UK Funding For Qualifications

Highfield provides a wide selection of market leading qualifications and many of them can be fully funded by the UK government. We understand that accessing UK funding for qualifications can be a very confusing, and sometimes daunting, task.

To support you as an employer, a learner or training provider, we offer directories of our funded qualifications that you can access via the funding resources section on this page. Below you will find independent information to help you understand the funding rules for the several types of funding available, and how to gain access if you are eligible. 

Adult Skills Fund

The purpose of the Adult Skills Fund (ASF) is to support adult learners in devolved and non-devolved areas in England to gain skills which will lead them to meaningful, sustained and relevant employment, or enable them to progress to further learning which will deliver that outcome.

Those further education training providers that have secured Adult Skills Fund contracts can offer these courses to learners. This makes the courses more affordable and helps people develop personally and professionally.

Apprenticeship Funding

In England, apprenticeship funding is supported through the apprenticeship levy, which is being reformed into the Growth and Skills Levy. Employers with an annual pay bill of more than £3 million continue to pay 0.5% of their total annual pay bill, with funds accessed through the apprenticeship service to pay for approved apprenticeship training and assessment. The Growth and Skills Levy is intended to provide greater flexibility for employers while continuing to support high-quality apprenticeships and occupationally focused skills development.

Employers that do not pay the levy, or levy-paying employers whose account funds are insufficient, can access government co-investment. Under current arrangements, most employers contribute 5% of the eligible training and assessment cost, with government funding the remaining 95% up to the relevant funding band maximum. Employers should monitor the latest Department for Education (DfE) funding rules, as the Growth and Skills Levy introduces new flexibilities and funding changes, including changes to co-investment arrangements from August 2026.

Free Courses For Jobs

Free Courses for Jobs is a government-funded offer in England that allows eligible adults to study selected qualifications without paying course fees. It is available to adults aged 19 or over who are unemployed or earning below the relevant earnings threshold, currently £25,750 under national rules for 2025 to 2026, although this may vary in some devolved areas. Adults aged 19 to 23 who have not already achieved a full level 3 qualification may also be fully funded. The offer includes approved level 3 qualifications and selected level 2 qualifications in construction, engineering and manufacturing.

The offer is designed to help adults gain skills that employers need, improve their career prospects and progress into better-paid or more secure work. Eligible courses are available across a wide range of sectors, including construction, digital, engineering, health and social care, early years, hospitality and catering, agriculture, accounting and finance, manufacturing, public services, transport, and warehousing. Learners should check the National Careers Service course finder or speak to a local college or training provider, as availability and eligibility can vary by area.

CITB Grant Scheme

The CITB Grant Scheme is provided by the Construction Industry Training Board, who are tasked with providing quality training to workers in the UK construction industry, and the CITB Grant Scheme works as part of this overarching aim.

The grant provides employers with funds, via the CITB levy, to ensure their workers are trained in the relevant areas, to improve the current skills gap as it stands, and to prevent as many accidents and injuries on construction sites as possible.

To access the funding, employers must apply directly to the CITB for the grant for a course to be added. They can then work with the training provider to have the specific courses or qualifications delivered to their employees.

Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS)

The LDSS was launched in September 2024 by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The scheme supports the non-regulated Adult Social Care (ASC) workforce to advance their careers, develop new skills and specialisms and gain recognition for their existing expertise. It does this by allowing eligible ASC employers to claim towards costs they have incurred when their staff access certain courses and qualifications.

LDSS funding can only be claimed by an eligible employer towards the cost of eligible training courses and qualifications undertaken by eligible staff. To qualify, the employer (including local authorities) must meet all criteria listed by the DHSC. 

The scheme runs from 1 April to 31 March each year. A full list of qualifications and allocated funding can be found by following the link.