The Workforce Development Fund (WDF)
The Workforce Development Fund (WDF) is funding from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) disseminated by Skills for Care.
It supports the provision of high quality care and the continuing professional development (CPD) of staff across the adult social care sector by providing a contribution towards the costs of vocational learning. The fund allows you to claim back money towards the costs of workers completing a broad range of adult social care qualifications, learning programmes and digital learning modules.
Who is eligible to claim WDF?
To claim funding, an organisation must provide an adult social care service and directly employ care staff within England.
To make a claim from the Workforce Development Fund in 2022-23 you must complete or refresh your Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) account(s). All existing accounts must be updated on or after 1 April 2022.
The Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) is an online data collection service and the leading source of workforce information for the adult social care sector in England.
If you don’t already have one, you will need to create a ASC-WDS account.
The partnership is also providing training on the ASC-WDS account, how to access, how to utilise effectively and also how to ensure you meet the WDF requirements. If you are interested in this training and would like further information please email warwickshirelearninganddevelopmentpartership@warwickshire.gov.uk
What can be funded?
You can claim up to £2,000 per learner per funding year through Workforce Development Fund. You can claim funding for the same learner in multiple funding years, to support their personal development and career progression.
Claim funding towards the cost of listed qualifications, learning programmes and digital learning modules completed between 1 January 2022 and the 31 March 2023. This includes money towards the cost of course fees (or employer contributions) and associated costs such as employees’ salaries whilst they are undertaking training, coaching and mentoring costs, venue costs for the training or wage replacement costs.
Funded qualifications and learning programmes (PDF, 335KB)
To claim
The first step is to complete the membership declaration form (PDF, 1.4MB). Once that is completed you need to ensure your ASC-WDS account is updated and eligible, then you are ready to submit claims. To submit a claim you need a copy of the completed certificate and a claims form to be sent to kateshorthose@warwickshire.gov.uk.