How do I claim LDSS funding for Adult Social Care Learning courses?

Claiming funding through the Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS) involves a three-step process: Onboarding with the DHSC (approx. 2 weeks), Submitting a Claim via the grants system after booking training, and Reimbursement (approx. 2–6 weeks). Employers can choose to receive a 60% upfront reimbursement or 100% upon course completion.

3 Easy Steps To Claim Your Funding:

Step 1: Onboarding with DHSC (Timeframe: 2 Weeks)

- Action: Complete the 5-minute Onboarding Form.
- Outcome: Receive an Onboarding Pack and attend a 15-minute appointment call.

Step 2: Submitting Your Claim (Timeframe: 5 Minutes per booking)

Action: Book and pay for training first. The SRO then signs the Grant Determination Letter in the claims portal.
Requirement: You must provide evidence of payment to trigger reimbursement.

Step 3: Receiving Reimbursement (Timeframe: 2–6 Weeks)

Options: Choose between a 100% completion payment or a 60/40 split (60% after claim validation, 40% upon certificate evidence).

Overall Funding Timeline:

Stage	Estimated Wait Time	Key Action Required
Onboarding	2 Weeks	Complete form & attend DHSC call
Claim Validation	2-6 Weeks	Submit proof of payment
Full Reimbursement	3-6 Months	Submit course completion certificate

Not sure if your staff qualify? Visit our Mental Health Training Pathways page to see which roles and courses are eligible for this funding.

Step 1: Onboarding

Start by completing the Onboarding Form. This only takes around 5 minutes and can be done by any member of staff. Within 2 weeks the DHSC will get in touch to arrange your onboarding appointment call, which will need to be attended by the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO)* who will be responsible for signing your grant determination letters. In your appointment call you will be asked to confirm your organisation’s details and they will ensure you have read the GDL and understand the process of signing onto the system and how to save the account for future logins.

The team at DHSC will send your Onboarding Pack with some additional paperwork to complete before the call. The appointment itself takes about 15 minutes.

*What is a Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for LDSS?

The Senior Responsible Officer is the person within your care organisation authorised to sign Grant Determination Letters (GDL). They must attend the 15-minute onboarding call with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and are responsible for managing the grant claims system account.

Step 2: Making Your Claim

Once onboarded, your SRO can create an account on the grants claims system and sign your grant determination letters. From there, they can add up to 9 team members who will be authorised to submit claims. Please note: you will need to book and pay for your training before asking for reimbursement, as you need the evidence of payment to make your claim.

When you are ready, submit your information into the claims portal (this should only take around 5 minutes (or less!) per booking). Once submitted, claims will be checked and validated by the NHSBSA team. You can then expect to receive your reimbursement payment within 2-6 weeks of the claim submission.

Step 3: Reimbursement

If you choose the 100% claim option, you will only receive the payment once your learner has completed the course and received the certificate as proof. As such, we recommend choosing the 60%-40% Split Claim Funding option. With this you receive 60% reimbursement 2-6 weeks after submitting your claim, then the remaining 40% upon proven completion of the course.

Our shortest training option ( Pathway 1 ) takes approximately 2 months to complete, meaning you should receive full reimbursement within 3 months of making your claim. Pathway 2 takes approximately 3 months to complete, so you should expect full reimbursement within 4 months of making your claim. Pathway 3 takes approximately 5 months to complete, meaning full reimbursement will take approximately 6 months.

VAT information – Companies within the UK recoup VAT payments automatically as part of their VAT returns. This is done automatically by accounting software used to submit the return. Therefore, you will recoup 100% of your investment back from these training pathways. Organisations that are not VAT registered should contact us for advice.

FAQs

Q: Should I choose the 60/40 split or 100% reimbursement?
- A: We recommend the 60/40 Split Claim Funding option. This allows you to receive 60% of the costs back within 2–6 weeks of booking, significantly aiding your organisation’s cash flow while staff complete their training.
Q: Who validates the LDSS funding claims?
- A: Claims are checked and validated by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) team once they are submitted through the DHSC portal.
Q: Is the funding available for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training?
- A: Yes, funding is available from an adjacent pool for Oliver McGowan Mandaroty Training. Although this is not a course which we provide, registering for the LDSS gives you access to both funding pots. There are specific details regarding this which you can find more about here.

Before you book any training, double check that you are eligible for funding through the Learning and Development Support Scheme provided by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) by taking our short 3 question quiz.

Take the 3 question quiz to confirm your eligibility for the LDSS funding

Get the Step-by-Step Funding Guide for Care Managers

Complete the form below and we will send you a full step-by-step LDSS Funding Guide with full details of every step from onboarding to making your claim. Need any additional support? Contact our team on 02381 120010 or advice@skillsforprogress.com