If you need both English and maths at Level 2, the best online option is a combined course that gives you two separate Ofqual-regulated certificates, includes every exam sitting in one price, and lets you sit from home. Lift College's Functional Skills English and Maths Level 2 does this for £59.99 a month or £611.99 a year: two TQUK qualifications (English 610/2625/6 and Maths 610/2624/4), 110 guided learning hours, exam entry and one sitting for each qualification included, a named UK tutor, and a 7-day free trial with nothing charged until day 8. Only two of the five providers we compared publish a combined price; the table below shows what each one offers as read on their own pages on 9 October 2026.
What a combined course actually is
There is no single "English and maths" qualification. A combined course bundles two qualifications, each with its own assessments and its own certificate. In Lift College's course the two are studied together and certificated separately, so you finish with two TQUK certificates. The practical questions when comparing bundles are:
- Does the price cover both sets of exams, including the three English components?
- Can you book each exam when you are ready for that subject, rather than both at once?
- Is there a saving against buying the two subjects separately?
- How long do you have, and what happens if one subject takes longer than the other?
2026 comparison table
| Provider | Price | Awarding body | Exam or assessment included | Tutor support | Free trial or refund |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lift College | £59.99 a month or £611.99 a year for both qualifications, full course with all fees included; monthly subscription, no contract, cancel any time | TQUK, qualification numbers 610/2625/6 (English) and 610/2624/4 (Maths), Ofqual-regulated | Yes. Exam entry and one sitting for each qualification; on-screen with remote invigilation from home or at a TQUK-approved centre, booked by Lift when your tutor confirms readiness; resit fee applies | Named UK tutor, marking in 5 to 7 working days, AI Study Support | 7-day free trial, nothing charged until day 8; 14-day money-back guarantee on every payment; no credit check |
| learndirect | £779.99 shown as a sale price (£1,199.99 struck through); "Pay Monthly From £56.67/month" and other monthly figures also shown | TQUK, Ofqual-regulated | Yes. "Exams are included in this course and are taken at home using our remote invigilation software"; fees must be paid in full before booking, with at least four weeks' notice | Email support from a qualified tutor, one hour of one-to-one tutorial time per subject, tutor-marked assignments and marked mock exams | No free trial shown on the page; refund or cancellation terms not on the page (Check provider) |
| NEC (National Extension College) | No combined course found; maths and English sold separately at £295 each plus a £19 registration fee each | TQUK, 610/2624/4 (Maths) and 610/2625/6 (English) | Assessments taken online via TQUK; English SLC assessed remotely by NEC; page does not state whether an external assessment fee is covered (Check provider) | One-to-one tutor guidance for 12 months per course | No free trial shown; refund terms not on the page (Check provider) |
| Pass Functional Skills | No combined course price on the shop page (Check provider); maths and English courses £284 each, exams sold separately (maths from £157.60, English from £198.40) | No single body named; courses described as suitable for TQUK, Open Awards, City & Guilds, NCFE and Edexcel exams | No. Exams are separate purchases, sat online from home with online invigilation | Video tutorials, AI-marked mocks, experts available for queries | Free sample of the course before upgrading; refund terms not on the page (Check provider) |
| Functional Skills UK | No combined package mentioned and no course prices on the pages read (Check provider) | Not named on the page; described as Ofqual-regulated | Yes for each subject: "Exam online or in person, included in the price"; £0 resit fee | Tutor-led live Zoom classes or self-study with tutor support | Not on the page (Check provider) |
The learndirect combined course page is the only competitor page in this set that sells both subjects as one product. All figures reflect the pages as read on 9 October 2026.
Lift College versus learndirect on the combined course
Both use TQUK, both include the exams, and both let you sit from home. The differences are commitment and cost. Lift College charges £59.99 a month on a subscription with no contract, or £611.99 for a year (which saves 15%), with typical study time of 4 to 8 months for the 110 guided learning hours. learndirect's page showed £779.99 as a sale price against £1,199.99, with payments spread over instalments, 12 months of access and an average completion time of 12 months. learndirect requires all fees to be settled before an exam can be booked; Lift books each exam when your tutor confirms you are ready for that subject.
Taking both together or separately
Together suits you if you need both for the same deadline, such as an apprenticeship start date, a nursing associate application or a university offer that asks for Level 2 in both. One tutor, one platform and one price make it easier to keep going, and in Lift College's course you sit each exam when you are ready for it, so a weaker subject does not hold up the stronger one.
Separately suits you if you already hold one subject at grade 4 or above, or if you want to finish one before starting the other. Lift College's single-subject courses, Functional Skills Maths Level 2 and Functional Skills English Level 2, are each £39.99 a month or £407.99 a year.
On cost, two single Lift College subscriptions would be £79.98 a month against £59.99 for the combined course, and two annual plans would be £815.98 against £611.99. On a monthly plan the combined course takes longer, so compare the total you expect to pay over your own study period rather than the monthly figure alone. For a broader view of routes, including GCSE resits, read the cheapest way to get GCSE maths and English.
Who should choose which
- Both subjects, one price with every exam included, no contract: Lift College's combined course.
- A fixed price spread over instalments on a 12-month programme: learndirect.
- A long tutor window on two separate courses: NEC.
- Exam bookings only, for confident self-studiers: Pass Functional Skills.
- Live classes: Functional Skills UK, once you have confirmed the price.
The Functional Skills hub lists all three Lift College courses side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a single Functional Skills English and Maths qualification?
No. A combined course bundles two separate Ofqual-regulated qualifications, one in English and one in maths, each with its own assessments and certificate.
How much does a combined English and maths Level 2 course cost online?
On 9 October 2026 Lift College charged £59.99 a month or £611.99 a year with all exam fees included. learndirect showed a £779.99 sale price for its combined course. NEC, Pass Functional Skills and Functional Skills UK did not publish a combined price.
Do I have to sit both exams at the same time?
Not with Lift College. The two qualifications are studied together and assessed separately, and each exam is booked when your tutor confirms you are ready for that subject.
How long does it take to do both subjects?
The combined course is 110 guided learning hours. Lift College learners typically take 4 to 8 months; learndirect quotes an average of 12 months.
Is it cheaper to do both together?
At Lift College, yes on a like-for-like basis: £59.99 a month for both against £39.99 a month for each subject separately, and £611.99 a year against £407.99 for each annual single-subject plan.
Who accepts Functional Skills Level 2 in English and maths?
Apprenticeship funding rules list Functional Skills Level 2 with GCSE grade 4, and NHS nursing associate entry requirements name it. Universities and teacher training providers decide course by course. See who accepts Functional Skills Level 2.
Sources checked
- https://liftcollege.co.uk/qualifications/functional-skills/functional-skills-english-maths-level-2 (checked 9 October 2026)
- https://www.learndirect.com/course/functional-skills-english-maths-level-2-including-exams (checked 9 October 2026)
- https://www.nec.ac.uk/course/functional-skills-maths-level-2/ (checked 9 October 2026)
- https://www.nec.ac.uk/course/functional-skills-english-level-2/ (checked 9 October 2026)
- https://www.passfunctionalskills.co.uk/shop/ (checked 9 October 2026)
- https://www.passfunctionalskills.co.uk/functional-skills-level-2/ (checked 9 October 2026)
- https://www.passfunctionalskills.co.uk/shop/courses/functional-skills-maths-and-english-level-2-course/ (attempted 9 October 2026, page did not load)
- https://www.functionalskillsuk.co.uk/courses/functional-skills-maths (checked 9 October 2026)
- https://www.functionalskillsuk.co.uk/courses/functional-skills-english (checked 9 October 2026)
- https://www.functionalskillsuk.co.uk/ (checked 9 October 2026)
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a68cabe229c578debc1a78c/Funding_Rules_2627_Version_3_Final.pdf (checked 9 October 2026)
- https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/nursing/roles-nursing/nursing-associate (checked 9 October 2026)