If you receive a direct payment from your local authority, a personal health budget (PHB) or use your own money to employ your own care and support staff, you can apply for this funding to cover the cost of care related training for yourself and your personal assistant (PA). 
Individual employer funding is for people who live in England and pay someone using a personal budget from social care or health, or their own money (this is sometimes called being a ‘self-funder’) to help them live in a way they choose (these people are called PAs). The funding is not for organisations.
Parents who employ PAs on behalf of children who are under the age of 18 are not able to apply for this funding, unless they are using a personal health budget (PHB).
What can I claim for?
The fund can be used for training to develop you as an employer and to develop the skills of your PA.
The fund can cover the direct costs of training and qualifications, travel and the cost of hiring replacement support whilst your usual PA is attending training.
Apply for funding
To apply for funding, you will need to complete the application form. You can download this as a word document or PDF. You can also download an easy read application form.
The guidance document explains more about the funding and how to complete your application. This is also available as an easy read guidance.
You can ask for assistance to complete the application form, but only you as the employer can agree to the conditions of the grant.
To claim funding during the 2016/17 funding year, applications need to be submitted by Tuesday 28 February 2017, 5pm.
Any training that you want to be funded must be started by 31 March 2017.
What happens next?
Skills for Care will consider all applications for funding on a case by case basis. If successful, Skills for Care will usually tell you within 30 days and arrange payment directly into your bank account.
For further information, a short video and frequently asked questions about individual employer funding which you may find useful, visit: www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Learning-development/Funding/Individual-employer-funding/Individual-employer-funding.aspx, or contact 0113 241 1275, or email: [email protected]
