Construction employers now have several different routes through which training or qualifications may be supported. These include the Growth and Skills Levy, CITB Employer Networks, CITB short course grants, qualification grants and apprenticeship grants.

Some of these routes changed significantly in 2026. Most general construction short courses moved away from the previous CITB short course grant system, Employer Network funding was restructured according to business size, and the Growth and Skills Levy introduced new apprenticeship funding arrangements.

The first major changes took effect on 1st August 2026, with further support for some small and medium-sized employers due from 1st October 2026.

The different schemes are not interchangeable, and the same course cannot simply be claimed through whichever route appears to offer the most support. Here is what has changed, what each scheme covers and what employers should review before booking.

What is the Growth and Skills Levy?

The Growth and Skills Levy develops the previous Apprenticeship Levy system by widening the types of approved training that can be supported.

Employers with an annual UK pay bill of more than £3 million continue to pay the levy at 0.5% of their total pay bill. The money available through an employer's apprenticeship service account can now be used for approved apprenticeships, foundation apprenticeships and apprenticeship units.

Apprenticeship units are shorter programmes designed to help employers develop specific skills without enrolling an employee on an entire apprenticeship. The first units include areas relevant to construction and the built environment, such as permanent modular building assembly, electric vehicle charging point installation, solar photovoltaic installation and welding.

The official Growth and Skills Levy guidance explains the current products, funding arrangements and employer responsibilities.

What changed on 1st August 2026?

Several important funding changes came into effect on 1st August 2026.

For levy-paying employers, the 10% government top-up stopped being added to new funds entering apprenticeship service accounts. Funds already added on or before 31st July 2026 keep their existing value and continue to follow the previous expiry rules.

New funds entering an account from 1st August 2026 now expire after 12 months instead of 24 months. The oldest funds will still be used first, but employers have less time to commit new funds to eligible training.

That makes forward planning more important. Waiting until a skills gap becomes urgent could mean losing funding that could have supported a planned apprenticeship or approved skills programme.

Are apprentices aged 16 to 24 now fully funded?

The government has introduced additional support for eligible apprenticeship starts involving people aged 16 to 24.

For non-levy-paying employers, the government can fund 100% of the eligible apprenticeship training and assessment costs for apprentices in this age group, up to the relevant funding band maximum.

Levy-paying employers will continue to use the funds in their apprenticeship service account first, including for apprentices under 25. However, if those funds are exhausted, the employer co-investment rate for an eligible apprentice under 25 is 0%.

This could make recruiting a younger apprentice more accessible to smaller construction businesses that previously worried about the training contribution. Employers will still be responsible for wages, supervision, equipment and the wider costs of employment.

What changes for apprentices aged 25 and over?

The position is different for older apprentices.

When a levy-paying employer has used all the funds in its account, or where co-investment applies, the employer contribution for an apprenticeship start involving someone aged 25 or over is now 25% of the eligible training and assessment cost. The government contributes the remaining 75%, up to the funding band maximum.

Before 1st August 2026, the standard employer co-investment rate was 5%.

Employers planning to develop experienced workers through an apprenticeship should therefore check the funding position before committing to a programme. The age of the employee, start date, available levy balance and programme selected can all affect the contribution required.

Additional support for SMEs from 1st October 2026

From 1st October 2026, non-levy-paying employers may be able to receive a payment of up to £2,000 when recruiting a new apprentice aged 16 to 24.

The support applies to eligible apprentices starting from 1st October 2026, provided they joined the employer within the previous three months. Businesses should check the full eligibility conditions before including the payment in recruitment budgets.

This support is separate from the funding of the apprentice's training and assessment. It is intended to help smaller employers manage some of the wider costs involved in bringing a young person into the business.

Foundation apprenticeships and construction

Foundation apprenticeships provide paid, entry-level roles with structured training for eligible young people aged 16 to 24. Construction and the built environment is one of the sectors included.

They are intended to help individuals develop employability skills and practical experience before progressing into a more specialised or advanced apprenticeship.

Employers may be able to receive up to £2,000 to support a young person completing a foundation apprenticeship and progressing into further employment or training. This is distinct from the new SME recruitment payment beginning in October, so employers should not assume the same eligibility rules apply to both forms of support.

What are apprenticeship units?

Apprenticeship units are one of the most significant additions to the system.

They are shorter, approved training programmes for existing employees aged 19 or over. Current units last between 30 and 140 delivery hours and can be completed over a period of one to 16 weeks.

For construction and related industries, the initial offer includes technical areas such as modular construction, solar photovoltaic systems, electric vehicle charging and welding.

These units could help employers respond to defined skills needs more quickly. However, they should not be confused with ordinary commercial short courses. Only approved apprenticeship units can be funded through this part of the levy, and not every health and safety or construction course will qualify.

Employers looking for broader construction training can explore the ESS course and NVQ range or check upcoming dates through the ESS training calendar.

Some apprenticeship standards are losing funding

Funding is also being withdrawn from 16 apprenticeship standards for new starts from September 2026.

The affected standards include Team Leader Level 3, Operations Manager Level 5 and Chartered Manager Degree Level 6. These programmes have been widely used across different sectors, including construction, for leadership and management development.

Existing learners can continue to receive funding through to completion, but employers planning new starts should check whether the chosen standard remains eligible.

This does not mean leadership and management development should stop. It means businesses may need to consider a different apprenticeship standard, an approved apprenticeship unit or an alternative training route.

Growth and Skills Levy or CITB funding: what is the difference?

The Growth and Skills Levy and CITB funding are separate systems.

The Growth and Skills Levy supports approved apprenticeships, foundation apprenticeships and apprenticeship units in England. CITB funding is available to eligible CITB-registered construction employers through several different grant and funding routes.

An employer may be eligible for more than one type of support across its wider training plan. However, that does not mean the same training cost can be funded twice.

The CITB funding and support section should always be checked before an employer assumes that a particular course or qualification will qualify.

What changed with CITB Employer Networks in April 2026?

CHANGE FROM 1ST APRIL 2026: CITB introduced a revised Employer Network structure for micro, small and medium employers with between one and 249 employees.

Eligible employers can access training through their local Employer Network at 50% match funding or, for certain health and safety courses, through a fixed contribution. The current annual funding caps are:

• Micro employers with one to nine employees: £1,500
• Small employers with 10 to 49 employees: £2,000
• Medium employers with 50 to 249 employees: £4,500

Employer Networks are free to join for CITB-registered employers that are up to date with their Levy Returns and payments, provided a network operates in their area. Funding is budget-led, so support is not guaranteed simply because a course appears to meet the criteria.

The practical advantage is that the Employer Network helps arrange the funding. Once training is approved and booked, the training provider invoices the employer for its share and CITB pays the funded balance. This can remove much of the claim administration normally associated with grant funding.

The CITB Employer Networks page includes current eligibility rules, regional contacts and funding limits.

Which courses moved to Employer Network funding?

CHANGE IN 2026: Most construction-specific short-duration courses, including many health and safety courses, can now be supported through Employer Networks rather than the standard short course grant route.

CITB also encourages networks to consider areas such as net zero, green skills and leadership and management training according to local needs.

There are important exceptions:

• Plant training remains partially supported through CITB short course grants
• Scaffolding remains partially supported through CITB short course grants
• A limited number of specialist short courses remain under the grant scheme
• First Aid training is no longer funded through Employer Networks

This means an employer should not assume that every ESS course will follow the same route. An SMSTS course, plant programme, scaffold course and First Aid course may each have a different funding position.

Employers can explore the ESS course and NVQ range and then confirm the applicable CITB route before booking.

What changed with CITB short course grants?

CHANGE FROM 8TH JANUARY 2026: The standard short course grant offer became more focused. The current scheme principally covers approved plant operations, scaffolding and a limited number of other specialist standards.

To qualify, a course must normally last at least three hours and no more than 29 days, and it must align with an approved construction standard or eligible standard title.

For approved courses delivered by a CITB Approved Training Organisation or Training Provider Network member, the provider reports the achievement to CITB. Subject to the scheme rules, this can trigger the grant process automatically. Employers must provide the learner information and their seven-digit CITB registration number when booking.

CITB retained transitional arrangements for courses completed before 8th January 2026, or booked before 8th December 2025 and completed by 31st March 2026. Those dates matter because training booked outside the transition should be assessed under the new route.

The current standards, rates and application process are listed on the CITB short course grants page.

What changed with CITB qualification grants?

CHANGE FROM 1ST JANUARY 2026: Enhanced grants for specified management and supervision qualifications ended. These qualifications now normally attract the standard £600 achievement grant rather than the previous enhanced rates of £1,500 for management and £1,250 for supervision.

Under the current scheme:

• The standard grant for an approved short qualification is £600
• Approved Rainscreen Cladding qualifications attract £1,000
• Award-level qualifications at Level 2 or above attract £240
• Additional approved Level 2 Plant Operations vocational qualification units attract £300

The qualification must be included on CITB's approved list, and the employer must be CITB registered and up to date with its Levy Returns. Claims must normally be made within 52 weeks of the achievement date.

Employers should use the CITB short qualification grant page to confirm the live rate for the exact qualification.

Essential Site Skills provides construction NVQs from Level 2 to Level 7. Employers with several workers ready for assessment should confirm both the correct NVQ and current CITB grant eligibility before enrolment.

Can employers receive CITB apprenticeship grants as well?

CITB apprenticeship grants are separate from the Growth and Skills Levy arrangements.

For approved apprenticeships in England, CITB currently lists:

• £2,500 per year for attendance, paid every 13 weeks
• A £3,500 achievement grant for successful completion of a full apprenticeship lasting at least 12 months
• A £600 achievement grant for a shorter apprenticeship involving an experienced worker who did not acquire significant new skills

Only directly employed apprentices on approved programmes qualify, and the employer must meet CITB's registration, Levy Return and application requirements.

The CITB apprenticeship grants page explains the current rates, deadlines and evidence requirements.

What support is available to large construction employers?

NEW FROM 1ST APRIL 2026: Businesses with 250 or more PAYE employees no longer use the Employer Network route for this support. CITB launched a separate Large Employer Fund as an interim offer for the 2026 to 2027 financial year.

Eligible large employers can access up to £18,000 towards in-scope training taking place between 1st April 2026 and 31st March 2027.

Fundable areas include short course training not already supported through the grants scheme, leadership and management development and other construction-related training. First Aid, qualifications, apprenticeships, Level 7 qualifications and courses already covered through another CITB route are excluded.

Full conditions are available through the CITB Large Employer Fund.

Employers can also read the ESS guides to CITB funding in 2026 and maximising CITB support across training and NVQs.

What should construction employers do now?

Employers do not need to rebuild their entire training plan, but they should review it against the new rules.

Start by checking:

• How much is currently available in the apprenticeship service account
• Which funds were added before and after 1st August 2026
• When the oldest funds are due to expire
• Whether any planned apprenticeship standards remain funded
• Whether future recruits could qualify for the under-25 funding or SME support
• Whether an approved apprenticeship unit matches a genuine workforce need
• Which requirements are better supported through CITB grants, construction NVQs or standard short-course training

The best funding route should follow the skills need. A course, NVQ or apprenticeship should not be selected simply because funding appears to be available.

Build training around the work your business needs to deliver

Funding can reduce training costs, but only when it supports the right person, role and qualification.

Essential Site Skills provides construction employers with access to construction NVQs from Level 2 to Level 7, CITB courses, Temporary Works training, IOSH programmes and a wide range of occupational health and safety courses.

If you are reviewing workforce development following the levy changes, contact Essential Site Skills or call 0115 8970 529 to discuss the training and qualification options available to your team.