Qualification Funding Support

Image: Skills-for-Care-Logo195The funding available across England for completing qualifications in Adult Health and Social Care is Skills for Care’s Workforce Development Funding (WDF).

Through this funding Health and Social Care providers can make a claim towards the costs of NVQ and QCF units. The funding is paid after units have been achieved.
During the transition from the National Qualifications Framework (NVQ) to the Qualification Credit Framework (QCF), Skills for Care will continue to fund NVQs for an extended time in the Midlands and National partnership areas.
  • NVQ units that have been completed after 1 January 2011 and before 17 May 2012 can now be claimed for in the Midlands and National partnership, but ARC must receive the claims by 17 May 2012 .

    Please note that this extension applies only to the Midlands and National partnerships and units must be signed by the verifier between 1 January 2011 and 17 May 2012.
  • QCF units can be claimed throughout the 2011/2012 year. Skills for Care have provided a list of eligible units for this funding year.
The SfC WDF funding is distributed through funding partnerships based across several regions in England.
For the year (2011-2012) ARC has successful partnerships in:
  • Midlands region
  • Southern region
  • Nationally
ARC is acting as Lead Partner (a lead partner is one organisation who represents a group of other Health and Social Care providers, who are partners). At the end of February each year ARC submits a bid to SfC for funding for the following year.
The funding year usually runs from 1 January to March, however, SfC have extended their deadline for claiming NVQ units in some areas for the claiming year 2011-2012.
How much does Skills for Care contribute to each unit completed?
The contribution depends on the type and size of the unit being claimed. ARC retains 15% towards the cost of checking, administering and managing the claims.
  • QCF credits – Skills for Care contribute £10 per credit, after our administration fee £8.50 per credit is available. E.g. a QCF unit consisting of 3 credits will be funded at £30, less £4.50 retained by ARC, meaning the value of the unit will be £25.50
  • NVQ units – Skills for Care will contribute £80 towards the cost of each NVQ unit, less £10.50 retained by ARC, meaning the value of the unit will be £59.50

To find out how to access the funding, please see Accessing WDF funding

Please note that Skills for Care have issued the tender documents for Workforce Development Funding (WDF) for the funding year 2012/13. Please email wendy.adamson@arcuk.org.uk for further information.