CITB announced yesterday that it will be making significant changes to its grants and funding model that will affect how employers and workers access training support across the UK construction industry. These updates, coming into effect on 8 January 2026, are designed to ensure long-term sustainability of the support and to direct funding where it will have the greatest impact.
At Kentec Training, we’re committed to helping our clients understand what’s changing, how it affects your training with us, and what actions employers - large and small - should be taking now.
Changes to CITB Short Course Grants
From 8 January 2026, short courses (courses with a duration of 1 to 31 days) will no longer be funded through the Grants Scheme, with the exception of:
- Plant & Machinery Operations (which lead to a card carrying the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Logo, such as CPCS and/or NPORS)
- MEWP Operator Training (which leads to an International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) MEWP Card)
- Scaffolding Training (which leads to a Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) Card)
- A limited set of specialist courses (See CITB’s official “Funding update course exceptions” list for full details.)
Going forward, support for short-duration training will be provided exclusively through Employer Networks (ENs).
Important Note: Short courses booked before 8 December 2025 and completed between 8 January and 31 March 2026 will still be honoured, provided evidence of the booking date is supplied.
Changes to Funding via CITB Employer Networks
Under the updated model, CITB will match-fund 50% of eligible courses - down from 70%.
Construction Health & Safety and other related associated courses, such as the CITB Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) and CITB Site Manager Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS), will now only be supported at 30% of the average market rate.
Further from this, First Aid training will no longer be supported through Employer Networks.
(See CITB’s “H&S Courses List” for details.)
Changes to Long Qualification Grants
CITB previously paid grants for both attending and achieving approved, higher level qualifications that are focused on the core construction skills needed across the industry which take more than one year to complete.
As of 8 January 2026, attendance grants for long qualifications will be removed entirely, leaving the achievement grant at a fixed amount of £600. In addition to this, Level 7 qualifications (excluding some Scottish equivalents) will no longer be supported. CITB notes that the aforementioned rising demand for funding requires that these adjustments are made in order to maintain continuity of support for employers.
Changes to Funding for Large Employers
For large employers (employers with over 250+ employees), Employer Network funding will no longer be available from 31 March 2026 onwards.
Large employers currently contribute and receive support in a broadly equitable proportion (31% of Levy income vs. 30% of grant awards in 2024). Feedback suggests the EN model does not fully meet their needs, and CITB is widening the scope of the Leadership & Management Fund, as well as launching a new large employer-specific fund on 1st April 2026, to better support them.
Why is CITB making these changes?
CITB reports that the number of employers receiving financial support has grown by 36% since 2021, yet Levy rates have not increased in that time. This increase in demand for funding threatens to exceed the Levy income, so changes are required to maintain sustainability and target support more effectively.
Immediate Actions For CITB-Registered Employers
If you have already booked training for your employees before 8 December 2025 and said training is completed before 7 January 2026, then no action is needed; your funding will be honoured by CITB at the current grant rate.
For training booked before 8 December 2025, but delivered between 8th January – 31st March 2026, employers must provide evidence of their booking to CITB in order to receive the current grant rate. Large employers should ensure any training funded via the Employer Network is completed before 31 March 2026.
For further guidance, speak to your local CITB Advisor.
What impact does this have on Kentec Training?
These changes now mean that a number of our training courses are now no longer eligible for funding through CITB's short course grants scheme, including, but not limited to:
- Safety Harness Training
- Ladder & Stepladder Training
- Mobile Access Tower Training
If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with our support team on 0333 666 0555. We are currently in the process of finalising a list of all our eligible short courses that will be made available to everyone on our updated CITB Course Funding guidance pages available on our new website below:
That's all for now! Be sure to stay subscribed to the Kentec Training Newsletter for future training industry insights!
📞 Want to get in touch with our team about the changes to CITB course funding? Get in touch today on 0333 666 0555 or email at info@kentectraining.co.uk. We're here to help!
