CITB 2014/2015 Grants Scheme Terms and Conditions

Transcription

1 CITB 2014/2015 Grants Scheme Terms and Conditions Aim of Grants The aim of CITB Grants Scheme is to maintain and improve the quantity and quality of training and development within the Construction Industry. Grants are not intended to cover the full cost of training and development but are a contribution towards training. Who can apply? Most employers, with a main activity of construction, who are registered with CITB at the time of the application, including those who don t pay a levy due to the Small Business Levy Exemption. Any employer who registers with us and is converted in-scope leviable between the 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015 will be eligible to receive all grants from 1 August Who can t apply? Newly registered employers, (those registered between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015), can t apply for grant until 1 August This is because their first year of levy liability will be based on their 2015 Levy Return and will not be raised until spring Businesses which are classed as in-scope excluded i.e. they have no direct employees, labour-only subcontractors or temporary agency staff e.g. sole traders and partnerships. However, if such a business intends to employ an apprentice or new entrant trainee it would be able to apply for grants if, like a newly registered employer. Employers whose main activity is not construction Criteria to be met before an application for grant is accepted Please note that your application must meet ALL the following criteria: A 2014 Levy Return must be correctly completed and received prior to 31 December 2014 for applications relating to the 2014/2015 Grants Scheme year Levy must either be fully paid or subject to a Direct Debit arrangement As the 2014/2015 Grants Scheme runs from 1 August July 2015 the training/achievements, for which grant is claimed, must take place/be achieved between these dates The employees must be eligible for grant support You must be able to show that a suitably planned programme of training and development is being followed for each category of employee in respect of each grant application or that arrangements are being made to draw up and implement such a programme

2 Additional criteria to be met before an application for grant is accepted in respect of labour-only sub-contractors, temporary agency workers and Net (taxed) CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) sub-contractors: If you wish to apply for grants for training undertaken during the period 1 st August 2014 to 31 st July 2015 by labour-only sub-contractors or temporary agency staff: payments in respect of work carried out at or from the establishment must have been made by you to the labour-only sub-contractors or temporary agency staff and these payments must be included in section 4 of the 2015 Levy Return if labour-only payments are made during the 2015/2016 tax year (and they are not Net CIS), and you are claiming grant for training undertaken by these sub-contractors between 6 th April 2015 and 31 st July 2015, these payments will not be included on your 2016 Levy Return, therefore evidence should be kept that they were labour-only payments (copies or contracts/invoices) you must identify the need for training, organise the training and accept the cost of training you must obtain signed documentation from the actual employer of the labour-only sub-contractor or temporary agency staff that no application for grants in respect of this training has been submitted by them and you must keep documentary evidence to illustrate these criteria have been met. If you wish to apply for grants for training undertaken during the period 6 th April 2015 to 31 st July 2015 by Net CIS subcontractors: payments in respect of work carried out at or from the establishment must have been made by you to the Net CIS sub-contractor and these payments must be included on the 2016 Levy Return. you must identify the need for training, organise the training and accept the cost of training you must obtain signed documentation from the actual employer of the labour-only sub-contractor or temporary agency staff that no application for grants in respect of this training has been submitted by them and you must keep documentary evidence to illustrate these criteria have been met. The criteria set out in this document are not exclusive and we reserve the right to exercise discretion in coming to our decision. What can I apply for? Employers who are registered with CITB at the time of the application can apply for grants in respect of training undertaken by: directly employed staff (PAYE employees including trainees) labour-only sub-contractors and temporary agency staff in respect of work carried out at or from the construction establishment (subject to individual grant criteria and the additional criteria for labour-only subcontractors, set out above) Net CIS sub-contractors training completed on or after the 6 th April 2015 in respect of work carried out at or from the construction establishment (subject to individual grant criteria and the additional criteria for Net CIS sub-contractors, set out above).

3 provided the training is related to the employer s construction business Please note that from 1 st August 2015 there will no longer be any entitlement to claim grant for labour-only sub-contractors or temporary agency staff unless they are Net CIS sub-contractors and therefore included on subsequent Levy Retuns. Subject to approval, grants are available for all training which relates to an employee s present or future work in the construction industry, such as: Apprenticeship Grants Support Technical Management & Professional Grants Support Training & Development Plans & Short Duration off-the-job training Grants Support (insert link to relevant forms) CPCS Plant Grants Support Qualifying your Workforce Grants Support Other Grants Scheme Support Some Vocational Courses E-learning/modular training programmes (subject to additional criteria) Due to the long-term nature of the training, Apprentice, Technical & Professional and Work Experience grants are restricted to directly employed (PAYE) staff only. Applications for grants may only be made for distance learning programmes under the Training & Development Plan route. Limits on the number of days and maximum amount of grant available may apply. More information is contained within the details of each specific grant. What can t I apply for? An employer cannot apply for grant for: training or qualifications where there is no pattern of continued employment with the registered employer or engagement in the construction industry training unrelated to the employer s construction business or external examinations and assessments. Certain courses are not grant-supported and others may only be approved in exceptional circumstances. If you are unsure as to the eligibility of a course for grant support, please contact your local CITB office. What is the maximum amount of grant available? The amount of grant available each year is dependent on: financial constraints the number of days taken to complete a course value for money for the Grants Scheme skills shortages annual Grant Scheme Working Party decisions;

4 levy income; and the construction industry s priorities Grants in respect of New Entrant Apprentices and Craft Non-Apprenticeship Trainees are fixed within the Grants Scheme year in which the apprentice/trainee starts training, even if rates go up or down in the future. If a New Entrant Apprentice or trainee transfers from one employer to another during the training year, attendance grants will be paid pro-rata and achievement grants will be paid to the person who is the employer at the time of achievement. Where training spans 2 different grant years, grants for Training & Development Plans, Apprentices and Craft Non Apprenticeship training are paid at the rate in force when the plan/training started, whilst all other grants are paid in proportion to the training which takes place in each year and at the rate of grant applicable at the time of the training or successful achievement. Supplementary Payment If the following conditions are met by 31 July 2014 then a Supplementary Payment of 22% (a basic rate of 10% + a 12% bonus) of the published grant value is available to employers: a correctly completed 2013 Levy Return has been received that requires you to pay an assessment to CITB this assessment has been paid in full or is being paid by Direct Debit instalments; and your correctly completed 2014 Levy Return has been received. Is grant guaranteed? Grant aid is conditional upon the amount of levy received from the industry. As this amount is determined annually, all applications will be considered in relation to the overall amount of levy received from the construction industry. The grant values shown in the Grants Scheme are likely to be those that CITB will pay based on the continued approval of the Levy Order by Parliament. In exceptional circumstances, such as a decrease in statutory levy, it may be necessary to reduce grants proportionally or withdraw them completely to match the funds available. We recognise the need, however, to inform employers as soon as possible if the grants are less than those published. Accordingly, we reserve the right to increase, reduce or withdraw grant, to amend the Grants Scheme Rules and amend any conditions and procedures relating to the approval of applications or the payment of grant. Further, if CITB is not satisfied that adequate training has been or is being given then grants may be reduced or withheld. The Grants Scheme is not intended to be an offer by CITB or to lead to, or be part of, any formal legal agreement. CITB s decision is final on all matters concerning the interpretation of the Grants Scheme. How do I apply? Fill in the relevant form or contact your local CITB office. Where a registered employer uses the services of a third party to make a grant application, the responsibility to ensure that applications are made in accordance with the Grants Scheme Rules and to repay any grant paid as a result of an error by the third party remains with the employer.

5 What supporting documentation must I keep/provide? Employers are required to keep records to substantiate the training or achievement for which grant is applied for a minimum of 3 years. The following documentation must be open to inspection, upon request, by CITB representatives and auditors: details of Training & Development programmes evidence of training duration, attendance & achievement proof that the training or achievement of the qualification in respect of the grant applied for has been paid for by the employer; and proof that Health & Safety played an integral part of all training for which grant is applied payroll & subcontractor payment records including Real Time Full Payment Summaries (FPS), P60s, P11s and all monthly CIS300s We reserve the right to monitor any course as it takes place and the attendance of apprentices/trainees on that course. When can I apply? Employers should submit their grant applications as soon as possible after the completion of training and no later than 31 October of the year in which the Grants Scheme ends, e.g. for the August 2014-July 2015 Grants Scheme year, applications must be received by 31 October How and when is the grant paid? If your application is successful we aim to pay the grants, together with any Supplementary Payment to which you may be entitled, by direct bank transfer or cheque, when the training is completed and, in any event, within 28 days of your grant application. If your application is unsuccessful or if we require further information we will aim to write to you within 28 days of your grant application. Please note that the grant is paid to the leviable employer, not employees, third parties, labour-only sub-contractors or temporary agency staff. Verbal forms of approval expressed by us in connection with any course or condition will not be valid or recognised unless you have received confirmation in writing. CITB shall be entitled to set off any monies owed to you under the Grants Scheme against any monies owed by you to us. Why may m y grant application be rejected or returned? Your application may be rejected or returned for any of the following reasons (this list is not exhaustive): the criteria have not been met the training doesn t qualify for support insufficient or no evidence to support the claim the trainee has already received grant support for this training/qualification

6 the claim exceeds the maximum number permitted (with the exception of training for apprentices and training provided by Independent Training Groups or Training Forums) the training qualifies for financial support from another source (double funding) the form isn t received within the relevant timescale; or the form is illegible, incomplete or unclear How to appeal If a grant application is refused, employers have a right to appeal against the decision to the Grants Scheme Team. Appeals should be made in writing together with any supporting evidence and sent to: Grants Scheme Team CITB Bircham Newton King s Lynn Norfolk, PE31 6RH Your appeal will be considered by the Grants Scheme Team and you will be advised in writing of the outcome. The Grants Scheme Team aims to deal with appeals within 28 days. If you are dissatisfied with this decision, you have a further right of appeal to the Grants Scheme W orking Party (GSW P). The GSW P is a group of employers and federation representatives who work with CITB to develop the annual Grants Scheme. If you wish to exercise this right please provide an explanation of why you believe the initial decision was wrong, together with any new evidence in support of your application, in writing or by , and send it to the above address. Your appeal will then be considered by the Grants Scheme Working Party and you will be advised in writing of the outcome. Please note the GSW P only sits six times a year and written confirmation of their decision will be provided within 28 days of the meeting. If you are still dissatisfied with the decision, you have a final right of appeal to the CITB Training Committee. If you wish to exercise this right please provide an explanation of why you believe the decision of the Grants Scheme Working Party is wrong, together with any new evidence in support of your application and send it to the above address. Your appeal will then be considered by the Training Committee and you will be advised in writing of the outcome. Please note that the Training Committee only sits six times a year. Written confirmation of their decision will be provided within 28 days of the meeting. The decision of the Training Committee is final and there is no further right of appeal. Please note we reserve the right to hold back payment or require repayment of the grant, in full or in part, if:

7 you fail to adhere to any of these rules; subject to the exceptions outlined above, the training has received financial support from another source (double funding); or it is subsequently discovered that the application and/or supporting documentation gave false or misleading information.