User led organisation funding

Applications are now open and will close at 12:00 on Tuesday 20 May 2025.

Organisations which are run for, and by, people with a disability or long-term health condition, Deaf or autistic people (ULOs/DPOs) can now apply for a learning and development grant from Skills for Care. 

These grants are awarded to pay for training which will improve the knowledge and skills of:

• individual employers (IEs) - people that employ or contract with personal assistants for their own care and support staff using a social care direct payment from their local authority, a personal health budget or their own money. 
• personal assistants (PAs) - people who are employed directly by individuals (or families) who require care and support, rather than care providing organisations. 
• self-employed personal assistants - people who offer their service to people who contract with them. 
• prospective PAs (as part of a programme of pre-employment training) 
• people who are about to become an individual employer (pre-employer training).

Who can apply?  

Disabled people’s/user-led organisations which have direct contact with individual employers and personal assistants are eligible to apply. These are organisations who are run for, and by, people with a disability or long-term health condition.  

Organisations must be able to identify the learning and development needs of individual employers and personal assistants and able to deliver a training programme that meets those needs.  

What will be funded?  

We'll consider applications to fund, via a grant, the cost of learning that meets the needs of individual employers and personal assistants, for example:  

• health and safety such as; assisting and moving, first aid or food safety 

• disability equality training 

• understanding the role of an employer or employer responsibilities 

• managing staff 

• boundaries and expectations of the employer and employee relationship 

• training to support specific situations (e.g. autism, dementia, British Sign Language etc.) 

• knowledge elements of the Care Certificate standards and where appropriate assessment that leads to the award of the Care Certificate.

The above list is not exhaustive.  

Applications can include the direct costs of training, travel for the learner and the cost of hiring replacement support whilst the employer’s usual PA is attending training during their normal working hours.  

The grant is to pay for learning and development and for this reason the funding cannot be awarded to pay for the normal running costs of office facilities.  

A small portion of the grant can support project management, but the majority of the funding should be used to pay for training.  

How to apply  

Complete the application form and full cost breakdown spreadsheet. Email the form and the spreadsheet to funding@skillsforcare.org.uk by 12:00 on Tuesday 20 May 2025. Applications received after this deadline will be rejected. 

Frequently asked questions 

Q&A session  

We’re running an online Q&A session on Wednesday 30 April at 11:00 for anyone who has questions about the funding or completing the application process. If you want to attend please email your name and organisation (if applicable) to funding@skillsforcare.org.uk You'll receive a confirmation email and the link to the Zoom meeting.  

Any questions?

If you'd like more information email funding@skillsforcare.org.uk or call 0113 241 1275.