The Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS) for the adult social care workforce is offered by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) for 2024 to 2025. The LDSS is administered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).
Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS) in 2025-26
Update – 19 March 2025
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is pleased to confirm that the LDSS will continue in financial year 2025 to 2026. The scheme will continue to support adult social care employers to invest in learning and development for their staff, by providing a financial contribution towards the costs of training.
Updated information, including guidance for employers and a list of courses and qualifications eligible for funding, has been published on the .
The LDSS will continue to be administrated by NHSBSA, via the
Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS) in 2024-25
Eligible adult social care employers in England can still claim staff training costs from the LDSS. The funding is available for non-regulated care staff, including deputy and Care Quality Commission-registered managers and agency staff, within the adult social care workforce.
In financial year 2024 to 2025, adult social care employers have already claimed millions of pounds towards learning and development, enabling their care staff to gain new skills and specialisms, secure recognition for existing expertise, and improving the quality of care delivered. By engaging in the LDSS, adult social care employers can unlock similar benefits for their staff.
The LDSS remains open to claims for eligible courses and qualifications that have been started and paid for between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 (inclusive). Claims for these courses and qualifications must be submitted by 21 March 2025 (inclusive).
LDSS funding is administered via a new online claims service, delivered by NHSBSA. Adult social care employers should sign up to use the claims service by completing the . After signing up, employers will be contacted by NHSBSA as soon as possible to set up an account and submit claims.
If adult social care employers are concerned about meeting the claims deadline for this financial year (21 March 2025), they should contact the NHSBSA support team at ASClearninganddevelopmentsupport@nhsbsa.nhs.uk as soon as possible.
Key changes to evidence requirements
In January 2025, DHSC made some key changes to the evidence requirements for claiming LDSS. The scheme will now accept applications for eligible courses and qualifications that are delivered and assessed internally where appropriate evidence can be provided.
Appropriate evidence for internal training claims could include proof of payment to an awarding organisation for learner registration and certification fees, or proof of payment to a third-party training subsidiary.
Recorded webinar: How to access funding to support staff training
Hosted on 28 November 2024, this webinar provides adult social care employers with essential information on how to claim funding for staff training from the LDSS.
Colleagues from DHSC share the practicalities of accessing the LDSS, including:
- the eligibility criteria for being able to make claims through the scheme
- how the funding can be used, including the training courses and qualifications within the scope of the scheme
- details on how adult social care employers can access the fund to make a claim.
WDF 2024-25
The Workforce Development Fund (WDF) will be scaled down in 2024-25. It will only be possible to claim WDF for learning which is already in progress. This means that qualifications and apprenticeships which start on or before 31 March 2024 will be eligible for the WDF as long as the learner completes, and the certificate is issued by 31 March 2025.
This is to ensure that employers who have already paid for learning and development are not left out of pocket. Courses and qualifications which start on or after 1 April 2024 will not be eligible for funding through the WDF.