What is the Workforce Development Fund?

The Workforce Development Fund (WDF) comes from the Department of Health and Social Care and is disseminated by Skills for Care.  It supports adult social care providers to claim back money towards the costs of staff completing a range of adult social care qualifications and learning programmes.  Essex Care Association has been awarded a WDF Grant for 2022/23 and distributes funding across Essex, Southend and Thurrock on behalf of Skills for Care.

What Can I Claim for?

The fund can be claimed for money towards the costs of course fees and associated costs such as:

• Costs of the 20% off the job learning for apprenticeships - this includes those providers who are Levy payers
• Smaller awards and certificates within the RQF framework for Dementia, Autism, End of Life, Learning Disabilities, etc.
• Staff salaries whilst undertaking training and/or wage replacement costs
• Coaching and mentoring costs and/or venue costs for training

Training must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 31 March 2023. The end date for claims by Skills for Care for the fund is 31 May 2023, however Essex Care Training Partnership will require all claims to be submitted to ECTP by 17th May 2023 to allow for processing and loading the required information. All costs must be incurred before WDF is claimed and employers must ensure they have records in place to evidence the costs of any funding claim they make. 

As well as a range of qualifications and learning programmes for staff, supporting continual professional development for Registered Managers and Deputies remains a key priority for Skills for Care.  Training that can be claimed for includes:

• Digital Learning for Managers
• Skills for Care Learning Programmes
• Digital Learning for Care Certificate Assessors
• Digital Learning for Managers including Preparing for CQC Inspection.

Click here for a full list of all funded qualifications, training and learning programmes:

Funded qualifications and learning programmes 2022-23 (skillsforcare.org.uk)

HOW DO I CLAIM? 

If You Have Never Claimed WDF Funding Before:

1. Complete your ASC – Workforce Data Set (formerly NMDS.SC) For more information on how to create a ASC-WDS account click here create a ASC-WDS account
2. Email your completed Members Declaration Formand Letter of Agreement to ectp@essexcare.org.uk
3. Email your completed Employers Claim Submission Form and Claim information sheetand a photocopy of your employee’s qualification certificate to ectp@essexcare.org.uk
4. ECTP will review your application and submit all accurate claims to Skills for Care on your behalf.  You should be notified within 6 to 8 weeks if your claim has been successful.

If You Have Claimed WDF Previously

1. Complete or update your ASC – Workforce Data Set (formerly NMDS.SC) For more information please click here 
2. Email your completed Employers Claim Submission FormClaim information sheet and a photocopy of your employee’s qualification certificate to ectp@essexcare.org.uk
3. ECTP will review your application and submit all accurate claims to Skills for Care on your behalf.  You should be notified within 6 to 8 weeks if your claim has been successful

IMPORTANT: All certificates must include the Skills for Care required information about the learner

For more information contact ectp@essexcare.org.uk or Tel: 01268 565551