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Herefordshire Future Skills Grant

Name
Herefordshire Future Skills Grant
Status open or closed
Open - This is an open call. Applications will be assessed on a first come, first served basis until the budget is allocated. The scheme may, therefore, close at short notice to new applications due to budget constraints.
Aim of scheme

The Herefordshire Future Skills Grant is a revenue grant scheme, funded by Herefordshire Council from the Hereford Enterprise Zone retained business rates.

The aim of the grant is to support the creation of more, better paid jobs. Herefordshire Council recognises that skills are the building blocks to enable economic growth. This grant will support businesses and their employees, by raising the quality and standards of existing roles within the county.

The grant will specifically fund training courses to upskill existing employees, to support career progression and enable individuals to take on more skilled roles, leading to career progression. In turn, this ensures businesses have the skill sets required, both now and in the future.

Revenue grants of up to £2,500 per employee (50% contribution to the courses) are available. The grant is capped at £10,000 per business for the cost of training, accreditation and certificates. All courses must commence on, or before 1 March 2027.

Who can apply
  • Businesses physically trading and located in Herefordshire
  • This programme is aimed primarily at Herefordshire's key growth sectors, however, we will consider applications from other sectors on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us to enquire.

The key growth sectors are:

  • Defence and security
  • Advanced manufacturing and engineering
  • Food and drink manufacturing and processing
  • Agri technology
  • Construction
  • Sustainable technologies
Who is not eligible to apply
  • Public authorities
  • Town and parish councils
  • Voluntary groups
  • Social enterprises that are not involved in economic activities
  • Businesses where the majority of income comes from public sources due to subsidy control constraints
  • Franchise businesses / national chains
  • Non-economic activities
  • Gambling / betting establishments
  • Any business activity that is illegal or deemed unsuitable for public support by Herefordshire Council
  • Businesses whose registered address is in Herefordshire, but no trading activity is in Herefordshire
  • Businesses with a religious focus, where the project or activity does not benefit the wider community and includes religious content
  • Any business that is in arrears with business rates or Council Tax payments or otherwise in legal dispute with Herefordshire Council
What the grant or funding is for

Revenue grant funding is available to cover the cost of training courses for professional development. It can fund accreditation and certificates aimed at industry specific training courses along with general professional development courses such as leadership and management, project management, international business (importing and exporting), financial and legal training.

Funding is available for training via other routes, please read the alternative funding guide* before completing the Future Skills Grant application.

What the grant or funding cannot be used for

This list is not exhaustive.

  • Mandatory training courses, for example health and safety, food safety, first aid
  • Training as a pre-requisite to do the job, for example forklift licence
  • Training on a newly installed piece of equipment or software
  • Training available through other funded provision*
  • In-house training (where there is no third-party provider)
  • The cost of staff time when attending the training
  • The cost of subsistence, travel or accommodation to attend the training
  • The cost of any equipment to undertake the training
  • Levy paying employers seeking support for approved courses
How much you can apply for
  • Revenue grants are available for businesses, with a minimum grant of £1,000, up to £10,000 per business. Grants equate to 50% of the total eligible project costs and are capped at £10,000 per business, for example if your training costs are £15,000, you can apply for up to £7,500
  • The maximum grant per employee is £2,500. Where individual training costs exceed the £5,000, the business will meet this cost, for example employee A attends training course at £6,000, the maximum grant is £2,500 and the employer must pay £3,500

Please see later guidance on how the grant is paid.

For businesses that are VAT registered, we will not cover the cost of VAT, however, for non-VAT registered businesses, project costs can include the cost of VAT.

How to apply

Please read carefully the guidance on this web page to ensure your business and training needs are eligible. If you feel that you meet the criteria and wish to apply, please download the application form below along with the supporting excel spreadsheet.

Herefordshire Future Skills Grant application form

Future skills costs and funding spreadsheet

You will also need to submit the following with your full application form:

  • Quotes for the training course(s)
  • Copy of your latest company bank statement
  • Match funding evidence, for example to cover the total cost of the training as grant is paid on evidence of paid invoices
  • Evidence of HMRC registration, if self employed

Please email the completed application form, spreadsheet and supporting documentation to delegatedgrants@herefordshire.gov.uk

We will aim to communicate all decisions within four weeks of your submission. All decisions are final. There is no appeal process.

What happens next

Once we have received your application, we will acknowledge receipt. If you do not receive an acknowledgement within one week, please contact us in case the file was too large and it was not received. The appraisal process will then begin, and questions may be raised by the Panel to enable your application to be fully assessed.

If your application is successful:

  • You will need to read the grant offer and ensure you are happy with the conditions. To accept the grant, you and the employee(s) to be trained will need to sign and return the acceptance document along with the Minimum Financial Assistance (MFA) Subsidy declaration. You must not place an order/pay for the training or start the course before you have returned the signed grant offer
  • No grant funding will be released if invoices and payments pre-date the date on the signed grant offer letter
  • All claims must be submitted, and courses must commence on or before 1 March 2027 (if not earlier)
  • Grants are released on submission of a claim form supported with evidence of paid invoices for the approved training provider and employee. Please note, you need to seek approval before making any changes to the grant agreement, for example you cannot substitute employees on courses, without prior written agreement from the Grant Team
  • Stage payment can be considered if training is broken down into modules
  • You cannot pay for any grant costs with cash
  • You will be required to supply training certificates/confirmation from the training provider upon completion of the training
  • If the training is subsequently cancelled and you are unable to proceed with the grant funded training, you must advise the Grant Team at the earliest opportunity, who will request the return of the grant, or discuss alternative arrangements. You will be required to complete an evaluation/monitoring form on completion of all employee grant funded training, to advise on the outcomes and wider benefits to the business. This assists us in understanding the overall impact of our grant programmes and helps inform future funding bids

If your application has been rejected or placed on a reserve list, we will notify you as soon as we can, detailing why this decision has been made.

Further information

If you would like support with developing your proposal or completing your application form Herefordshire Growth Hub provide a free service. To arrange an appointment please email business@herefordshire.gov.uk The Growth Hub has a dedicated skills officer who can also provide support regarding your training needs.

If you have a query relating to the information above, please email the Grant Team at delegatedgrants@herefordshire.gov.uk

UK Subsidy Control Regime

This grant scheme will be administered under minimal financial assistance rules. Applicants must ensure that they are compliant with the subsidy control rules. You are asked to confirm this within the full application form.

Fraud statement

By completing the application or accepting the grant, you are confirming that you are eligible for the grant. If your eligibility circumstances change after making an application or receiving this grant, you must notify us immediately.

Herefordshire Council will not accept deliberate manipulation or fraud, and any instances will be actively investigated. Any individual who falsifies their records or dishonestly provides inaccurate information to gain a grant will face prosecution. The council reserves the right to recoup funds or grant awarded equipment and claw back any grants given in error.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with fraud prevention agencies who will use it to prevent fraud and money-laundering and to verify your identity. If fraud is detected, you could be refused certain services, finance, or employment. Further details of how your information will be used by us, fraud prevention agencies, and your data protection rights.