What Is the CITB Grant to Levy Payers?

Employers in the construction sector can receive grants from Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) if they provide training for their employees. The Grants Scheme supports the industry's upkeep of high standards by ensuring that individuals receive the training necessary for the sector to prosper.

In this article, we will explore the various CITB grants available, who can apply for them, and how to apply for them!

What Is the CITB Levy?

First of all, let’s clarify what the CITB levy is. Employers in the construction sector must pay a levy to the CITB. The CITB levy aids the British construction sector in creating the trained workforce that it requires by:

·         sponsoring and awarding grants to support the development of training

·         promoting apprenticeship programmes of the highest calibre

·         promoting the construction sector as a fantastic career option

·         determining the industry's requirement for certain skills

·         creating occupational qualifications and standards

Many people working in the construction industry are not aware of the CITB or the levy they can pay as a business. 

What Is the CITB Grant for Levy Payers?

The purpose of the CITB grant is to promote training primarily connected to the construction sector. These awards are designed to assist employers who train their staff in accordance with industry-accepted standards, ensuring that the acquired skills are universally accepted and transferrable.

They assist all companies in utilising their entire subcontractor workforce, enhancing skills throughout the entire supply chain. Utilising targeted funding to advance industry priorities and strengthen assistance where it is most needed. Investment in areas with a long-term commitment and a high return on investment is given priority under the grant scheme.

What CITB Grants Are Available?

These are the various types of CITB grants available to you:

·         Apprenticeships

·         Short Qualifications

·         Long Qualifications

·         Plant Test Achievements

·         Short Courses

·         Advanced Craft (Scotland only)

·         CITB Occupational Traineeship (England Only)

Apprenticeships

For attendance and achievement, you can apply for £2,500 and £3,500 annually, respectively. A further £2,000 is available for apprentices in drylining beginning on April 1, 2022.

Short qualifications

For qualifications at Level 2 and higher that take less than a year to complete, you can apply for a  grant £600. NVQs, diplomas, and the NEBOSH National Certificate in Construction Safety and Health are a few examples of these.

For Rainscreen Cladding VQs attained on or after 1 April 2022, an additional £400 grant is available. Furthermore, you are eligible to apply for £300 for completing plant-related VQ units.

Long qualifications

For higher-level qualifications, such as degrees, HNCs, and HNDs, which take longer than a year to complete, you may be eligible to apply for grants of £1,125 per year for attendance (up to six years) and £1,875 per year for achievement.

Plant Test Achievements

You can apply for £60 for the theoretical component and £190, £240, or £410 for the practical component of a Construction Plant Competency Scheme (CPCS) technical test, depending on the category of plant.

Short Courses

You can submit a grant application for completion of a short course that teaches fundamental construction skills and lasts between three hours and 29 days.

Grant amounts for these courses can range from £30 to £120 depending on the course's length, level of difficulty, and practical content. Refresher training costs half as much as the full course grant.

Advanced Craft (Scotland Only)

You can apply for up to a total amount of £2,037.50, £22.50 per day for up to 35 days per person, for completing an approved course that results in the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Advanced Craft Certificate in a construction-related subject.

CITB Occupational Traineeship (England only)

This is one for the future. The conclusion of an English CITB Occupational Traineeship will soon be rewarded with a £1,000 grant.

Who Can Apply for a CITB Grant

Grant applications are accepted from any employer who has registered with CITB. No matter your firm size, grants are still available to you.

However, before submitting your application, do confirm that your levy returns are accurate. All employers who request grants for their employees must adhere to this rule.

How to Apply for a CITB Grant

To apply for a CITB grant, you will need to navigate to this section of their website, and select the grant scheme that interests you. From there, you will be provided with all the necessary information on the specific grant and steps to apply for it.

If you wish to discuss your grant options with CITB, we recommend emailing them at levy.grant@citb.co.uk or calling them at 0344 994 4455.

It is important to note that if you book with an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) they can automatically apply for the grant payment for you. 

Please note that grant payments are only given upon successful completion of the course.