LDSS Adult Care Funding, Are You Ready?
An update regarding the Learning and Development Support Scheme for 2024!
The Department of Health & Social Care and Skills for Care have announced that the Workforce Development Fund (WDF) will be replaced by a new initiative called the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS).
Recent publications outline the LDSS’s qualifications, criteria, eligibility requirements, and funding limits for adult care service providers. Pentagon Skills has compiled a summary of key points that providers should be aware of and actions they should take.
Although the details are still emerging, we have identified and listed important documents that may interest Adult Social Care Providers who depend on this funding to support their training and education expenses.
Read on if this affects you or if you are interested in utilising this new funding stream!
Eligibility for LDSS
The financing mechanism operates similarly to its predecessor, allowing eligible adult social care providers to recoup all or a substantial portion of their training expenses providing both the organization and the employee meeting the necessary eligibility criteria set out below:
The Business
The business must fulfill all of the below below criteria to be eligible:
- provide an Adult Social Care service
- directly employ care staff in England
- Have an up to date Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set
The Individual
Employees must also be categorised under one of the following categories to be eligible:
- CQC registered manager or deputy
- Employed by an ASC service provider
- Agency Care Staff
- Non-regulated care staff
Not Eligible
The scope is not extend to regulated members of the ASC Workforce such as:
- registered nurses
- nursing associates
- allied health professionals
- occupational therapists
Funding Claims & Spending Caps
The Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme’s allocation letter dated 12th September 2024 states that each entity or consortium can request up to ÂŁ400,000.00 annually (from 1st April to 31st March). However, it remains uncertain whether a limit per employee will be implemented.
Adult Care Providers will be glad to hear that they can now reclaim 60% of the total funding cost for those enrolling upon an eligible Vocational Qualification, with the remaining 40% claimable upon completion. For training programs, funding can be claimed by submitting the completion certificate.
All of the above must be claimed within 3 months of the claim milestone and must be claimed within the same financial year although the fine print specifies that some flexibility and allowance will be made toward this financial year given that the advise comes 6 months after the start of this financial year.
Pentagon Skills clients will soon be contacted and support regarding retrospective claims for 2024 so stand by for more information in the coming weeks.
60% Upon Enrolment
The business must claim the first 60% of total qualification cost within 3 months of the candidate enrolling upon the qualification.
40% Upon Completion
The remaining 40% can be claimed upon completion of the qualification. The claim must be made within 3 months of completion.
Training
Where CPD training is concerned 100% of the funded amount will be claimable upon completion by presenting certification within that financial year.
Ratings & Reviews
What people think
How to Access the Fund
Current information suggests that completing the NHS expression of interest form is the initial step to take. The LDSS will then contact you to progress the application.
The scheme is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) on behalf of Department for Health & Social Care (DHSC). Access to the LDSS claims service will be released in stages so it’s important that you register for this service as soon as possible. The advantages to you and your organisation of signing up early include:
- starting to get money back as early as possible
- additional support from the NHSBSA as you use the service
- the opportunity to feed into ongoing improvements
Pentagon Skills existing customers will be fully supported in engaging with this latest funding stream and you can be assured we’ll be in touch with updates and advice very soon. In the meantime if you have any questions then please don’t hesitate to contact us.
What’s Funded?
The funded courses and qualifications remain largely familiar, with notable changes including the replacement of the Level 2 Diploma in Adult Care with the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate. Additionally, numerous Skills for Care funded online courses have been introduced.
The comprehensive list encompasses training to support various areas such as Mental Health, Positive Behavioral Support, Autism, Dementia, Diabetes, and Medication administration, among others. The funding ranges from ÂŁ55 per module for shorter courses to over ÂŁ2,500 for certain level 5 qualifications. This wide array of options clearly demonstrates the ample opportunities available for developing a workforce with diverse skills and extensive knowledge, which is beneficial for the industry as a whole. View the full list of LDSS funded courses, qualifications and funded values below.
We’ll be working to highlight these options to our clients in the coming weeks so stand by for support and advice!
Our Adult Care Qualifications
We offer the following accredited, regulated, and internationally recognised courses below. Feel free to browse through the courses, we’ll be adding lots more in the coming weeks so if you don’t see what your looking for then contact us.
Ratings & Reviews
What people think
Other Qualifications
We have a range of qualifications for those looking to enter the Adult Social Care industry. Pentagon Skills work with you to prepare your Personal Development Plan and support your learning journey. We can also make introductions to reputable and professional Care Providers with whom you could start your Career in Care!
