System Partners
Chosen Charities 26/27
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Update – 30 March 2026
DHSC has announced that the LDSS funding will continue in 2026-27 to support adult social care employers and their staff to undertake eligible courses and qualifications. As outlined in the LDSS guidance document, the overall funding pot is limited. If the funding pot is exhausted, no further claims can be made, and they will not be reimbursed.
To claim LDSS funding, you will need an up-to-date Adult Social Care Workforce Dataset (ASC-WDS) account.
A reminder that a three-month claims window applies:
The ’60 part’ of the claim must be submitted within three months of the qualification being paid for and started (whichever is the later date) and you can claim 60% of reimbursement
The ’40 part’ of the claim must be submitted within three months of qualification completion – this is when you can claim the remaining 40% reimbursement.
If you have questions relating to the LDSS, please email asclearninganddevelopmentsupport@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
For more information and assistance with claiming the funds and completing the ASC-WDS, please contact Denise Baran, Skills for Care Locality Manager for Bradford at: denise.baran@skillsforcare.org.uk
The BCA are delighted to announce that we have joined the Institute of Health and Social Care Management. This means that you and your teams have FREE MEMBERSHIP and access to all their content which includes:
Discounted rates for BCA Members: Who can join?
All BCA Members individual employees (includes all care and management staff) can join to access the benefits above.
...DONT FORGET to use the code BDCA to access your FREE membership Click here to find our more and join!
Face to Face Session delivered by Hempson’s Solicitors. During the session, you will get taken step by step through the Fundamental Standards of Care. These regulations are the core of what CQC measure your service against. You will receive hints and tips to help showcase your service to CQC and ensure you have a solid foundation in your knowledge. For more information please email ami@bradfordcareassociation.org.
The Care Workers' Charity Crisis Grant aims to support care sector workers who have experienced a change that has caused significant financial impact, such as a sudden or expected loss of income, an unexpected illness or injury, a relationship breakdown, a sudden change of living circumstances, domestic abuse or death of a close relative.
Grants are assessed on a case by-case basis and up to £500 can be awarded for the following:
• Daily Living Costs
• Essential White goods/Household Items
• Car and Household Repairs
• Moving Costs
• Funeral Costs
• Bankruptcy and Debt Relief Order (DRO) application fee
• Fees to Prevent Eviction
Please find further information and the eligibility criteria at: https://www.thecareworkerscharity.org.uk/crisis-grant/
The Bradford Cares Recruitment Portal for Adult SocialCare has been developed for two main purposes: for care providers to advertise their job vacancies; and to inform individuals looking for work about the sector, the range of jobs available and the career / progression opportunities the sector can offer.
Bradford Cares will become a 'one stop shop' to help 'match' people looking for work in the adult care sector with care providers who have job vacancies.
BCA will provide a service for independent care providers, who are BCA members, to upload their job vacancies to the portal for no charge.
To get involved and to find out more please email ami@bradfordcareassociation.org
If you are a Home Office Approved Sponsor (HOAS) and have care or senior care worker vacancies, BCA can help to ‘match’ displaced workers to your vacancies. Contact Ami on ami@bradfordcareassociation.org to discuss your recruitment needs.
The Yorkshire and Humber International Recruitment (YHIR) Partnership have received funds from DHSC until end of March 2027 to assist care providers with ethical international recruitment (IR) with ADASS, Leeds City Council and the YH Care Association Alliance managing the use and disbursement of this funding.
There is a range of support available for care providers, including a ‘one stop advice hub’ at Yorkshire and Humber Regional International Recruitment Hub > NY Resourcing, free webinars, resources, and toolkits, as well as bursaries to help with the cost of IR.
There are 3 bursaries available:
1. Care Providers Home Office Approved Sponsor (HOAS) Bursary: This bursary is for Care Providers who do not currently hold a sponsorship licence, but who wish to apply to the Home Office to become an approved sponsor.
There is a comprehensive support package to help Providers understand their responsibilities and the commitment of being a sponsor, prior to applying.
The YHIR team will communicate with the home office (UKVI) once you have submitted their application to request that the processing is expedited.
Upon approval of becoming a Home Office Approved Sponsor (HOAS), the project will reimburse the cost of the application.
This Bursary has increased to £574 (small employer< 50staff) or £1579 (large > 50 staff) applicable to applications received from October2025.
2. Care Providers Sponsorship Bursary: To support HOAS sponsors who make an offer of employment to a displaced worker (introduced via this project), there is a bursary available per worker employed whilst funds are available.
The project currently seeks to reimburse costs for a 1 or 2-year sponsorship period and encourages employers to consider longer sponsorships where possible. To ensure bursary funding is allocated fairly and in line with project criteria, we require clear evidence of sponsorship.
This includes:
• Confirmation of the sponsor’s size
• Transaction confirmation email (recipient, date & cost included)
• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) up to and including the personal information section.
[The YHIR project will ensure that Providers claiming bursaries meet sponsorship requirements in line with Home Office guidance, for example that workers are being paid the correct rates and are employed fairly and equitably in line with statutory employment requirements. The bursaries are an added benefit to support providers in the Yorkshire and Humber region with sponsorship costs; however, they are not an entitlement and will only be accessible whilst funding remains available, which is currently being reviewed].
3. Workers Bursary Visa cost: The bursary for eligible workers provides a cash bursary of the cost of a Visa, upon written receipt of a conditional offer of new employment. Workers eligible for this will be a confirmed displaced worker who will already be on the existing project caseload. They will be supported by their nominated Case Worker (within the local authority area that they live in) to apply for this bursary and funds will be provided upfront to enable them to pay for their Visa. Eligibility and proof of offer of employment will apply. The Bursary is only for the displaced worker and does not include their dependants.
This Bursary has increased to £324 applicable toapplications received from April 2025.
For further information please contact: Richard Nicholson(IR Project Manager) on richard.nicholson2@leeds.gov.uk