Workforce Development Fund
You could claim money towards developing your employees
If you’re an adult social care employer in England, you can claim the Workforce Development Fund (WDF) towards the costs of your employees completing adult social care qualifications and learning programmes.
Due to the introduction of the Regulated Qualifications Framework in 2017 and the new apprenticeships standards introduced to comply with Government reforms, a number of changes have been made to the way the WDF is disbursed.
The two main changes are that:
- funding is now claimed for completed qualifications or learning programmes and is evidenced by a copy of the learner’s certificate.
- there is a financial limit per learner within a single funding year.
What is the Workforce Development Fund?
The WDF is funding from the Department of Health and Social Care which is disbursed by Skills for Care. It’s a limited pot of money which funds qualifications and learning programmes to support the continuing professional development of staff across adult social care in England.
Employers can claim back a contribution towards the costs of employees completing health and social care qualifications and learning programmes. Employers who directly incur costs for learning and development can access the WDF to reclaim a contribution towards these costs.
What can I claim for?
You can claim WDF towards the cost of course fees (or employer contributions) and associated costs, such as employees’ salaries whilst they are undertaking training, coaching and mentoring costs, venue costs for the training and wage replacement costs.
What’s in it for me?
The WDF contribution depends on the size of the qualification or learning programme. All qualifications and learning programmes are funded up to the value advertised on completion. A maximum of £1,200 can be claimed per learner per funding year. Funding years run from 1 April to 31 March.
Here are some examples of what could be claimed:
- Level 2 Diploma in Care: £690
- Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care: £870
- Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services, adult pathways: £1,200
Disclaimer: we offer this advice as a guidance, and we are not directly responsible for the fund, or linked to the funders (Skills For Care) in any way. It is your responsibility to take action when claiming for your staff.
