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.
WDF 2024-25
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 31 March 2025.
WDF is distributed by Skills for Care directly. This tender is only open to large national adult social care providers that meet the criteria set out below and this guidance is specific to these organisations. All other organisations should wait until the fund launches to sign up. You can sign up to our enews where we will announce the launch of the fund in due course.
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Further information is available in the application guidance for large national organisations.
After reviewing the guidance, if you have any queries please email
wdf@skillsforcare.org.uk by 24 April 2024.
What can be funded?
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Find out which qualifications and learning programmes can be funded through Workforce Development Fund.
When can I apply?
Applications are now open for large national organisations and lead organisations of employer-led partnerships. The deadline for completed applications is 13:00 on 3 May 2024.
Who can apply?
- Large national organisations can apply for a grant to support the CPD of their own workforce.
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.
Information for large national organisations
A large national organisation is defined as an individual organisation that has more than 1,000 care providing employees and provides adult social care services to a substantial number of people, operating in two or more of Skills for Care defined areas. The eligibility has no impact on the competitive tender as organisations can meet the ASC-WDS requirements during the year. The areas are Eastern, London and the South East, Midlands, North West, South West and Yorkshire and Humber and the North East.
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Organisations accessing funding must meet the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) requirements for WDF.
How does the process work?
If your application is successful, you'll enter into a grant agreement with Skills for Care to support the learning and development of your workforce. Grants will be awarded during June 2024. Grants contain four milestones which must be met.
How to apply
- Read the application form guidance to ensure you meet the criteria.
- Complete the large national organisation application form.
- Submit the application form to wdf@skillsforcare.org.uk by 13:00 on 3 May 2024.
Late applications will not be accepted.