This guidance is for:

• FE providers that are required to maintain ILR data and ensure it is complete and accurate, which include:

  • colleges
  • independent training providers
  • higher education providers
  • employer-providers
  • other organisations

• organisations that deliver funding audits and other reviews, which include:

  • DfE
  • accountancy firms
  • external and internal auditors

PDSAT Online is a tool developed by a supplier to aid the analysis of learner and learning delivery data. It interrogates ILR data and produces reports, allowing providers to identify and investigate potential anomalies. A guide for how to use PDSAT Online is available on the supplier’s website.

It is a provider’s responsibility to put in place processes that ensure they return timely, complete and accurate data in their ILRs. We encourage providers to use PDSAT to regularly check their ILR data, reducing the risk of overclaiming funds from the Department for Education (DfE) that then need to be repaid.

To use PDSAT Online, providers need to register their organisation.

A desktop version of PDSAT is available for funding years 2016 to 2017 through to 2021 to 2022.

The ‘Reviewing PDSAT reports: user guide’ is for providers and the organisations reviewing their ILR data. User guides for the funding years 2020 to 2021, 2021 to 2022, 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024 are available in the National Archives.

The ‘Overview of PDSAT reports by type’ provides a categorised summary of all available PDSAT reports, to help users understand the purpose and potential impact of reports that are most likely to identify issues or funding errors.

For any queries, email the PDSAT helpdesk DSAThelpdesk@KPMG.co.uk.