CITB has announced substantial changes to its grants and funding offer, which will take effect from 8 January 2026. As a training group, ECTA is committed to helping employers understand what these changes mean and how to prepare.
This update summarises the key points from CITB’s industry-wide communication and explains how they may affect your planning for 2026 and beyond.
Why Are These Changes Happening?
CITB has supported 36% more unique employers since 2021 without increasing the Levy. This has resulted in a situation where demand for funding is set to exceed Levy income in the near future.
To ensure support remains sustainable, CITB is prioritising funding for training that will have the greatest impact in reducing the industry-wide Skills Gap. This means adjusting grants, reducing support in some areas, and shifting how employers access funding.
What’s Changing from 8 January 2026
1. Short Course Training
The most significant change concerns short courses:
- Short courses will no longer be funded through the Grants Scheme, except for:
- Plant Operations
- Scaffolding
- Other specialist courses (full list online – Funding changes information – CITB )
- From January 2026, short-course support will be delivered exclusively through Employer Networks, not through the traditional Grants Scheme.
- Bookings made before 8 December 2025, with evidence of the booking date, and completed before 31 March 2026, will still be honoured at the current grant rate.
To access any future support for short courses, employers will need to work through the Employer Network model.
2. Funding Via Employer Networks (EN)
Because ECTA works closely with Employer Networks, this is an important section for our members:
- CITB will match-fund 50% of eligible courses.
- Health & Safety in Construction and associated courses (see list here: hs-courses-supported-via-employer-networks.pdf) will be funded at 30% of CITB’s average market rate, not at 50%.
- The EN Fund is finite and fixed annually, meaning funding availability will be managed throughout the year and may run out.
- First Aid training will not be supported through EN funding.
This shift reinforces the EN model as the primary route for short-course support.
3. Qualification Grant Changes
CITB is also restructuring grant support for longer qualifications:
- Attendance grants for long qualifications are being removed.
- There will be a single achievement grant of £600.
- Level 7 qualifications will no longer be supported.
(These changes do not affect Level 7 Apprenticeships or Scottish Advanced Craft qualifications at SCQF Level 7.)
4. Large Employers
Changes also apply to large organisations:
- Large employers will not be eligible for EN funding after 31 March 2026.
- CITB will begin co-designing a new support offer with large employers, to launch from 1 April 2026.
What Employers Need to Do Now
To prepare for the upcoming changes, CITB recommends that employers should:
✔ Book any short-duration training through Employer Networks
This will be the only funding route moving forward.
✔ Prioritise training needs early
Funding is limited and will be managed carefully across the year.
✔ Speak with your CITB Adviser
They can help confirm eligibility, guide bookings and ensure you have the correct evidence for pre-December 2025 commitments.
As a training group, ECTA will continue supporting members by facilitating discussions, sharing updates, and helping employers access the right funding routes during this transition.
Further Support from CITB
CITB is hosting a series of information webinars to help employers understand the new structure. The dedicated support page includes session details and additional guidance. You can book your space on the webinar here Grant & Funding Changes Q&A
ECTA’s Role
ECTA’s role is to support employers in navigating the evolving training landscape. These CITB changes are significant, but we will continue to:
- Share updates as soon as they become available
- Support our members in planning and prioritising training
- Work alongside Employer Networks to ensure members understand their options
If you have questions about the changes or would like help preparing for 2026, please contact us.
Updated 08/12/2025