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Important CITB Grant News

16th September 2015

Important CITB Grant News!

We’ve been asked by several clients what the current situation is regarding CITB grants. A few weeks ago, CITB issued a statement on this matter. This is what they said:

“At the end of this month (August), all CITB registered employers will be receiving our Grants Scheme mailing detailing what grants will be available for the 2015/2016 Grants Scheme year and giving highlights of our Investment Funding Review.

In response to your feedback, we are overhauling our funding. We have been listening and you have told us you would like our funding to be:

  • Simplified – we will provide a simplified approach consolidating the current fifty pots into just two funds (available to apply for from this September) plus a modernised Grants Scheme from August 2016;
  • Easier to access – the new funds will have simpler rules, more support on what you need to know to access the funds and more frequent opportunities to apply as well as more flexibility on how long programmes can run for;
  • Put where it’s needed – we will listen to what industry wants and put funding where it’s most needed – an example would be more funding for Image and Recruitment activity;
  • Evidence based – we will look at what works, learning from and acting on the evidence of impact;
  • Transparent – we will say what funding we have allocated and what difference this has made.

For the 2015/2016 Grants Scheme year we are keeping grant rates at the same levels as last year, including maintaining the £50 per day attendance grant, to support all our registered employers.

To maintain this day rate and re-direct funding to address skills shortages, the Supplementary Payment bonus of 12% will be removed, returning to the standard rate of 10% from 1 August 2015. Some of this re-directed money is being targeted towards increasing the funding available to support Technical and Professional training and qualifications, such as degrees and post-graduate training. The additional funding, a pilot running from 1 August 2015 for one year, is an extra £50 per day for attendance making it £100 per day and an additional £350 for achievement making it £750. We have made this change following feedback that this level of training is essential to the future of the industry. Further information on the Investment Funding Review, including re-prioritisation of funds, will be sent out next month.”

Simian clients are free to contact our Training Department for further advice, if required.

Tel: 0345 602 2418 (option 2)