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Workforce Development Funding

The Workforce Development Fund (WDF) is funding from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) disseminated by Skills for Care.

The People at the Heart of Care white paper, published in December 2021, set out the government’s 10 year vision for adult social care and included a commitment to provide a funded learning and development offer.
In the Next Steps to put People at the Heart of Care, published in April 2023, the government confirmed some further details of the funded training offer.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is planning a new learning and development fund for adult social care. The new fund will not be administered by Skills for Care. DHSC has published guidance about the new scheme.

The WDF is being scaled down in 2024-25 and it will only be possible to claim WDF for qualifications and apprenticeships which started on or before 31 March 2024 and which will complete by 31st March 2025

Please note that the Workforce Development Fund can only be utilised by organisations that provide an adult social care service and directly employ care staff within England.

Funding will not be available from Essex Care Association as employer led partnerships are no longer funded by Skills for Care.

WDF is distributed by Skills for Care directly. You can sign up to the Skills for Care enews where they will announce the launch of the fund in due course.

Last updated: 11/06/2024
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