Guidance

Adults assessed and supported year in employment grant determination: 2026 to 2027

Published 16 March 2026

Applies to England

This grant determination letter applies to funding claimed for the assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE) for newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) to deliver adults’ social work. This is the 2026 to 2027 edition, which applies to all claims for eligible delivery of the ASYE scheme that are paid for between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027 (inclusive), irrespective of when the claim is submitted between these dates.

Where approved applications have been paid for across 2 milestones, the grant determination letter applies according to the date that the first payment was made. Where approved applications have been paid for in a single instalment, the grant determination letter applies according to the date on which this payment was made.

Grant determination letter

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (‘the Secretary of State’), in exercise of the powers conferred by section 149(1A) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 makes the following determination.

1. Citation

1.1 This determination may be cited as the ASYE grant determination (2026 to 2027).

1.2 The ASYE is referred to within this document as ‘the scheme’.

2. Purpose of the grant

2.1 The purpose of the grant is to provide financial assistance to any eligible employer of newly qualified social workers (‘recipient’), that are directly employed in England to deliver adult social work who are undertaking activities relating to the delivery of the ASYE, including but not limited to professional development and support activities such as regular supervision of newly qualified social workers. This includes adult social care providers, local authorities, NHS organisations and private, voluntary and independent (PVI) organisations.

2.2 Assistance is provided by way of 2 milestone payments to the recipient. The first payment is an upfront award for successful application. The second payment is following closure of the application window and determined using the scheme funding formula.

3. Determination

3.1 The Secretary of State determines that a recipient to which this grant is to be paid is any eligible adult social care provider or commissioner delivering adult social work, any eligible NHS provider that employs newly qualified social workers, or any private, voluntary or independent organisation that employs newly qualified social workers and meets the eligibility requirements.

3.2 Pursuant to section 149 (1A) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the Secretary of State determines that the grant will be paid subject to the recipient complying with the grant conditions below.

3.3 Guidance on how to comply with the conditions is published alongside this grant determination letter (the ‘scheme guidance’). This guidance will be updated from time to time. Any prospective recipient is advised to check the current scheme guidance applicable at the time of committing to the scheme for which it intends to claim funding.

3.4 The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) reserves the right to amend the scheme periodically in accordance with its ongoing legal obligations. The scheme administrators will notify the recipient if this grant determination or conditions change, and when updated scheme guidance is published. Notifications will be sent to contact email addresses provided by the recipient within the funding service. It is the responsibility of the recipient senior responsible officer (SRO) to ensure compliance with the updated scheme guidance and conditions.

3.5 The grant paid to the recipient under this determination may be used only for the purposes set out above in section ‘2. Purpose of the grant’. Further detail is set out in the scheme guidance.

4. Grant clawback

4.1 Any breach of the grant conditions for claims made between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027 will trigger clawback as set out in paragraph ‘6. Clawback conditions’ of ‘Grant conditions’ below.

Signed on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care by:

Tom Surrey, Director of Adult Social Care Workforce and Policy

10 March 2026

Definition of terms

1. Assessed and supported year in employment (ASYE)

1.1 The government is making funding available to employers of newly qualified social workers, to claim funding to support eligible delivery of the ASYE scheme, detailed within the latest published scheme guidance. See the guidance published alongside this grant determination letter for more information.

2. Employer of newly qualified social worker (NQSW) (the recipient)

2.1 An employer of newly qualified social workers (NSQWs) (including statutory, private, voluntary and independent organisations) that are directly employed in England in the provision of adult social work within adult social care services or NHS services.

3. Newly qualified social worker (NQSW)

3.1 A newly qualified social worker registered with Social Work England, who holds a recognised social work qualification, demonstrates safe and effective practice, and adheres to professional standards. To be classified as newly qualified, the social worker cannot have been registered for longer than 4 years.

4. Scheme administrators

4.1 The scheme will be administered by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) on behalf of DHSC.

5. Senior responsible officer

5.1 A senior responsible officer (SRO) is an officer of the recipient (nominated by the recipient) having sufficient authority, direct or delegated, to confirm that the Secretary of State’s grant determination has been read and understood, and that the recipient agrees to comply with the grant conditions.

5.2 If an SRO leaves the recipient organisation and is replaced by a new SRO, the recipient has a duty to notify the scheme administrators of this change. The new SRO will be required to sign this grant determination letter.

Grant conditions

1. Eligibility requirements

1.1 The recipient must provide at least one or more adult social care or NHS services as set out in ‘section 2. Employer of newly qualified social worker’ of ‘Definition of terms’ above. 

1.2 All claims for the ASYE must be submitted by eligible employers, as set out and defined in the section entitled ‘Who can apply for funding’ found in the latest scheme guidance, and applicable at the time of applying.

1.3 Claims made in reliance on scheme guidance that was applicable at the time of application will be honoured, if evidence of scheme undertaking can be provided as at section ‘4. Evidence requirements’ below. Claims will not be honoured in cases where the grant conditions have not been satisfied. 

1.4 The newly qualified social workers whose eligible scheme participation is claimed for by the recipient, must be directly employed by the recipient at the point of undertaking and completing the scheme and making a claim.

1.5 Under the ASYE, the recipient may make claims for funding to support the delivery of the scheme within the claimant organisation that will be funded as a per person amount and based on the size and structure of the claimant organisation.

2. Application requirements

2.1 Applications must be supported by evidence of eligibility that will be used in verification of claims, as laid out in the scheme guidance applicable at the time of ASYE.

2.2 Applications must be made through the ASYE funding service. Employers must follow the steps outlined in the scheme guidance to make a claim through the funding service. Where employers require additional support to access the service, they may be assisted by the scheme administrators. 

2.3 Funds for ASYE will only be provided once for the same employee, except in cases where the employee’s previous attempt to complete the ASYE was unfinished.

2.4 Applications that satisfy the scheme requirements will only be funded if the declaration set out at section ‘7. Declaration requirements’ below has been signed at the point of application submission.

2.5 Applications can only be made for eligible newly qualified social workers who have started and/or completed the scheme in the timeframes as set out in ‘3. Timeframe requirements’ below.

3. Timeframe requirements

3.1 Funding for ASYE schemes can only be applied for if they have been started between 1 February of the previous financial year and 31 January of the given financial year.

3.2 ASYE funding can only be claimed for social workers who have received a relevant social work qualification in the last 4 years. As a result, ASYE funding cannot be claimed for social workers who qualified more than 4 years ago.

4. Evidence requirements

4.1 Evidence for eligible ASYE claims must include the following:

• evidence that the newly qualified social worker is employed by the claimant organisation. Acceptable evidence includes an:
  • employment contract
• the name and Social Work England registration number of the newly qualified social worker that is being applied for. This information will be checked with Social Work England data
• evidence of scheme completion (provided upon completion to claim evidence of completion and prove the newly qualified social worker has completed the scheme which they were funded)

Acceptable evidence includes:

• a 12-month review status report stating completion date
• an assessor-led record of support and progressive assessment 6 to 12 months final review, including recommendation of assessment decision

More information on examples of appropriate evidence is provided in the scheme guidance.

5. Other requirements

5.1 The recipient must consent to allowing the sharing of non-personal data with DHSC and the scheme administrators. DHSC will receive non-personal data relating to any single or cumulative funds received, which may be required by statute, regulation or otherwise prescribed by lawful authority, to be published within the public domain. Personal data usage will be covered by separate agreements between the recipient and the scheme administrators. DHSC does not intend to request personal data directly from the recipient and will only be receiving non-personal data from the scheme administrators.

5.2 The recipient must consent to allowing the sharing of personal data between the scheme administrators and Social Work England.

5.3 Payments to the recipient will only be made into a business banking account. No payments will be made to personal accounts.

5.4 The recipient must co-operate with the scheme administrators and DHSC in any matter relating to DHSC’s statutory, regulatory or other public duty obligations in relation to the scheme’s financial management and accounting.

5.5 Use by the recipient of the funding service provided by the scheme administrators must be in accordance with its end user agreement and privacy policy.

5.6 The recipient shall update the scheme administrators of any changes to personnel who have met either of the following criteria, in the course of the recipient’s use of the service or in the event of a change in grant conditions: 

• a) ‘signed’ this grant determination agreement
• b) been granted delegated authority to use the service on the recipient’s behalf

6. Clawback conditions

6.1 The Secretary of State may reduce, suspend or withhold grant payments, or require the repayment of the whole or any part of the grant monies paid, as may be determined by the Secretary of State, and notified in writing to the recipient. The sum notified will immediately become repayable to the Secretary of State.

6.2 This will occur if the recipient meets one or more of the following criteria:

• a) breaches any of the scheme conditions or acts otherwise than in accordance with the scheme guidance
• b) receives any overpayment under this grant in error or by reason of fraud
• c) ceases to trade, becomes insolvent or declared bankrupt, or is placed in receivership, administration or liquidation

6.3. The Secretary of State may pursue remedies against any recipient that fails to return owed grant monies for any of the reasons above, through civil or criminal proceedings as applicable, according to the facts.

7. Declaration requirements

7.1. An SRO of the recipient will be required to accept that the Secretary of State’s grant determination with the grant conditions has been read and understood, and that the recipient agrees to comply with the grant conditions.

7.2 Where the SRO of the recipient has delegated authority to use the funding service to other named recipient staff, before any claim for funding from the scheme will be processed, the person with delegated authority submitting the claim on behalf of the recipient will read the grant determination letter and grant conditions, and confirm the following declaration:

I declare that the information I have given, and supporting evidence provided, is correct and complete. This application meets the grant conditions set out in the accepted grant determination letter.

I understand that all information provided may be subject to:

• verification checks
• audit review
• counter fraud checks

I understand that if I provide false or misleading information, I may be liable to civil or criminal proceedings, and clawback provisions may apply.

7.3 Where an SRO is replaced at the recipient organisation by a new SRO, the new SRO will be required to sign this grant determination letter. The recipient organisation has a duty to notify the scheme administrators whenever there is a change in SRO.