WDF - Workforce Development Fund
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What can be funded
You can claim funding towards the cost of qualifications and learning programmes completed as follows:
Qualifications and Apprenticeships:
Certificates with a date of issue between 1 January 2023 and 21 May 2024
Learning Programmes:
Certificates with a date of issue between 1 January 2023 and 31 March 2024
Digital Learning Modules:
Certificates with a date of issue between 1 January 2023 and 31 March 2024
The funding amount 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
- wage replacement costs.
All costs must be incurred before WDF is claimed and employers must ensure that they have records in place to evidence the costs of any funding claim they make.
Making a Claim
Once your learner has completed their qualification or learning programme, complete the online employer claim submission form and upload a copy of the learner’s certificate(s) (you can claim as often as you like during the funding period).
The learner certificates must contain the following information:
Qualification certificates, including the apprenticeship diploma certificate
- candidate name
- candidate registration number
- unique learner number
- name of qualification
- qualification number as per our list of funded qualifications and learning programmes
- date of issue of the certificate - this must be between 1 January 2023 and 21 March 2024
- name of the awarding organisation
- name of the learning provider or centre number.
Final apprenticeship certificate
Please note: the certificate must be issued by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE).
- candidate name
- unique learner number
- name of apprenticeship
- apprenticeship code - this can be written on the certificate
- name of qualification and qualification number as per our list of funded qualifications and learning programmes
- date of issue of the certificate - this must be between 1 January 2023 and 21 March 2024
Learning Programme certificates
- candidate name
- date of birth
- name of learning programme
- claim code from the list of funded qualifications and learning programmes - this can be written on the certificate
- date of issue of the certificate - this must be between 1 January 2023 and 21 March 2024
- name of endorsed learning provider.
How to Claim
Submit your claim by completing the online form (button below) and attaching scans or pictures of all your learners certifcates. Claims cannot be processed without this evidence (
see our main WDF page for details)
Claims must be submitted by the employer, a learning provider cannot do this on your behalf.
List of funded qualifications and learning programmes 2023/24
Before you can make a claim your ASC WDS must be uptodate
Please note you can only claim for learners who are registered on the ASC WDS
All funding is subject to criteria and may be rejected by Skills for Care
If you have any queries please contact the WMCA office on 01384 943000 (opt2) or email
wdf@wmca.care
Claims Checklist
- Was the Qualification issued between the following:
Qualifications and Apprenticeships:
Certificates with a date of issue between 1 January 2023 and 21 May 2024
Learning Programmes:
Certificates with a date of issue between 1 January 2023 and 31 March 2024 You cannot claim for digital learniong programmes completed after 31 March 2024
Digital Learning Modules:
Certificates with a date of issue between 1 January 2023 and 31 March 2024 You cannot claim for digital learning modules completed after 31 March 2024
- Is the qualification on the
eligible qualifications list ?
- Is your ASC WDS up to date?
ASC - WDS Updated between 1 April 2023 and 28 March 2024 It is now to late to update your ASC-WDS
- Do you have the Candidate Registration Number and Unique Learner Numbers?
- Do you have a scan or picture of the certificate to upload as evidence?
- If you are claiming for a Skills for Care Digital module then we also need the learners date of birth.
(As the digital modules do not have a learner number then please enter 10 zeros in this field).
What Happens Next
- We review the evidence received for fully evidenced eligible qualifications and non-accredited learning programmes and then submit funding claims to Skills for Care in line with the grant milestones.
- Skills for Care reviews claims received and pays WMCA.
- We then pay your claim.
- WMCA can only pay the funding directly to our partnership members and cannot pay the WDF to a third party such as a learning provider under any circumstances
Contact Us
If you have any queries about the claims process please contact the WMCA office on:
01384 943000 (opt2)
