Guidance

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

Updated 12 September 2024

Applies to England

Introduction

This guidance outlines the Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS) for the adult social care workforce offered by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) for financial year 2024 to 2025.

This guidance also contains information on eligibility and how to claim, including information on how adult social care (ASC) employers can sign up to express interest in the new fund and be invited to use the new online digital claims service.

Funding for learning and development for 2024 to 2025

DHSC is providing funding under the LDSS to support learning and development for ‘non-regulated care staff’ (see ‘Glossary of terms’ at the end of this document, and the accompanying ‘Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme grant determination: 2024 to 2025’, including deputy and Care Quality Commission (CQC)-registered managers and agency staff, in England for financial year 2024 to 2025. Eligible ASC employers can claim funding for certain training courses and qualifications on behalf of eligible care staff. This funding is for eligible courses and qualifications that have been both paid for and started between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 (inclusive).

Note that the overall funding pot is limited. Once this has been exhausted, claims submitted will not receive reimbursement.

A deadline of 21 March 2025 (inclusive) applies for claims submitted this financial year. Late claims submitted between 22 March 2025 and 31 March 2025 (inclusive) may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

There is a cap on the total value of claims that can be reimbursed per claimant organisation. Details can be found in the accompanying ‘Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme grant determination: 2024 to 2025’.

Residual claims for the Workforce Development Fund

The Workforce Development Fund, administered by Skills for Care, has been scaled down from 1 April 2024. However, it can still be used to fund courses and qualifications that started on or before 31 March 2024 and will complete by 31 March 2025.

Visit the Skills for Care website for further information on claiming from the Workforce Development Fund.

What the funding can be used for

The LDSS is intended to provide financial contributions towards learning and development, helping the non-regulated ASC workforce to complete courses and qualifications. This provides an opportunity for non-regulated care staff, including deputy and CQC-registered managers and agency staff, to gain recognition for existing expertise, and develop new skills and specialisms. Eligible ASC employers can claim funding towards the cost of these courses and qualifications on behalf of eligible employees. See the ‘Eligibility’ section below for information on which providers and employees are eligible for this fund.

This scheme is for eligible courses and qualifications that have been both paid for and started between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 (inclusive). A list of ‘Eligible training courses and qualifications’ has been published alongside this guidance. Note that this list may be subject to change, and we recommend that employers check the course list prior to booking training for their staff.

The funding can only be used for the cost of the course or qualification. Funding cannot be used to cover:

• backfill pay
• travel costs
• any other associated costs

Where courses are completed but not passed (for example, if an individual fails to pass the final assessment), reimbursement may still be made, providing proof of completion is supplied. Repeat courses per employee are not eligible for reimbursement.

Courses and qualifications that are delivered and assessed internally are not eligible for reimbursement. This means that claims for courses and qualifications delivered and assessed by staff who are employed by the organisation claiming reimbursement will not be accepted.

Courses and qualifications taken as part of an apprenticeship are not eligible for learning and development support this year.

The LDSS is only available for non-regulated care staff, including deputy and CQC-registered managers and agency staff, within the ASC workforce.

How much funding can be claimed

Be aware that the overall funding pot is limited. Once this has been exhausted, claims submitted will not receive reimbursement. There is a cap on the total value of claims that can be reimbursed per claimant organisation. Details can be found in the accompanying ‘Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme grant determination: 2024 to 2025’.

‘Eligible training courses and qualifications’, published alongside this guidance, shows a full list of courses and qualifications eligible for the funding, as well as the maximum reimbursement amount per item. This amount reflects the maximum, not default, reimbursement amount. Where the evidenced spend for a course is lower than the payment cap for that specific course, the reimbursement will be for the evidenced spend only. No employer will be reimbursed more than the value of any legitimate evidenced spend.

Note that these maximum reimbursement amounts may be subject to change.

Eligibility

Funding eligibility criteria

This funding eligibility criteria is applicable to non-regulated care staff, including deputy and CQC-registered managers and agency staff, and ASC employers seeking reimbursement for all of the courses and qualifications listed in ‘Eligible training courses and qualifications’ alongside this guidance.

Funding is available for non-regulated care staff in England, including deputy and CQC-registered managers and agency staff. There are no restrictions on the number of hours that care staff must be contracted for to be eligible for this support.

To qualify for the LDSS, individuals must be employed by an employer (including local authorities) that meets all of the following criteria. The employer must:

• provide an ASC service
• directly employ care staff in England (see ‘Glossary of terms’ below and the accompanying ‘Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme grant determination: 2024 to 2025’)
• complete, or have already completed, the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS)

Refer to ‘Glossary of terms’ below for clarification of terms such as ‘care staff’.

In addition to non-regulated care staff, the funding is available to deputy and CQC-registered managers and agency staff. This funding is otherwise not available for regulated members of the ASC workforce (including registered nurses, nursing associates, allied health professionals and occupational therapists).

To qualify for the LDSS, non-regulated care staff must be legally employed in England and have a UK national insurance number.

Note that any pre-conditions of enrolment for courses and qualifications are set out by awarding organisations and training providers, and are not contained within this guidance.

Personal assistants

Funding is available for personal assistants within the ASC workforce employed by an ASC organisation or establishment that:

• has completed, or is able to complete, the ASC-WDS
• provides an ASC service
• directly employs care staff in England

Personal assistants whose employers do not meet these criteria should seek funding for training through Skills for Care’s Individual Employer Funding scheme.

How to claim

Accessing the fund

This scheme is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) on behalf of DHSC.

NHSBSA operates a new digital online claims service, which employers of eligible care staff can use to submit claims for the LDSS. This claims service is now live. ASC employers can express their interest in being invited to use the service by completing this form.

Onboarding process for the online claims service

After expressing interest in using the online claims service through the form, ASC employers will be contacted by NHSBSA to start the onboarding process in due course. This is a phased onboarding process, guided by NHSBSA. For the first few months, access to the online claims service is only possible through an invitation from NHSBSA.

Note that only the employers of eligible care staff will be able to access the online claims service - claims cannot be submitted directly by care staff or training providers.

Submitting claims

ASC employers must complete, or have completed, the ASC-WDS. Once the new account is verified and the onboarding process is complete, eligible ASC employers can submit claims on behalf of their employees. To claim, employers will need to provide evidence as outlined in the ‘Evidence requirements’ section below.

The claims process will differ depending on whether the claim is for a training course or a qualification. The distinction between training courses and qualifications is set out in ‘Eligible training courses and qualifications’, where each item is labelled as either a ‘training course’ or a ‘qualification’.

For training courses:

• reimbursement will be made following training or course completion
• claims for training courses must be submitted by 21 March 2025 (inclusive)
• late claims submitted between 22 and 31 March 2025 (inclusive) may be considered on a case-by-case basis

For qualifications:

• employers should claim using the combined claims model, wherein employers must claim 60% of the reimbursement value upon their employee starting the qualification, with the remaining 40% reimbursement provided upon proof of course completion
• the initial 60% reimbursement claim must be made by the earliest date of either 21 March 2025 (inclusive) or within 3 months after the qualification start date. The 3-month rule does not apply where eligible qualifications were paid for and started between 1 April 2024 and the launch of the LDSS (6 September 2024). Late claims for the initial 60% reimbursement that are submitted between 22 and 31 March 2025 (inclusive) may be considered on a case-by-case basis
• the remaining 40% reimbursement claim must be made within 3 months of completion. When an eligible qualification has been both paid for and started between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 (inclusive), but completion extends beyond 31 March 2025, completed claims can be submitted up to 31 December 2026

The remaining 40% reimbursement for qualifications will only be provided if the training has been completed.

Where a training course or qualification is completed but not passed (for example, failure to pass the final assessment), reimbursement may still be made provided proof of completion is supplied.

Note that the overall funding pot is limited. Once this has been exhausted, claims submitted will not receive reimbursement.

Evidence requirements

For each claim, ASC employers are required to:

• confirm the employee is employed in an eligible non-regulated care role (this is defined in ‘Glossary of terms’ at the end of this document, as well as the accompanying ‘Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme grant determination: 2024 to 2025’), including deputy and CQC-registered managers and agency staff, and that the information provided is correct to the best of their knowledge
• provide the employee’s UK national insurance number for identity verification purposes
• confirm the employee has started the course or qualification
• confirm that training is eligible (see ‘Eligible training courses and qualifications’ published alongside this guidance)
• provide the following evidence that the training course or qualification is eligible:
  • the name of the awarding organisation
  • the name of the training provider or learning centre
  • the name of the training course or qualification
• provide the following evidence that the training has been paid for, including:
  • proof of payment (which should include the name of the organisation that made the payment and the name of the organisation that received the payment)
  • the name of the training course or qualification paid for
  • the amount paid
  • VAT number (if not exempt)
  • the date of payment
• provide a dated certificate of completion (except for in the case of qualifications, whereby 60% of the reimbursement value should be claimed when the employee starts the course)

Where possible, ASC employers should also retain any evidence of an employee starting a course as this may be requested as part of post-claim assurance processes carried out by the service administrator, NHSBSA.

ASC employers will be required to sign a declaration of adherence to the rules and conditions set out in the accompanying ‘Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme grant determination: 2024 to 2025’ before claims will be processed. Costs paid out in error or for fraudulent claims will be recovered. Further action including criminal proceedings may be taken if a fraudulent claim has been made.

The new quality-assured care learning service

Introduction to the quality-assured care learning service

A new service is being developed to review the quality of individual courses and qualifications delivered by training providers. This will enable ASC providers to easily identify high-quality learning and development opportunities, and trust that courses and qualifications funded by the government will meet their needs. 

This service will be delivered by Skills for Care. Guidance on how training providers can use the quality assurance service will be published on the Skills for Care website from early autumn 2024.

How the new quality-assured care learning service will impact the scope of the LDSS

For the financial year 2024 to 2025, this quality assurance service will not affect the scope of the LDSS. ASC employers will be able to claim reimbursement for eligible courses and qualifications delivered by any training providers, provided that, in the case of qualifications, the qualification is awarded by an accredited awarding organisation, as set out in the ‘Eligible training courses and qualifications’ list published alongside this guidance. This applies regardless of the quality assurance status of the training provider.

Over time, courses eligible for reimbursement may be limited to those that have been quality assured. However, we recognise that this would represent a significant change for the sector and would take time to achieve - therefore, this change would be rolled out in phases.

Enquiries and further updates

This guidance, including the list of ‘Eligible training courses and qualifications’ published alongside, is subject to change. This guidance will be updated as required. Those with accounts registered on the online claims service will be notified of any changes to this guidance or course list.

Queries about using the new digital online claims service should be emailed to asclearninganddevelopmentsupport@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. A contact centre line is also available for queries about the new digital online claims service by phoning 0300 330 0522.

Any other queries about the Learning and Development Support Scheme for 2024 to 2025 should be sent to ascreimbursement@dhsc.gov.uk.

Any queries relating to the Workforce Development Fund, administered by Skills for Care, should be sent to wdf@skillsforcare.org.uk.

Glossary of terms

Adult social care services

Adult social care services include the services outlined below, or services which are similar to such services:

• adult residential (care homes services with nursing, care home services without nursing, sheltered housing or other adult residential care services)
• adult day (day care and day services or other adult day care services)
• adult domiciliary (domestic services and home help, domiciliary care services, extra care housing services, live-in care, supported living services or other adult domiciliary care services)
• adult community care (carers support, community support and outreach, disability adaptations or assistive technology services, information and advice services, occupational or employment-related services, Shared Lives, short breaks or respite care, or social work or care management)

Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS)

ASC-WDS is a free online data collection service hosted by Skills for Care. ASC-WDS covers the ASC workforce in England. It can also provide access to the Workforce Development Fund.

Care Quality Commission

Independent regulator of health and social care in England.

Combined claims

A reimbursement model applicable to qualifications, wherein ASC employers claim 60% of the reimbursement value upon their employee starting the qualification, with the remaining 40% reimbursement provided upon proof of qualification completion.

Non-regulated care staff

Non-regulated members of the ASC workforce, including agency staff, employed in:

• direct care roles (advice guidance and advocacy, care worker, community support and outreach work, employment support, nursing assistant, senior care worker and technician)
• managerial roles (first line manager, managers and staff in care-related but not care-providing roles, middle management, registered managers, senior management, or supervisor)

Note that CQC-registered managers and deputy managers, as well as agency staff, are considered in scope of funding.

Workforce Development Fund

Funding from DHSC that is disseminated by Skills for Care to support provision of high-quality care.