CITB Grant Funding Changes 2026: What Employers Need to Know

If you’re a construction employer who relies on CITB grants to fund staff training, you’ll need to understand the significant changes that came into effect on 8 January 2026. The way CITB funds short courses like SMSTS, SSSTS, and other health and safety training has fundamentally changed — and the impact on your training budget could be substantial.

In this guide, we break down exactly what’s changed, what it means for courses like SMSTS and SSSTS, how the new Employer Network funding works, and the practical steps you should take right now to protect your training investment.

Why Has CITB Changed Its Funding?

CITB announced these reforms on 8 December 2025, with changes taking effect just one month later on 8 January 2026. The short notice drew criticism from across the industry, and CITB itself acknowledged the timing was far from ideal.

The core reason is financial sustainability. Since 2021, CITB has seen a 36% increase in the number of employers accessing grant funding — but the Levy rate has remained unchanged over the same period. Demand for training support was on track to exceed the available Levy income, which would have put all CITB programmes at risk.

To address this, CITB is refocusing its funding on training it believes will have the greatest impact on tackling skills shortages across construction. In practice, this means the straightforward grant claims employers were used to for short courses have been replaced with a more controlled, adviser-led system through Employer Networks.

What’s Changed for Short Courses

This is the change that will affect the most employers. Short course training — including popular courses like SMSTS, SSSTS, Temporary Works Coordinator, and Health and Safety Awareness (HSA) — is no longer funded through the standard CITB Grants Scheme.

Previously, employers could book these courses, complete them, and then claim a grant directly from CITB. That automatic route has now closed for the vast majority of short courses.

The exceptions: Plant Operations, Scaffolding and a small number of other specialist courses remain eligible for the short course grant. The full list is available on the CITB website.

Everything else — including SMSTS, SSSTS, Temporary Works courses, SEATS, and most health and safety short courses — must now be funded through CITB Employer Networks.

First Aid training has been removed from CITB funding entirely. There is no grant or Employer Network support available for First Aid courses booked from 8 January 2026 onwards.

New Funding Rates at a Glance

Under the old system, employers could claim substantial grants for short courses. Under the new Employer Network model, the funding rates have been significantly reduced. Here’s how the key courses are affected:

Health and safety-related courses are now funded at 30% of CITB’s calculated average market rate, rather than the previous 70% match funding through Employer Networks. This represents a significant reduction in the financial support available to employers.

For employers running multiple staff through SMSTS training each year, the difference quickly adds up. Where you might previously have received £240 per delegate through the grants scheme, you’re now looking at £115 — and only if your training is booked through an Employer Network with the support of a CITB adviser.

How Employer Networks Work Now

Employer Networks are now the primary route to accessing CITB funding for most short courses. Here’s how the new system works in practice:

Step 1: Contact your local CITB adviser. Every CITB-registered employer can access a local adviser through their regional Employer Network. If you don’t know who your adviser is, you can find your local contact on the CITB website.

Step 2: Discuss your training needs. Your CITB adviser will work with you to identify what training your team needs and which courses are eligible for funding support.

Step 3: Book through the Employer Network. Training must now be identified and booked with the support of your CITB adviser. You cannot simply book a course independently and then claim the funding afterwards — the Employer Network must be involved from the outset.

Step 4: CITB contributes towards the cost. CITB will contribute up to 50% of the cost of eligible training courses. For health and safety courses (including SMSTS and SSSTS), funding is set at 30% of the average market rate.

There are some important caveats employers should be aware of. Employer Network funding comes from a fixed annual regional budget. Once that budget is spent, no further funding is available until the next financial year. This means acting early is essential — those who plan ahead and engage their CITB adviser promptly will have the best chance of securing support.

Employers do not need to sign a separate funding agreement to access Employer Network support. However, CITB encourages employers to plan training no more than three months ahead through the EN system, as bookings further out tend to change.

Changes to NVQ and Long Qualification Funding

The changes don’t just affect short courses. Employers investing in longer qualifications like NVQs will also see significant changes to the funding available.

Attendance grants removed: Previously, employers could claim attendance grants during the course of an NVQ programme. These have been scrapped. Transitional arrangements apply for learners who started their qualification before 8 December 2025 — but employers must notify CITB by 31 March 2026 to secure this funding.

Flat £600 achievement grant: All non-apprentice NVQ completions will now attract a single achievement grant of £600, regardless of qualification level. This applies to everything from a Level 6 NVQ in Construction Site Management through to a Level 7 NVQ in Construction Senior Management.

Under the previous system, higher-level qualifications attracted significantly larger grants. The move to a flat £600 rate means employers investing in senior management and strategic-level NVQs will see a notable reduction in funding support.

Level 7 qualifications no longer supported for new starters: Any Level 7 qualifications starting from 8 January 2026 onwards will not receive CITB grant or Employer Network funding. This does not affect Level 7 Apprenticeships or Scottish Advanced Craft Qualifications, which continue to be funded.

Despite these reductions, the £600 achievement grant still represents meaningful support for employers investing in NVQ qualifications. Courses like our NVQ Level 6 in Construction Site Management and NVQ Level 6 in Occupational Health and Safety remain strong investments in workforce development, with the added benefit of qualifying your team for higher-tier CSCS cards.

What Large Employers Need to Know

Employers with more than 250 staff face an additional change. From 31 March 2026, large employers will no longer be able to access Employer Network funding. CITB is developing a new, separate funding offer for large employers, which is expected to launch on 1 April 2026.

If you’re a large employer, any Employer Network-funded training should be completed before 31 March 2026. Details of the new large employer offer have not yet been published, so there may be a gap in available support during the transition period.

What Hasn’t Changed

Not everything has been affected by these reforms. The following areas of CITB support remain in place:

• Apprenticeship grants continue at existing rates and are unaffected by these changes.
• Plant Operations and Scaffolding courses remain eligible for the short course grant at existing rates.
• The CITB Levy itself has not changed — the rate and thresholds remain the same.
• NVQ achievement grants continue to be available, albeit at the new flat rate of £600.
• CITB Approved Training Organisation (ATO) status remains unchanged. As a CITB ATO, Target Zero Training continues to deliver fully accredited courses across all our venues.

What You Should Do Now: Step-by-Step

Whether you’re planning SMSTS training for your site managers, SSSTS courses for your supervisors, or NVQ qualifications for career progression, here’s what we recommend:

1. Contact your local CITB adviser. If you haven’t already, get in touch with your regional Employer Network. Your CITB adviser is your gateway to the remaining funding support. The sooner you engage, the better your chance of securing budget before it runs out.

2. Review your training plan for the year. Map out which courses your team needs over the next 12 months. Prioritise the training that’s most critical for site compliance and career development.

3. Budget for the difference. With reduced grant support, your business will be picking up a larger share of training costs. Factor this into your operational budget now rather than being caught off guard later.

4. Consider booking through a CITB ATO. Training booked through an Approved Training Organisation like Target Zero Training ensures your courses meet the required standards for any available funding claims. We can also help guide you through the new booking process.

5. Protect existing bookings. If you have training booked before 8 December 2025 that’s being delivered between now and 31 March 2026, make sure you have evidence of the original booking date. This will allow you to claim at the previous, higher grant rates.

6. Notify CITB about in-progress NVQs. If you have staff who started an NVQ before 8 December 2025, you must notify CITB by 31 March 2026 to secure transitional attendance grant funding.

7. Don’t delay. Employer Network budgets are finite and regional. Once your area’s budget is spent, that’s it until the next financial year. Early planning gives you the best chance of accessing available support.

Frequently Asked Questions