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Guidance

Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme: a guide for employers

Information for adult social care employers in England on learning and development support.

Updates to this page

From:
Department of Health and Social Care
Published:
6 September 2024
Last updated:
1 September 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updated the document 'Eligible training courses and qualifications': added link for programmes under 'Skills for Care learning programmes' and updated 'Qualifications in leadership and management' with 3 new qualifications for Level 5 Diploma in Leading and Managing an Adult Care Service.

  2. Updated 'Eligible training courses and qualifications'. Added 3 new qualifications for Level 5 Diploma in Leading and Managing an Adult Care Service (and updated the name of 8 entries from 'Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care'). Added 6 qualifications for Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care.

  3. Updated to reflect that funding for Oliver's Training will continue into the financial year 2026 to 2027.

  4. Updated the guide for employers by added a line stating that reimbursement cannot be guaranteed; that the funding pots for the LDSS and for Oliver’s Training are both limited; and that ASC employers are encouraged to submit their claims as soon as they have the evidence. Also added a line outlining how employers are required to keep the relevant ASC Workforce Data Set records up to date when submitting claims on behalf of one or more corporate subsidiaries. Updated 'Eligible training courses and qualifications' with the latest available courses.

  5. Added 2 new qualifications to 'Eligible training courses and qualifications' - 'Professional assessment Ltd Level 5 Award in understanding digital leadership in adult social care' and 'Pearson Level 2 adult social care certificate'.

  6. Added 3 new qualifications to 'Eligible training courses and qualifications': 'Professional Assessment Ltd Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate', 'ProQual Level 5 Award in Understanding Digital Leadership in Adult Social Care' and 'Laser Learning Awards Level 5 Award in Understanding Digital Leadership in Adult Social Care'. Also added 2 qualifications to the 'Discontinued courses and qualifications': 'BIIAB Level 3 Award in Awareness of the Mental Capacity Act 2005' and 'BIIAB Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Working in Mental Health'

  7. Updated the document ‘Learning and Development Support Scheme for the adult social care workforce: a guide for employers’ to add eligibility criteria and application deadlines to support claims for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. In the document ‘Eligible training courses and qualifications’: added course information including maximum reimbursement rates for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism.

  8. In the document ‘Learning and Development Support Scheme for the adult social care workforce: a guide for employers’: clarified wording to reflect that each claim for a qualification is split into a ‘60 part’ and a ‘40 part’. In the document ‘Eligible training courses and qualifications’: updated ‘Notice of closures and removals’ section to indicate courses and qualifications that are no longer open to registration; removed expired qualifications; updated link to the PBS Academy website.

  9. Added 2 new qualifications to 'Eligible training courses and qualifications': 'FutureQuals Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate' and 'ProQual Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate'.

  10. Updated to say that the scheme is now accepting claims for eligible courses and qualifications paid for in the financial year 2025 to 2026, as well as 2024 to 2025.

  11. Updated to reflect the current guidance and the latest list of eligible courses and qualifications for the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme.

  12. Added 2 new qualifications to 'Eligible training courses and qualifications': 'RoSPA Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate' and 'Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma in Leading and Managing an Adult Care Service (RQF)'.

  13. Updated the guide for employers on the upcoming claims deadline and support for meeting this deadline, and on funding for internally delivered training.

  14. Clarified that certain learning programmes are only available through training providers licensed by Skills for Care, whereas other learning programmes can be booked directly on the Skills for Care website. Amended funding information for Mental Health First Aid England to clarify that only funding for specified courses is available. Removed Digital Leadership course from list of courses.

  15. Added 2 new qualifications to 'Eligible training courses and qualifications': FuturU and ICQ are now awarding organisations for the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate.

  16. Updated text in 'The new quality assured care learning service' section of the guide for employers; and updated one web link in the eligible courses and qualifications publication.

  17. Added 'Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme grant determination: 2024 to 2025' and updated references to this in the scheme guidance.

  18. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Learning and Development Support Scheme for the adult social care workforce: a guide for employers

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Eligible training courses and qualifications

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Details

Eligible adult social care employers in England can claim staff training costs from the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS). The LDSS is available for non-regulated care staff, including deputy and Care Quality Commission-registered managers and agency staff, within the adult social care workforce.

This guidance covers:

  • the eligibility criteria for being able to make claims through the scheme
  • how the funding can be used, including the training courses and qualifications within scope of the scheme
  • when the funding will be available
  • the reimbursement rates
  • details on how adult social care employers can access the online claims service and make a claim
  • how reimbursement for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism (‘Oliver’s Training’) can be claimed, and the different application deadlines and eligibility criteria that apply to this training

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