The 2011/12 Grants Scheme is now live and the system has been revamped to make it simpler for firms to access training money.

Grant Product Manager Kim Leonard said: “We’ve listened to employers’ views, and a popular feeling was that grants were not as easy to claim as they could be, so we have been working on ways to improve and simplify the scheme as part of our commitment to delivering skills needs both locally and nationally.”

Changes to the Scheme include:

• Increasing the Supplementary Payment rate for Levy payers who meet the eligibility criteria from 10% to 22% (10% plus a 12% bonus) for the 2011/2012 Grants Scheme;

• Allowing employers to claim for e-learning on a training and development plan, and introducing a claiming mechanism for modular ‘bite-sized’ training through this route;

• Increasing Supplementary Payment to 22% on apprenticeship and craft non apprenticeship grants for Levy payers who meet the eligibility criteria and who started to train their apprentices in 2010/2011, on payments made after 01 August 2011;

• Increasing the number of days firms can claim on a training and development plan from three to five days for each PAYE employee declared on the 2011 Levy Return and from three to five days for each named labour-only sub-contractors (LOSC);

• Further clarification of the rules surrounding grant claims for VQ achievement in Plant Operations, Slinger Signaller, Road Rail, Demolition and Piling Operations – employers can now claim within the 2 VQ per person, per level, per lifetime rule.

• Increasing the number of days businesses can claim through the Short Duration off-the-job training route from three to five days for each PAYE employee declared on the 2011 Levy Return; and

• Increasing the deadline which employers have to submit their Training and Development Plan initial and final claim from 30 to 60 days.

Leonard added: “We consulted with employer and federation representatives on the Grants Scheme Working Party (GSWP), the CITB-ConstructionSkills Training Committee and the Board, as well as the consensus federations, to develop and produce this year’s Grants Scheme so it best matches the needs of industry.

“This ensures we can provide an affordable and fit for purpose Grants Scheme for the future.”

For a full guide to the grant scheme visit www.cskills.org/grant.