PICS for the 2025/26 ILR Year
This page outlines the key changes in the new version of PICS for the 2025/26 ILR year, in keeping with the changes to the ILR Specification. This update will be released over the weekend of 15th August.
Changes to Funding Calculations
Funding Calculations have been updated for the 2025 ILR Year, this applies to:
Monthly Funding calculations,
Projected Funding funding calculations,
Funding Forecasting
The Earnings Adjustment Statement data collection has been updated for the 2025 ILR year
Funding Reconciliations may slightly delayed. This depends on how early the updated FIS is made available to us, though we anticipate this should be soon.
ILR Changes
While this is overall a year of minimal change for the ILR Specification, we have identified a few changes that we think are worth highlighting:
FFI no longer required for Tailored Learning (FM11).
DAM codes 013 and 015 extended to 31/07/26.
LDM 331 and 378 have name changes.
LDMs removed: 358, 377, 384
An end date of the 31/07/25 has been added to LLDD category 15 (Asperger's syndrome)
Contract Reference Number is now available for apprentices
References to “ESFA” have been removed
Reversal of last year's change to National Insurance numbers so spaces are now permitted.
Contact Preference entity has been removed.
New Learner FAMs (EMH and MMH) have been added for minimum planned teaching hours for English and Maths eligible qualifications.
Framework and Pathway have been removed.
Apprenticeship framework programme type codes removed, frameworks removed as a collection requirement.
New SOF codes for more devolved areas: 121, 122, 123.
SOF code 118 has a name change
SOF 108 removed
A new Aim FAM type (EVI) has been added to record events occurring during learning.
Qualification on Entry (QUALENT3) and Major Source of Tuition Fees fields have code changes.
SOC2020 has been renamed to SOC, old codes are no longer valid.
Socio-Economic Indicator has changed long name to Socio-Economic Classification.
UCAS Application Code has changed long name to UCAS Scheme Code and is now UCASSCHEMECODE in the XML data.
Domicile field has changed long name to Country of Permanent Address and is now PERMADDCOUNTRY in the XML data.
Cross-Year Working
The guidance below offers some general guidance on working across contract years in PICS. If you need help with any of this guidance, please Contact our Support Team.
ILR Imports
In the new year version of PICS, PICS Imports will populate the new year data values but not any equivalent fields in the old year for starts prior to 1st August. The old year values must be entered manually into the new record. If possible, we recommend that you import all learner data for the old year before the upgrade takes place.
ILR Submissions
You will be able to make ILR submissions for the previous ILR year up until 6.00pm on the 23rd October 2025.
After the new year begins, the ILR Exporter will allow you to create ILR files for the previous Contract Year, which you can submit as required. We recommend that you submit a final ILR file for the previous year in October so that the year is closed with your latest information.
ILR Funding
The Funding Calculator and Funding Reconciliation Tools all have options to choose which Contract Year you are running them for.
Remember to Refinal period 12 in the Funding Calculator for the previous contract year each time you submit a new ILR data file for that year.
ILR Planned Learning/EEP Hours
When a learner has multiple episodes in an academic year, planned hours will be aggregated across all of them.
You should enter the hours for each episode for each year and PICS will aggregate them. It is important when creating a new episode for an existing learner that you use the Actions > Create Episode option from the Other Episodes tab in the Learner Summary. This ensures the episodes are linked - please Get in Touch for guidance on fixing any duplicate client records.
To enter planned hours for the new year, go to the Planned Learning Hours tab in the Learner ILR Summary. Select Edit to enter the planned hours and Save to confirm them.
ILR Exports and Funding Calculator
The video below from our training team covers how to manage ILR exports and funding calculations through the cross-year period.
Changes to PICS Reporting Fields
With the ILR and Funding changes, this also means changes to our reporting fields within PICS. Whilst the fields themselves will not change, the underpinning data may change to reflect the new academic year.
The following PICS reports have been amended to include new additional fields for Minimum Maths Hours Learner FAM and Minimum English Hours Learner FAM:
ILR Learner Report
Learner ILR Aim FAMs report
Learner ILR Aim report
Learner ILR Earning Adjustment Report
Learner ILR Employments report
Learner ILR HE Aims report
Changes to PICS Fields
Field / Description | ILR Year | Field Type | Migration of data for the new ILR Year |
ULIN2024 - This field is only populated if the learner's reference number changed on 1st August 2025 | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | - |
Accommodation | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
Planned learning hours | 2026 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
Planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours | 2026 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
GCSE Maths qualification grade
| 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
GCSE English qualification grade
| 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
HNS Learner FAM - High needs students | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
LSR Learner FAM - Learner support reason (a)
| 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year (See description) |
LSR Learner FAM - Learner support reason (b)
| 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year (See description) |
LSR Learner FAM - Learner support reason (c)
| 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year (See description) |
LSR Learner FAM - Learner support reason (d)
| 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year (See description) |
SEN Learner FAM - Special educational needs | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
EDF Learner FAM - Eligibility for EFA disadvantage funding (a) | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
EDF Learner FAM - Eligibility for EFA disadvantage funding (b) | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
MCF Learner FAM - GCSE maths condition of funding
| 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year (See description) |
ECF Learner FAM - GCSE English condition of funding
| 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year (See description) |
MMH Learner FAM - Maths Minimum Hours - New field for 2025 | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
EMH Learner FAM - English Minimum Hours - New field for 2025 | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
FME Learner FAM - Free meals eligibility | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
HE Financial Support Amount - Accommodation discount | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
HE Financial Support Amount - Cash | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
HE Financial Support Amount - Near Cash | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
HE Financial Support Amount - Other | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
NLM Learner FAM - National Learner Monitoring (1).
| 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year (See description) |
NLM Learner FAM - National Learner Monitoring (2).
| 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year (See description) |
UK provider reference number | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
Learning support cost | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
PICS Episode Planned Learning Hours | 2026 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
PICS Episode Planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours | 2026 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
HE Term Time Accommodation | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
Aim type | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
Funding Model | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
Programme Type | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
Subcontracted or partnership UKPRN | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
SOF Learning Aim FAM - Source of funding | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
FFI Learning Aim FAM - Full or co-funding indicator | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
The last Aim Sequence Number for this aim in a 2025 ILR file | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
"Export in 2025/26" flag | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
File ID for the 2025 ILR this aim was last returned in | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
Aim type | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
Funding Model | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
Programme Type | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
SOF Learning Aim FAM - Source of funding | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
FFI Learning Aim FAM - Full or co-funding indicator | 2024 | Historic Field - current year data will be moved to a new field for the previous year | Copy backwards to previous ILR Year |
The last Aim Sequence Number for this aim in a 2025 ILR file | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
"Export in 2025/26" flag | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
File ID for the 2025 ILR this aim was last returned in | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | - |
Type of Instance Year - see migration note below | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
Mode of Study | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
Completion of Year of Instance | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
Student instance FTE | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
Year of student on this Instance | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
Percentage not taught by this institution | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
Net Tuition Fee | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |
Gross Tuition Fee | 2025 | A field linked to a specific year. Each year a new field is created to store the data for the new ILR year. | Copy Forward to New ILR Year |