Funding update: Employer Networks and Large Employer Fund

From 1 April 2026, we are making changes to how training funding is distributed to employers, introducing a new approach for large employers and updating the Employer Networks offer for smaller businesses.

Why we're making changes

Construction is at a pivotal moment. With the Government committing over £600 million to tackle skills shortages and train up to 60,000 more workers, demand for high-quality training has never been greater. Over the past four years, we have seen a 36% rise in employer engagement in programmes such as Employer Networks. That growth reflects real momentum across the industry — and it has also meant thinking carefully about how funding is distributed sustainably across the whole sector.

What's changing for micro, small and medium employers

From April, employers with between 1 and 249 employees will continue to access training support through Employer Networks, with funding available at 50% match funding or at a fixed contribution for health and safety courses.

To ensure support reaches as many employers as possible, the Employer Networks budget for 2026-27 has been set at £11.5 million, with caps in place by employer size:

• Micro employers (1–9 employees): cap of £1,500
• Small employers (10–49 employees): cap of £2,000
• Medium employers (50–249 employees): cap of £4,500

What's changing for large employers

From April, large employers — those that directly employ 250 or more people — will no longer be able to access Employer Networks. Instead, a new Large Employer Fund is available for the 2026-27 financial year, while we work with large employers on a longer-term, strategic solution.

The fund provides up to £18,000 to spend on in-scope training of your choice. paid on a training plan or receipt of evidence of training.

Expressions of Interest can be submitted from 1 April 2026 up to 30 June 2026 by completing the Expression of Interest Form which will be available on the website by 1 April.

What else is available

• Regardless of employer size, businesses can continue to access a range of other financial support including the short course grants (plant, scaffolding, and other exempted standards), apprenticeship grant, Travel to Train, qualification grant, and the Industry Impact Fund.

Our wider work — including competence frameworks, Sector Plans, National Construction Colleges, and careers activity through Go Construct — also continues as normal, and local NEST teams and the wider advisory service remain available to help employers identify the best routes for their workforce.