data Programme and the
receiving positive feedback from creation of a Data Centre of Excellence.
borrowers. This was our first major
deliverable for enabling greater customer
self-service: borrowers can now see
12 13Business Plan 2021-22
03
Customer Experience (CX) ‘Modular’ approach to learning
entitlement3
As part of our ongoing transformation, SLC
3.2. The Customer Lens is creating a pivotal customer experience Against the backdrop of transformation in
strategy that will deliver insight-led the ways that we engage with and serve
Helping customers to invest in their futures by providing an intuitive, supportive and improvements to the end-to-end customer our customers, we are looking to the future
trusted service is at the heart of our business. Through CEM and Evolve we will be journey. Our new Student Finance Customer and helping to shape implementation
making it easier for customers to engage with SLC via an omni-channel strategy that will Panel, made up of prospective, current of the Government’s HE and FE reform
mean seamless ‘right channel, right time’ service. and former students, will be key in building agenda. The impact of reforms will result
insights and puts our customers at the in significant change for SLC in terms of
centre of this new strategy. We will formally our systems, processes and technologies
establish the CX function, create new – and, potentially, in how we work with
Customer Interactions metrics that focus on customer experience
rather than customer service, reduce
other organisations in the sector. Given
the complexity of student finance, we will
customers’ need to contact us through use our experience to drive simplicity and
Eliminate enhanced self-serve functionality, and rationalisation wherever and whenever
The best service is no service. baseline and improve customer satisfaction possible.
Customers would prefer to interact directly to apply for their scores.
Performance Management
student finance, and have their interaction dealt with fully
automatically and as close to immediately as possible. The opportunity presented is significant The two APRA measures and associated
and the CX strategy will have reach and targets that have been agreed with
impact across the organisation. We will
Self Serve steer this impact through fully integrated
Government for SLC customer satisfaction
during 2021-22 are that:
Help our customers to help themselves. customer, colleague, stakeholder and
Where a customer does want or need to interact with us, we will Applicant, student and sponsor
partner communications which will improve
provide them with access to the information and services they satisfaction will be at least 75%
the reach and effectiveness of our customer
need to allow them to do so easily and in their own time. communications. Borrowers in Repayment satisfaction
will be at least 62%
Vulnerable Customers
Optimise Additionally, we will look to measure,
Through our CX work, we will focus on
When customers contact us with an issue, we address it and report monthly on:
improving the experience of our most
quickly and efficiently.
vulnerable customers to ensure that The pre-application satisfaction rate
Where a customer needs to contact us they can do so SLC is accessible to everyone. This will
through the channel of their choice, and their issue is resolved The number of applications completed
include reforming the Disabled Students with no incoming telephone call
immediately or referred to someone who can. The customer is Allowance (DSA) delivery model and service
kept informed, and advised when the issue is resolved. proposition to ensure that customers in The average number of telephone calls
receipt of DSA are better able to receive per application
Support the support they deserve. These reforms Further metrics will be developed in-year,
Where our customers have more complex needs and need will also increase transparency of pricing including ones which will help us measure
to navigate the process, we assign someone to guide them. and increase competition thus limiting the and analyse customer effort scores. In
Where we identify that a customer is facing challenges with the potential for any anti-competitive behaviour, addition, we will also develop metrics around
process, we assign a case owner to guide them efficiently and following the recent concerns expressed by customers’ use of alternative (non-telephone)
supportively. the Competition and Markets Authority. contact channels during 2021-22, and
our understanding of the quality of their
experience with alternative channels. This
will underpin our evolving channel strategy
and help us to provide customers with a
frictionless experience wherever possible.
14 15
3
See page 18 for further detailBusiness Plan 2021-22
03
3.3. The Corporate Lens Key deliverables for 2021-22 include:
Updates to Student Finance regulations: Allow new and returning students to
The Corporate Lens describes the critical We will measure and report monthly
access student funding support
‘infrastructure’ that keeps SLC functioning on the RAG-status of each portfolio (as Undergraduate loans
– this lens includes managing our change assessed by its respective Portfolio Board Part Time loans
programmes, building and maintaining or equivalent). Postgraduate loans
technology, managing public money,
Additionally, we have agreed with Educational Maintenance
governance and people.
Government shareholders that two of Allowances (Wales and NI)
Although our transformation will be these, the RAG-status of the Policy and Welsh Government Learning Grants
felt most readily in the Frontline and Evolve portfolios, will constitute the APRA Advanced Learner Loans (England)
Customer lenses, the functions described measures and associated targets (these
within the Corporate Lens are the engine will be validated by the Joint Quadrilateral Disabled Student Allowance Implement DSA reforms, increasing
rooms of change. From CEM, our Committee, which is chaired by DfE and (DSA) reforms transparency and competition, to deliver
new customer engagement platform, by the Evolve Oversight Committee, a new service which offers customers
to a comprehensive updating of our chaired at SLC Board level, respectively). with certain common conditions the
technology base and people policies that choice and ability to self-serve and
Our policy and process simplification work
will increase fairness, transparency and receive a standard package of support
will continue and will take account of the
career progression, this coming year will
opportunities presented by the wider
see an unparalleled change in SLC. Engagement with Government on their These reforms are likely to have strategic
policy reforms that have been announced
Managing Change by the UK Government. longer-term FE/HE reforms agenda implications for SLC, and include
the design of a new Lifelong Loan
SLC is a technology-enabled company We will complement this year’s key focus Entitlement product
and in the coming year we will leverage by improving our planning and forecasting
technology to improve customer accuracy across all the portfolios. Residency Changes Various residency changes across UK
experience, update legacy systems and domiciles, including changes arising
make sure we are fit for the present and
The Policy Portfolio from UK exit from the EU, and checks
future. Over one third of our budget is While the major initiatives for four of the on statuses granted through the EU
geared to technology expenditure which five portfolios are set out in the relevant Settlement Scheme
underlines the importance of technology sections throughout this document, those
to our operations. SLC’s change for the Policy Portfolio are specified here. Scottish Repayment Plan 4 Repayment threshold changes
programme for 2021-22 comprises of This portfolio is responsible for the delivery
five portfolios, each of which depends on of the Governments’ student finance
underlying technology change to deliver policy changes and annual (academic
outcomes: year) service updates to systems and
processes. This is critical work as it is
Policy
required to support the launch of the next
Evolve, our transformation relevant academic year application cycle
programme in respect of the relevant loan and grant
(student finance) products.
Technology
Operations
Repayments
16 17Business Plan 2021-22
03
FE and HE Reforms These include: SLC Technology Strategy efficient and enabling technology
foundation upon which SLC can ultimately
During this year, we will work closely with A new Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) Technology is a key enabler of our deliver outstanding customer service.
DfE on the design and development of corporate strategy and supports us to
A review of Post-Qualification
products to support the important FE and deliver against our customer, HE and The Technology Strategy is comprised
Admissions
HE policy reforms that were announced FE provider and colleague expectations. of four distinct programmes, namely:
by the Prime Minister in 2020 and, in Other policy initiatives announced Transform, Simplify, Remediate and
Implementation of our Technology
more detail, in a Government ‘Skills for as part of the Government’s interim Enable.
Strategy will deliver a sustainable and
Jobs’ White paper in January 2021. response to the Augar Review
resilient architecture and form a strong,
Lifelong Loan Entitlement
Transform: We will deliver new strategic capabilities to
SLC’s processes and systems are fundamental to the transform the customer and colleague experience with a
success of the LLE reforms and we will therefore work seamless and streamlined application-to-repay system,
with DfE and No 10 to develop and co-design the policy providing access through multiple, linked channels when
required to deliver LLE. required and enabling our colleagues to service our
This will allow learners to get a loan as easily for modular customers with access to the right data at the right time.
learning (i.e. short courses) as for a full university degree Simplify: We will simplify and consolidate our existing
and will be based on a flexible lifelong loan entitlement platforms and de-couple the architecture to reduce
that learners can use across both FE and HE. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and enable long term
This flexibility will enable the FE and HE sectors to tailor sustainability and greater flexibility.
provision to the needs of the economy and support The resulting Service Oriented Architecture will reduce
learners to gain new skills and qualifications over their the cost and complexity of change and enable a joined-
lifetime for the future jobs market. up customer and Further/Higher Education Provider
We will look wherever possible to streamline the student experience.
finance system as we move to a more unified model that Remediate: We will de-risk our platforms by improving
works in a way which is fundamentally different to the loan supportability, security and disaster recovery.
products currently available across FE and HE.
Enable: We will deliver enabling technology capabilities,
including cloud computing, Software as a Service (SaaS)
and Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solutions to provide
agile and cost-effective technology services.
18 19Business Plan 2021-22
03
Our priorities for Technology for 2021-22 Technology (DDaT) Framework. The Managing Public Money Key financial and commercial priorities for
include: directorate’s priorities will be defined 2021-22 are:
in Q1, then implemented in phases SLC has a one-year funding settlement
Strategic Partner Procurement agreed through the APRA letter from DfE Improve financial forecasting and
throughout the remainder of the year.
for 2021-22. Although cognisant that planning including analysis and insight
In response to recommendations
Modernised and Simplified Technology the Government cannot commit to a
contained within the SLC’s most recent Implementing new operating models:
Platforms multi-year funding settlement at this time,
Tailored Review, we are increasingly
the company drew up detailed financial - For Commercial Services
using outcome-based contracts, with We continue to work to stabilise and
plans for the medium-term, in its most (by end Q2)
a smaller number of strategic partners enforce our Enterprise Architecture
working within a blended resource model. Governance, simplifying and consolidating recent three-year Corporate Plan which - For Finance (in stages, by end of
Implementation of this strategy is due our existing platforms and decoupling the is underpinned by our longer term Evolve Q4), to help drive efficiency with
to complete in Q3/Q4 of 2021-22 and architecture to reduce TCO and to enable transformation programme. These plans skilled, engaged and motivated
is complemented by initiatives within long term sustainability. are underpinned by a five-year financial people organised to support both
our People Strategy that aim to provide model which includes assumptions on internal and external stakeholders,
Cyber Security and Data Protection customer volumes, benefits projections delivering timely, accurate and
capability development, new ways of
working and address recruitment and from the Evolve programme, and transparent reporting supported
The security of our customers and their
retention challenges in technology roles assumptions regarding the cost of by the right tools, processes and
data is of critical importance, and we will
that SLC faces. delivering a steady state policy change structure.
continue to monitor and upgrade our
and other SLC-led change programmes.
cyber-security as new threats emerge. Replacing and extending a number of
Improved Disaster Recovery (DR)
Home-working arrangements could mean This year’s capital investment, (mainly on key technologies that will strengthen
Capability
that organisations are more exposed to technology costs within Evolve), will lay and enhance our controls and
SLC implemented a number of key the risk of cyber-crime. While we have the foundations for significant savings reporting capability
technology enablers for DR during 2020- already taken steps to mitigate this from 2022-23 onwards. Refreshed Estates Strategy by end
21, culminating in a successful shut down risk, we will remain vigilant and alive to
Our Enterprise Risk and Compliance of Q1
and re-start of services which enabled the ever-changing threat landscape.
us to examine the constituent parts of While we have already made significant team will continue to modernise SLC’s A 5% saving on accommodation
our IT estate and our ability to safely progress, we will also continue to take risk management arrangements in line costs
recover these. This year the focus will be the necessary steps in respect of GDPR with their Roadmap. In the next financial
year this includes continuing the roll Performance Management
to build upon that work with continued compliance.
and increased testing, creating an out of the new policy and Governance, Our APRA measures and associated
Performance Management Risk and Compliance system, providing targets, agreed with Government for
enduring DR capability for the long-term.
Key milestones, to embed DR into BAU better risk reporting that will allow quicker managing the 2021-22 budget are:
The APRA measure and associated
operations, are in Q3 and Q4 of 2021-22. identification of emerging themes, building
target agreed with Government for SLC’s Administration expenditure to be
metrics for each of the new risk appetite
Technology Group is that at least 87% between 0% overspend and 5%
Technology Operating Model statements and strengthening compliance
of days should be 'green service days' underspend
arrangements.
This year, we will create a new operating (that is, days on which our systems estate
model for our Technology Group suffers no outage or priority incident). Programme expenditure to be
directorate, aligned to and informed between 1% overspend and 5%
by the Strategic Partner Procurement underspend
Strategy and the Government Digital Capital to be between 5% overspend
Service (GDS)’s Digital, Data and and 5% underspend
20 21Business Plan 2021-22
03
Financial Plans The cash budget by SLC business segment is set out in the Table 2:
SLC’s overall budget for the financial year 2021-22 (excluding HE reform) is set out Table 2: Cash Budget
in Table 1:
Admin Programme Capital Total
Table 1: Overall APRA Budget: 2021-22
£m £m £m £m
Admin Programme Capital Total Total
2021-22 2020-21
Operating Expenditure 37.5 138.7 6.7 182.9
£m £m £m £m £m
Change 2.8 27.6 19.5 49.9
Cash 40.2 169.2 58.8 268.2 * 252.4 Evolve 3.0 16.2 25.1 44.3
Non-Cash 11.0 35.8 0.0 46.8 38.1 Total Delegated Budget 43.3 182.5 51.3 277.1
Total 51.2 205.0 58.8 315.0 290.5 Central Adjustment -2.6 -13.3 7.5 -8.5
* Includes £36.7m minimum spending on Evolve Total Company Cash 40.7* 169.2 58.8 268.6
* Admin Budget is £0.5m above funding in APRA, due to the element withheld until Q2
Following an underspend in 2020-21, DfE have held back £0.5m of Admin in reserve for
2021-22, which will be released at the Q2 review if SLC can demonstrate that is required There are 45 new projects with a budget of £50.8m that have not yet commenced
to deliver the Business Plan. Discovery and Inception (D&I) included in the Change and Evolve budgets in Table 2.
As a result, the £50.8m total and classification split is subject to confirmation during
Additionally, SLC and DfE are discussing a potential additional c.£2m - £4m programme
2021-22. The sequence of the projects is illustrated in Table 3, including the quarter in
funding to progress some HE Reform initiatives in 2021-22. There is also a potential
which the D&I processes are currently scheduled to commence. These start dates
additional £0.5m programme funding in relation to higher technical qualifications. These
are based on initial plans and are subject to further capacity reviews through SLC’s
additional funding allocations would be subject to HMT approval.
Change Council.
Table 3: Change and Evolve New Project Scheduling
Project Start No of Admin Programme Capital Total
Quarter Projects 2021-22
£m £m £m £m £m
Q1 26 2.5 10.1 17.5 30.1
Q2 13 0.4 5.3 6.5 12.2
Q3 6 0.0 5.9 2.6 8.5
Total 45 2.9 21.3 26.6 50.8
22 23Business Plan 2021-22
03
Governance Alongside this our People Strategy will Career Pathways how best to manage our return to the
focus on: office following the pandemic. We will
As a public body, we adhere to the To be a more agile organisation we need
continue to assess how colleagues feel,
provisions of the Cabinet Office Code Pay and Grading to harness the skills of our people and
and work to understand impacts on
on Corporate Governance. We are Strategic Workforce Plan both create and optimise opportunities
health and wellbeing and how these can
committed to maintaining sound Career Pathways for them. Through new career pathways,
be alleviated.
governance, internal control and risk we are creating routes for colleagues to
management that supports our policies, progress within SLC – whether by moving
aims and objectives while safeguarding Employee Engagement to more senior roles within the same
public funds and assets, in accordance Pay and Grading functional area or by moving laterally
with the responsibilities set out in DfE’s to augment their skills and experience.
Over the next twelve months, we will be As well as signposting opportunities for
Framework Document with SLC.
concentrating on the implementation of colleagues, our career pathways are
Framework Document the Government Digital Service’s Digital The annual Employee Engagement survey for
future-facing and support our vision of 2020-21 highlighted an overall engagement
Data and Technology (DDaT) framework,
We are currently working with DfE to the skills and competencies that we will score of 7/10 across the organisation. This is
which recognises common skill sets
draft a new and refreshed Framework require in the years ahead. an increase of 0.7 compared to the previous
and career pathways for certain digital,
Document which will establish more year and demonstrates the impact of driving
data and technology roles, enabling the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
relevant and proportionate governance engagement and supporting colleagues
recruitment, development and retention
arrangements. This should allow SLC We are committed to sustaining a through the COVID-19 pandemic.
of colleagues. SLC operates in a highly
more autonomy to make decisions that positive, supportive and inclusive
competitive market for technology skills
will reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and workplace where everyone is treated Colleagues also told us:
and while the public sector cannot
allow change to move at a greater speed fairly. We respect the diversity of all who "I have the opportunity to do challenging
compete with the private sector on pay
while, critically, also ensuring that SLC work at SLC and want everyone to things at work" (up 0.9 to 7.1)
alone, we aim to be a great place to work
remains compliant with HMT and Cabinet achieve their full potential, to contribute "The overall business goals and strategies set
by offering an overall package which is
Office guidance. fully and to gain maximum benefit from by senior leadership are taking Student Loans
compelling. As such, the structure is a
the opportunities available.
People Strategy building block for career pathways which Company in the right direction" (up 0.7 to 7.0)
will provide clarity for colleagues and "My manager communicates openly and
While much of the focus of our People Our commitment to embedding equality
support both cross- and up-skilling and honestly with me" (up 0.6 to 8.4).
Strategy in 2020 rightly shifted to the and fairness across SLC was recently
mobility across SLC.
challenges posed by the pandemic - and recognised by the National Centre for Whilst pay and reward remains the lowest
the need for most staff to work from Strategic Workforce Plan Diversity (NCD) when we were awarded scoring theme, questions on this area
home – our ambition to be a great place Investors in Diversity accreditation. have shown an improvement over the last
Given the scale of change already
to work continues unabated. Our People Supported by ARCUS, SLC’s staff group two years, mainly due to the successful
outlined in the Business Plan, it is vital
Strategy sets out our plans to be an representing LGBT+ colleagues, we will implementation of the business case to
that we make sure we have the right
employer of choice not only for existing establish a Diversity Taskforce to take improve low pay in 2019.
people with the right skills in the right
colleagues, but for new ones as well.
roles. Through the Strategic Workforce forward recommendations made by
The pandemic will continue to shape our Plan we will redesign our workforce in the NCD.
thinking, with the post-pandemic return line with future operating needs and build
Employee Engagement
to the office being one of the biggest the associated models to meet those Our APRA measure and target, agreed
challenges in the coming year. Our focus needs. Over the course of this year, We aim to ensure that colleagues feel with Government for 2021-22 is:
is on planning a return to the office that significant focus will be placed on ‘Our engaged and listened to and monitor
Employee Engagement score
is safe, that colleagues can trust and that Workforce’ with the delivery of phase employee engagement through an annual
is to match or better the score
ensures the operating environment is one of the Strategic Workforce Plan. This staff survey, which we complement with
phase will focus on the benefits SLC can recorded as part of the 2020-21 staff
conducive to productivity. regular 'Pulse' surveys. Over the last
realise from CEM, Operations 2.0 and the engagement survey.
year, pulse surveys included questions
Excellence in Data project, as described on wellness and mental health as part Additionally, we have metrics in place
earlier in the document. of SLC’s response to the pandemic. We to monitor attrition, sickness absence,
will engage staff carefully as we consider people establishment and delivery of
employee training.
24 2504 05
Risk Conclusion
The principal risks and issues A successful cyber-attack SLC is an organisation that enables student opportunity, and which will strive to
that SLC has identified and is that may lead to data loss deliver an outstanding customer experience. Our aim is to become an organisation
actively managing are: and business disruption. that will thrive on the new challenges and opportunities of future years – one that
will consistently deliver quality and value to all of our stakeholders, customers,
The COVID-19 pandemic Software that is no
shareholders and staff.
and its impact on SLC’s longer supported by
ability to deliver its core software vendors and the
services. potential impact on SLC’s
ability to deliver service,
Handling and processing remain secure and meet
of data which may lead to compliance requirements.
a breach of legislative or
regulatory requirements.
The ability of SLC’s
Disaster Recovery
arrangements returning
critical services in line with
business requirements.
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