Guidance

Industry placements for level 2 and 3 construction qualifications: guidance for providers and employers in non-devolved areas

Published 21 May 2026

Applies to England

About this guidance  

This guidance explains how to design, deliver and fund industry placements for learners studying construction qualifications at levels 2 and 3.

These placements help learners become more site-ready by giving them practical onsite experience. This supports their progression into further training or employment once they have achieved their qualification. They also give employers the opportunity to bring new talent onto site and assess a learner’s skills and suitability in real working conditions.

T Levels construction placements are out of scope for this guidance because they have their own nationally defined industry placement requirements, as set out in the T Level industry placement guidance. However, this guidance explains how employers can claim eligible costs through the Employer Support Fund portal for hosting construction industry placements, including T Level construction industry placements.

This guidance applies to the academic year 2026 to 2027 and will be reviewed annually.

Who this guidance is for

Providers in non-devolved areas

This guidance is for providers that:

• deliver level 2 and level 3 construction qualifications in England
• operate outside Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA) areas

Providers must use this guidance when applying for the Construction Industry Placement funding grant and when planning and delivering placements. It sets out the expected standards of delivery.

Providers must continue to meet all Public Funding Compliance requirements set out in the funding section.

Employers in non-devolved areas

This guidance also applies to employers who support providers in non‑devolved areas offering construction industry placements.

Employers should use this guidance to understand:

• national expectations for construction industry placements
• their role and responsibilities
• the required standards of delivery

Providers and employers in MSA areas

If you are:

• a provider, including a Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC), operating within an MSA area, you should contact the relevant MSA for details of local delivery and funding arrangements
• an employer offering an industry placement through a provider in an MSA area, you should also contact the relevant MSA to understand local delivery arrangements

Key points

This guidance:

• sets out the expectations for providers delivering industry placements for level 2 and 3 construction qualifications
• provides employers with clear, practical advice on offering safe, meaningful and high‑quality placements that help learners develop the skills they need to work in the construction industry
• shares delivery models for construction industry placements
• sets out reporting requirements, including evidence of:
  • the number of construction industry placements completed
  • the number of construction sector employers taking part
  • engagement at a regional level to support the promotion and delivery of placements
• explains how employers can claim funding through the Employer Support Fund for construction industry placements and T Level industry placements

 Eligibility

The following are not in scope for construction industry placements funding:

• apprenticeships
• national vocational qualifications (NVQs)

Learner eligibility criteria

We expect all learners on construction qualifications at level 2 and 3 to complete a construction industry placement.

To qualify for funding, a provider must ensure that a learner in a non-devolved area:

• is enrolled in a level 2 or 3 Sector Subject Areas (SSA) 5.2 construction course
• completes a qualification of at least 360 guided learning hours (GLH)
• completes a placement that amounts to a minimum of 3 weeks
• completes a placement with a construction employer which is directly linked to the learner’s qualification, providing relevant on‑site experience

We expect learners to demonstrate sufficient progress towards their learning goals. This includes identifying and developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need, including those required to become increasingly site‑ready for safe and effective employment in real construction environments.

Industry placement core principles

Industry placements should be high-quality, delivered consistently and provide each learner with a meaningful experience. A meaningful experience, as defined by the Gatsby Benchmarks, gives learners the opportunity to explore what it is like to work in that environment, what skills are valued in the workplace, their recruitment processes and what it takes to be successful.

Whilst a high-quality experience may look different for each learner, there are several core principles providers must follow. An industry placement must:

Provide learners with the opportunity to work with an employer and carry out real work

The learner must experience undertaking a real-life job, including travel to work, independence from their peers and working with new people (an exception applies where a learner is in a Young Offender Institution where the placement must take place in the institution’s on-site facilities). This enables the learner to apply and develop the technical skills and knowledge learnt in the classroom.

The learner must have clear learning goals agreed at the start of the placement. These goals must be relevant to their course and regularly reviewed throughout the placement.

Setting and reviewing these goals helps ensure learners progressively build practical skills, professional behaviours and confidence. This supports them to become site‑ready and able to contribute safely and effectively in a real construction environment.

Take account of learner readiness for the workplace

The placement must take place at a suitable point in the course, when the learner is sufficiently prepared for the workplace and understands the standards of behaviour and performance expected of them.

Where possible, we recommend that the placement takes place towards the end of the qualification, when learners have developed the core knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to benefit fully from real-world site experience. It may also help employers identify learners who are suitable for future employment opportunities.

Placements can be arranged either as a block or on a day‑release basis, depending on what best meets the needs of the learner and employer.

Support progression into skilled employment

The placement must help the learner develop employability skills and occupational competencies within the relevant career route. When sourcing a placement, the provider must take the learner’s interests and career aspirations into account.

Learners must also have their Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Industry Placement Card, if relevant, and complete all necessary health and safety requirements before the placement begins.

Take place in a supportive environment

The learner must receive an appropriate induction and any training they need to carry out tasks independently.

Each learner must be assigned a dedicated supervisor or mentor who can provide guidance, support and regular feedback throughout the placement from both the provider and the employer.

Be accessible for all learners, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

The placement must be within a reasonable travel distance, agreed between the provider, employer and learner. It must be structured to meet individual learner needs and include provisions for reasonable adjustments.

The provider must ensure the learner is in a safe working environment and check their wellbeing through regular meetings.

Providers must work in close partnership with employers to ensure every construction industry placement meets these principles.

Design and delivery

Duration

A construction industry placement must last at least 3 weeks. This is to support the development of core work readiness skills.

Placements can be delivered as a block or on a day-release basis, depending on what best supports the learner and employer. We recommend you base this on a standard 35‑hour working week (7 hours per day). This reflects employer feedback that a minimum duration of 3 weeks is necessary for learners to develop essential skills, including health and safety knowledge, communication and occupational skills.

While 3 weeks is the minimum requirement, providers may offer longer placements where this would help learners develop broader occupational skills. Further guidance can be found in the delivery models section, which outlines the different ways placements can be organised and delivered, to ensure flexibility for providers and employers.

Although the process for claiming employer costs is the same, T Level placements must meet the standard 9 week requirement. For more information, refer to the T Level industry placement guidance.

CITB’s Work Bridge programme

After completing an industry placement, learners can progress to CITB’s Work Bridge programme. This programme supports learners to transition into sustained employment by providing a clear pathway into the construction industry. It helps learners develop industry‑recognised competence by providing a structured industry experience.

This only applies to occupations within CITB’s scope. Some occupations are not eligible and are out of scope for the Work Bridge funding.

Following a construction industry placement, providers, employers and MSAs may consider engaging with CITB’s work-bridge programme, which supports matching learners with suitable construction employers after their placement.

Delivery models

Providers must work in partnership with employers to deliver placements that meet the core principles set out in this guidance. This will help to ensure a high-quality experience for learners.

Learners must spend most of their placement hours working face to face with an employer in a real workplace, developing skills relevant to their course.

Providers can use one or more of the following delivery approaches to design a placement that meets individual needs and reflects employer working practice. This is only where it does not conflict with the core placement principles.

Delivery models may include:

Block placements

In a block placement, the learner attends the workplace full-time for a continuous period to complete the placement. This is suitable for employers who can commit to hosting the learner for a set block of time.

Block placements allow the learner to fully experience workplace culture and build stronger professional relationships. They make it easier for employers to assign meaningful projects that require sustained involvement.

Day release

In a day release placement, the learner attends the workplace regularly, for example one day a week. This is suitable for employers who cannot commit to hosting a learner for consecutive days or weeks.

Day release placements allow learners to apply knowledge in real time alongside their studies. They help learners build relationships and become familiar with the workplace over time.

Multi-employer or supply chain models

Construction industry placements can be shared across 2 or more employers to give learners a broader experience or to support small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) that cannot offer the full placement hours. This can be either 2 separate employers or 3 employers in the same supply chain.

These options cannot be used together. Where a placement is split between multiple employers, it is the provider’s responsibility to agree employer reimbursement costs. Total reimbursement must not exceed £727 per learner.

The learner must work towards a single set of learning goals across their placements to ensure a coherent overall experience. The construction industry placement agreement must include all employers involved and be signed by each organisation.

Providers must carry out due diligence checks with each employer, including risk assessments where appropriate, to ensure the appropriate safeguarding and health and safety measures are in place.

Roles and responsibilities

Provider responsibilities

Providers have overall responsibility for organising and overseeing construction industry placements. To ensure every learner completes a high-quality placement and that decisions are consistent, including the use of special consideration, the Department for Education (DfE) expects providers to comply with this guidance fully.

Providers must also make sure that employers delivering construction industry placements understand and meet their roles and responsibilities set out in this guidance.

We reserve the right to check how well providers are delivering construction industry placements. Providers must keep all relevant documents for audit purposes.

This guidance does not assign tasks to specific job titles, as staff structures vary between organisations. It refers to ‘providers’ in most cases and each provider should assign appropriate staff to carry out relevant activities and responsibilities.

DfE has developed templates and forms to support providers and employers with the delivery of industry placements. These are included in the annexes.

Before the placement

Inform and commit:

• explain placement expectations to learners and, where appropriate, parents or carers
• secure commitment to completing the placement before enrolment

Students with other commitments:

• find out if a learner has other significant commitments as early as possible – for example, caring responsibilities may affect the number of hours a learner can commit to their industry placement each week
• ensure that the planned placement hours are manageable for all learners and that prospective employers can accommodate these hours

Sourcing placements:

• source suitable construction industry placements for learners to ensure placements are the right match for both the learner and employer
• make sure learners have their CSCS Industry Placement Card, where required
• confirm all health and safety requirements have been completed before the placement starts

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks: 

• employers are not legally required to carry out a basic, standard or enhanced DBS check for staff supervising learners aged 16 or 17 – this includes freelancers
• providers may request a basic DBS check for a learner’s manager or supervisor where they feel this is necessary. This is expected where a learner is considered vulnerable (for example, if they have SEND, have been in care, or are likely to regularly be alone with an adult during their placement)
• providers and employers should agree who will pay for any DBS checks

Curriculum alignment:

• sequence learning so learners are prepared with the knowledge and skills they need
• choose the most suitable delivery model, such as day release, block placement or a combination of both
• engage employers early, clearly explain expectations and support them throughout the placement process, including helping them understand their role, preparing them to host learners and maintaining regular contact to ensure placements run smoothly and deliver the intended learning outcomes
• plan placements, where possible, towards the end of the qualification so learners have developed the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to benefit fully from real‑world site experience

Planning placement hours:

• agree placement hours in advance and allow enough time to account for unexpected learner absences
• consider allowing learners to count hours worked in a part-time job towards their industry placement, if the work is relevant to their qualification
• where a learner is unexpectedly absent for a significant period, work with the employer and learner to agree how missed hours will be completed (for example, by adjusting the placement schedule or arranging additional hours later in the course)

Employer network:

• build and maintain a reliable pool of employers, and oversee placements sourced by learners

Learner matching and preparation:

• support employer selection and match learners based on their needs and circumstances
• prepare learners for the workplace, including expected behaviour and performance standards

Preparing learners for the workplace: 

• train learners on workplace behaviour and performance standards. This should include developing key employability skills and ensuring learners understand the professional standards of behaviour and attitudes expected of them before they go on placement (for example, punctuality, timely communication, teamwork and organisational skills)

Setting objectives – work with employers to agree:

• learning goals
• activities
• expected outcomes

Due diligence and agreements:

• check employer policies, insurance and health and safety measures
• make sure all parties sign the placement agreement
• obtain parental consent where required

SEND support:

• arrange reasonable adjustments for learners with SEND
• share relevant information with the employer, where consent is given

Quality assurance:

• make sure internal processes meet required standards

During the placement

Named contact:

• provide employers with a dedicated point of contact who can respond promptly – this helps identify and resolve any issues with learner attendance, behaviour or performance at an early stage and reduces the risk of placements being terminated early
• ensure the employer identifies an appropriate task manager or supervisor for each learner on placement

Support and communication with employers: 

• support employers to plan the structure of the placement
• arrange review meetings
• help employers complete the necessary paperwork
• advise on reasonable adjustments
• maintain regular contact with employers

Protecting learner welfare in the workplace 

• support learners to raise concerns if they experience inappropriate behaviour in the workplace
• as part of placement preparation, explain how learners should respond to bullying or inappropriate conduct and how to report concerns to the provider
• intervene, as necessary
• help ensure learners also feel comfortable raising concerns directly with the employer

Ongoing monitoring:

• maintain regular communication with employers and learners to monitor learner welfare and progress
• review and update support for learners with SEND where needed, taking into account factors such as additional learning needs, medical conditions, ability to travel independently and career interests when identifying the best working environment.  This applies to all learners with SEND, not just those with an education, health, and care (EHC) plan. Under the Equality Act 2010, providers must make reasonable adjustments for learners with a disability to enable them to undertake their industry placement without being at a substantial disadvantage compared with learners who are not disabled

Progress reviews:

• hold regular review meetings and record outcomes
• support the learner’s progress towards their learning goals
• safeguard the learner’s welfare while they are on placement

Managing issues:

• address any concerns about learner performance or behaviour promptly, with a clear action plan
• manage complaints, disputes or grievances quickly and effectively

Logbook and timesheets:

• make sure logbooks and timesheets are completed accurately and regularly, including recording absences

Placement hours:

• make sure learners complete the required placement hours
• where a learner does not complete their placement in the planned setting, arrange for the remaining hours to be completed in another way

End of placement

Documentation:

• collect all required evidence, including the placement agreement, logbook and employer feedback

Completion decision:

• confirm whether the placement has been successfully completed

Data submission:

• submit placement data to the Individualised Learner Record (ILR)
• make sure data is accurate and complete, as this is required for eligibility for full high value courses premium (HVCP) Construction funding

Employer responsibilities

Employers should meet the following expectations to ensure learners have a purposeful and meaningful placement.

Before the placement

• sign a placement agreement and commit to delivering a meaningful experience
• agree learner placement objectives with provider, including goals, activities and the knowledge or skills the learner should gain
• comply with health and safety requirements, insurance obligations and safeguarding requirements . Employers must have up-to-date Employers’ Liability Insurance (ELI) and notify their insurer about the placement. If employers do not already have ELI, they must have it in place before the placement starts and for its full duration. Providers must check that employers have adequate insurance cover. ELI policies from insurers that are members of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) or Lloyds already cover industry placements. Employers can refer to Get insurance for your business - HSE for further information
• make reasonable adjustments for learners with SEND, in line with the Equality Act 2010
• assign a member of staff to supervise the learner during placement
• use the CSCS Smart Check to validate and verify the learner’s CSCS industry placement card before the placement starts

During the placement

• provide a workplace induction, including validating and verifying the learner’s CSCS industry placement card
• assign tasks that align with learning goals and help develop technical and employability skills
• meet regularly with the learner to review progress and adjust SEND support if needed
• take part in provider-led review meetings to assess and provide feedback on progress
• report any concerns about attendance, behaviour or performance to the provider
• review and sign the learner’s weekly timesheet
• allow time for the learner to update their logbook and confirm its accuracy
• support learners to complete their placements hours, including accommodating extenuating circumstances where possible

End of placement

• offer an exit interview and provide feedback
• provide a summary of the learner’s performance in their logbook
• if offering paid employment, allow the learner to complete their course so they are not disadvantaged in their further education or training
• support learners to progress to CITB’s Work Bridge, where appropriate

Regional Construction Technical Excellence Colleges (CTECs)

CTECs in non-devolved areas are treated as providers in this programme and will receive construction industry placement funding.

To avoid double funding, CTECs must not use their CTEC allocation to support industry placement activity if they are receiving funding through the construction industry placement policy. They may wish to use their CTEC funding to support complementary activity.

Other providers receiving construction industry placement funding may want to work with their regional CTEC. CTECs can:

• support employer engagement
• contribute to regional targets
• help develop activity plans

CTECs in MSA areas should work in partnership with local providers to ensure a coordinated and consistent approach to employer engagement and placement delivery.

Performance expectations and reporting

Providers are expected to show progress against the following objectives as part of their delivery responsibilities:

• The number of construction industry placements completed and progressing into employment (this could be through CITB’s work-bridge programme) – demonstrating that learners have had access to meaningful, high-quality placements that support the development of industry relevant skills
• The number of construction sector employers in the area participating – showing strong employer engagement and effective collaboration with the local construction sector to create sufficient placement opportunities
• Evidence of wider regional engagement to promote and support delivery – this may include partnership working, outreach activity, and coordinated efforts across the region to raise awareness of the programme and facilitate successful placement delivery

Reporting requirements

Providers must report to DfE on the following:  

• the number of construction industry placements completed
• the number of construction sector employers in their area that are participating  
• evidence of other engagement at a regional level to support the promotion and delivery of placements 

The grant offer letter includes Annex J - Progress Report Template. We expect providers to complete and return this by end of April 2027. The report must set out how the funding has supported the engagement of employers and the uptake of construction industry placements for financial year 2026 to 2027  

Email and completed forms to ConstructionIP.MAILBOX@education.gov.uk

Funding

Public funding compliance

Providers must ensure that expenditure complies with the principles set out in Managing public money (HM Treasury).

Providers must refer to the managing public money guidance and ensure that your delivery plans reflect these requirements. Further information on audit expectations will be set out in grant funding agreements.

This funding is provided strictly for non-economic activities, as defined in the Subsidy Control Act 2022. Providers must ensure that in carrying out the funded activities, you comply with applicable Subsidy Control Legislation.

Funding model and allocations

Provider funding allocations

In non‑devolved areas, providers that delivered construction qualifications in the 2024 to 2025 academic year will receive a grant offer letter.

The letter allows providers to opt in or out of funding to deliver construction industry placements.

We expect to issue grant offer letters on 22 May 2026. Providers must return completed grant offer letters by 10pm on 2 June 2026 . This will enable us to distribute funding in June 2026.

Providers will not be able to access funding if they do not submit a return.  

Grant offer letters will be issued each year to reflect updated data and funding amounts.

Funding structure

In non-devolved areas, grant funding will be distributed in 3 parts. This will be set out in the grant offer letter:

1. Upfront set-up costs paid to each provider based on historical construction course learner starts – this helps reduce cash flow risks and supports early engagement
2. Post-placement payment to providers – a fixed amount for each completed placement which is based on data from the ILR
3. Post-placement reimbursement of employer costs – this can be claimed after the placement is completed and must be supported by receipts submitted through the Employer Support Fund portal. Claims are capped at £727 per learner who completes a placement. This applies to construction industry placements and T Level industry placements

16 to 19 funding: high value courses premium

Providers delivering courses that attract the 16 to 19 HVCP for construction must ensure learners complete a construction industry placement, as defined in this guidance, to receive the enhanced funding.

Providers do not need to opt in to construction industry placement funding to be eligible for HVCP funding. However, they must record placements on the ILR. If placement data is not recorded, it will be treated as incomplete and the enhanced HVCP funding for construction may be recovered.

Uploading accurate ILR data is essential for providers to receive the full HVCP construction funding.

Payment schedule for financial year 2026 to 2027

Grant offer letters issued to providers	End of May 2026
Deadline for grant offer letters to be signed and returned to DfE	10pm on 2 June 2026
Upfront set-up payment issued to providers	June 2026
Deadline for providers to submit data returns to IRL	Return R13 by 14 September 2027
Providers to submit employer reimbursement claims through the Employer Support online portal	Tuesday 5 October 27 to Friday 29 October 27
ILR reviewed by DfE	November 2027
Post-placement payment issued to provider if data is submitted by end of 14 September 2027 (via R13) – this is based on completed industry placements	February 2028
Employer post-placement reimbursement costs (this will be processed at the same time as other post-placement payments). We will only issue payment for both T Levels and construction qualifications if a placement has been completed via the ILR	February 2028

These dates will be reviewed and updated for future years.

Variations to the grant agreement

We may issue variations to the grant agreement to reflect construction industry placement completions, based on ILR data. We expect to issue updates in January 2028.

Guidance will be updated each year to reflect dates for future financial years.

Clawback and audit expectations

All funding is subject to assurance, audit and value‑for‑money checks. DfE may recover funding where ILR data shows that placements:

• were not completed
• were ineligible
• do not meet the requirements set out in this guidance

Providers must retain appropriate evidence to support their claims, in line with grant funding agreements and managing public money requirements.

Data requirements

Providers must submit:

• ILR data for enrolments for construction industry placements using the learning aim ZWRKX004 - Construction Industry Placement and T Level industry placements using the learning aim ZWRKX003
• an ILR return R13 by 14 September 2027 

This data is required so that DfE can:

• confirm the number of eligible construction industry placements delivered
• calculate post‑placement payments to providers and employer reimbursement amounts
• enable access to the Employer Support Fund online portal

Providers will be able submit employer reimbursement claims for construction industry placements and T Level industry placements through the Employer Support Fund portal from 5 October 2027 to 29 October 2027

These submissions are necessary to validate completed placements and associated employer costs before payments are issued in February 2028.

What the funding can be used for

Provider funding

Providers can use this funding to support the planning, delivery and monitoring of construction industry placements.

Funding can be used for:

• infrastructure and resources required to plan, source, deliver and monitor placements, based on local needs
• brokerage and coordination activity, including bringing together further education providers and construction employers
• supporting learners with travel to placements
• staff resource for employer engagement, marketing and communications
• costs associated with stakeholder engagement, including building relationships with industry employers and regional networks
• costs associated with CSCS cards, where required – for learners receiving 16 to 19 HVCP construction funding, the cost of the CSCS card should be met using HVCP funding
• systems and processes for tracking placements

Travel considerations

Providers must consider how learners will travel to and from their placement and what support they may need. This may include help with travel costs or travel training for learners with SEND.  

Providers may also:

• use local transport schemes
• work with other providers to achieve better value for money when arranging travel

Providers can use their pre- and post-industry placement funding, or 16 to 19 discretionary bursary funds, to support individual travel expenses for eligible learners. Providers must refer to the 16 to 19 education: financial support for students guidance for eligibility criteria and appropriate use of funding.

Learners aged 19 and over are only eligible for discretionary bursary support.

We will carry out spot checks on all claims to make sure that the information provided to DfE is accurate. As part of this process, we may contact providers, employers, or both.

At the end of each financial year, providers must confirm all claims submitted to DfE by completing annex Gi or Gii statement of grant usage, which can be found in the grant funding letter.

Reimbursing employer costs

Employer reimbursement funding is calculated based on the number of completed placements.

This ensures that public funding is linked directly to verified delivery and completed outcomes, and that employer payments are accurate, fair and auditable.

Once placement data has been submitted and validated through the ILR data, DfE will:

• confirm the total value of employer reimbursement available for construction industry placements and T Level industry placements
• make this information available to providers through the Employer Support Fund online portal

The Employer Support Fund is intended to support the essential costs incurred by employers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) when delivering placements.

The fund is intended to be used for:

• delivery of high-quality placements that meet the principles
• scaling up and expanding placement opportunities
• continued use of equipment purchased through the fund for placements in future years

Claims are capped at £727 per learner, per placement. The funding is intended as a contribution towards essential costs and may not cover all costs. Employers are expected to absorb costs where possible.

Providers will need to make value-for-money decisions and balance the needs of different employers to maximise the impact of the fund. They should consider this when deciding how to allocate their funding.

What employers can claim for

Employers can claim for the following costs for construction industry placements and T Level industry placements.

Administrative costs:

• setting up and supporting placements
• providing a physical workspace (for example, renting or hiring space for in-person support)

Tangible costs:

• mandatory equipment or personal protective equipment (PPE), such as safety boots, high-visibility vests, uniforms or scrubs
• security passes
• software licences
• materials and supplies directly related to the placement

Training:

• specialised courses or certifications for learners
• mandatory training for employer staff (for example, safeguarding)

Staff hours and pay

For both T Levels and wider level 2 and 3 construction qualifications, employers can claim for staff time spent:

• setting up placements
• supporting learners during placement
• evaluating learner performance

This may be particularly relevant where staff are supporting large cohorts of learners. However, we expect employers to absorb these costs where possible.

Employers can use invoices as evidence for staff time claims if they meet the requirement for a ‘receipt’. Invoices should include the:

• number of learners supported
• total number of hours claimed
• hourly rate (up to a maximum of £35 an hour)
• total amount claimed (including VAT)
• reason for the time claimed (for example, setup, supervision or mentoring)

Employers can only claim staff time if the placement would not go ahead without this support (for example, setup, supervision, mentoring or evaluation).

Employers will not be eligible to claim for costs incurred where a 3-week construction industry placement or a 9-week T Level industry placement is not completed.

How to claim from the fund

Employers can claim reimbursement for completed construction industry placements and T Level industry placements through their local provider. Claims must be:

• supported by receipts
• submitted through the Employer Support Fund online portal

Submitting receipts does not guarantee payment. Claims are subject to provider checks and DfE spot audits.

This portal is used for both T Level and non-T Level construction placements. Providers will receive separate employer funding allocations for T Levels and wider level 2 and 3 construction industry placements.

To claim from the fund, employers must: 

• sign the employer declaration form to confirm their costs are accurate and valid
• keep copies of all receipts 
• email the completed employer declaration form and original receipts (in a non-editable format) to the provider 

Both employers and providers must keep copies of receipts.

Provider responsibilities

Providers are responsible for making sure all claims are legitimate.

To receive payment, providers must upload claims to the online claims tool and include supporting receipts. The online claims tool is accessed through DfE Sign-in.

Providers may submit claims and make payments on behalf of an employer if they have:

• a signed employer declaration form confirming the costs are essential
• proof of purchase for each claim which must be uploaded to the online claims tool

The Employer Support Fund is intended to support as many learners as possible. Not all employers will need funding and not all learners on placements will require support. Providers should make decisions based on individual circumstances.

DfE will monitor and review Employer Support Fund claims data to understand how the fund supports construction industry placements.