- •The Care Certificate
- •Level 2 and Level 3 Diplomas in Adult Social Care
- •Specialist qualifications in areas such as dementia, end of life care, and mental health
- •The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in Autism and Learning Disabilities
- •CQC-registered care providers in England
- •Care workers who are employed and resident in England
- •Workers who do not already hold a full qualification at the relevant level
- •Employers of any size, from sole traders to large care groups
- •Not knowing which funding streams apply to their workforce
- •Assuming the application process is too time-consuming
- •Working with training providers who do not offer funded routes
- •Believing that funded training is lower quality than paid-for programmes
The cost of training is one of the most common barriers care employers raise when we speak to them. Budgets are tight, staff turnover is high, and the idea of paying for qualifications that a worker might leave with feels like a risk.
But here is the thing: a significant amount of funded training is still available in 2026. The challenge is not that the funding has disappeared — it is that many employers simply do not know it exists, or they assume the application process is too complicated to be worth it.
This guide cuts through the confusion and tells you exactly what is available, who qualifies, and how to get started.
Why funded training still matters in 2026
The adult social care sector continues to face a workforce crisis. The government and Skills for Care have both acknowledged that improving training access is essential to raising care quality and retaining staff.
As a result, several funding streams have been maintained or expanded this year. If you are a care employer in England and you are not accessing at least one of them, you are almost certainly leaving money on the table.
What is available right now
The Adult Social Care Training and Development Fund
This is one of the most significant funding streams for care employers in England. It supports the cost of qualifications and learning programmes for eligible care workers, including:
Funding is accessed through Skills for Care and is available to CQC-registered providers. The amount available per learner varies depending on the qualification and the learner's circumstances.
Free Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications through the Adult Education Budget
For care workers who do not already hold a full Level 2 qualification, fully funded places may be available through the Adult Education Budget (AEB). This is delivered through local colleges and training providers — including XcENTRIK Solutions — and covers the cost of the qualification entirely for eligible learners.
Eligibility is based on the learner's existing qualification level, employment status, and in some cases their location. Workers who are employed and earning below a certain threshold may also qualify.
Functional Skills funding
If your staff need to improve their English or maths — for example, to progress to a Level 3 qualification or to meet job role requirements — Functional Skills qualifications at Level 1 and Level 2 are fully funded for eligible learners.
This is particularly relevant for internationally recruited care workers who may have strong practical skills but need recognised English qualifications to progress.
Apprenticeship Levy and co-investment
If your organisation pays the Apprenticeship Levy, you can use your levy account to fund apprenticeship training for existing staff as well as new recruits. This includes the Level 2 Adult Social Care Worker and Level 3 Lead Adult Care Worker apprenticeship standards.
Employers who do not pay the levy can still access apprenticeship funding through co-investment, where the government covers 95% of the training cost and the employer contributes just 5%.
Who qualifies
Eligibility varies by funding stream, but in general, funded training is available to:
Some funding streams have additional criteria around the learner's age, prior qualifications, or earnings. A good training provider will carry out an eligibility check before enrolment to make sure the right funding is applied.
Common reasons employers miss out
We speak to care managers every week who are paying out of pocket for training that could have been funded. The most common reasons include:
On that last point: funded qualifications are regulated by Ofqual and delivered to exactly the same standard as any other accredited programme. The funding simply means the cost is covered by the government rather than the employer.
How to apply
The process varies depending on the funding stream, but the simplest starting point is to speak to a training provider who is already approved to deliver funded programmes.
At XcENTRIK Solutions, we have access to funded qualifications in social care, including Level 2 and Level 3 Diplomas, Functional Skills, and the Care Certificate. We handle the eligibility checks and funding paperwork on your behalf, so you do not need to navigate the system alone.
To find out what your team qualifies for, get in touch with us directly. We will carry out a free funding assessment and let you know exactly what is available for your organisation.
What to do next
If you are a care employer in England and you have not reviewed your training funding options recently, now is a good time to do it. Funding allocations can change, and some streams operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Contact XcENTRIK Solutions today to book a free funding consultation. We will help you identify the right qualifications for your team and make sure you are accessing every penny of funding your organisation is entitled to.
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*Funding eligibility is subject to individual learner circumstances and current government guidelines. Contact us for a personalised assessment.*
