ELCAS FAQs

ELCAS funding can be used towards higher-level, nationally recognised qualifications that meet the requirements of the Enhanced Learning Credits Scheme. For ELC funding to be used, both the Learning Provider and the specific course must be approved under the ELC Scheme, and the learning must normally lead to a recognised qualification at Level 3 or above, or the relevant equivalent.

Through SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd, your ELCAS training options can include approved courses such as:

• NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
• NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
• NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety
• NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction (UK)
• NEBOSH Environmental Management Certificate
• NEBOSH HSE Managing Stress at Work
• NEBOSH HSE Health and Safety Leadership Excellence
• NEBOSH HSE Process Safety Management
• ProQual Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice

The exact course you wish to claim for must be an approved ELCAS course with SM Safety Training at the time you submit your claim, and your eventual booking must match the course authorised on your Claim Authorisation Note (CAN).

We can help you identify the most appropriate training route before you submit your claim.

ELCAS-funded health and safety training is particularly suitable for eligible serving Armed Forces personnel, service leavers and veterans who want to gain recognised civilian qualifications and develop their careers.

You may be considering health and safety training if you are:

• Preparing for your transition from military to civilian employment
• Looking to build on your existing military leadership, safety and risk-management experience
• Starting a new career in health and safety
• Moving into construction, engineering, logistics, manufacturing, facilities management or another safety-critical industry
• Looking to gain recognised NEBOSH qualifications
• An experienced practitioner looking to progress through a Level 6 vocational qualification

Being a veteran or serving member of the Armed Forces does not automatically mean you can make an ELC claim. You must meet the ELC Scheme eligibility requirements and be correctly registered before submitting your application.

At SM Safety Training, we also understand that military experience does not always translate neatly into civilian health and safety language. We help you recognise the value of your existing experience and apply it to civilian roles and qualifications.

SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd is an ELCAS-approved, veteran-owned training provider with extensive experience supporting serving personnel, service leavers and veterans.

Our Managing Director served 24 years in the Royal Artillery, so we understand military life, military terminology and the challenges involved in preparing for civilian employment.

We provide:

• Guidance on ELCAS course options and the information required for your claim
• Recognised health and safety qualifications
• Flexible training designed around the needs of serving personnel and service leavers
• Experienced tutor and assessor support
• Help translating military experience into civilian health and safety terminology
• Support choosing a qualification that fits your experience and career goals
• Guidance when considering more than one course as part of an approved Learning Purpose

We are also proud to be a Gold Business Member of the Forces Transition Group, supporting the wider Armed Forces community with training, guidance and career transition.

Our aim is not simply to help you gain another certificate. We want your training to support a genuine career pathway and help prepare you for employment after the Armed Forces.

Safety Through Knowledge.

Using your ELCAS funding with SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd is straightforward, and we can provide the course information you need before you submit your claim.

The process normally involves:

• Check your eligibility
  Confirm that you are registered for the ELC Scheme and establish which funding tier you are eligible to use.
• Choose an approved course
  Select the qualification that best supports your career goals and ensure it is currently approved for ELC funding with your chosen Learning Provider.
• Contact SM Safety Training
  We can provide the relevant course title, dates, cost and ELCAS course information required for your claim.
• Submit your ELCAS claim
  Claims are submitted through the official ELCAS process and should reach the appropriate Education Staff or Single Service Representative at least 15 clear working days before the course begins. Applying earlier is strongly recommended.
• Receive your Claim Authorisation Note (CAN)
  Once your claim has been approved, your CAN will confirm the authorised course and Learning Provider.
• Send your CAN to SM Safety Training
  Your CAN must correspond with the course you intend to undertake.
• Pay your required personal contribution
  ELC funding normally provides up to 80% of the eligible course cost, subject to your funding tier. The learner normally pays a minimum 20% personal contribution.

Your ELCAS-funded booking should only be formally confirmed once we have received the required CAN and learner contribution.

The amount available depends on your qualifying service and the ELC funding tier you are eligible to use.

Lower Tier
Up to £1,000 per claim. This normally requires at least six years of qualifying service, although transitional rules apply to some personnel who completed four years of qualifying service before 1 April 2017.

Aggregated Lower Tier
Eligible personnel with at least six years of qualifying service may be able to use a single award of up to £3,000 instead of three separate Lower Tier awards. Specific eligibility restrictions apply.

Higher Tier
Up to £2,000 per claim for personnel who have completed at least eight years of qualifying service.

Except where the Aggregated Lower Tier rules apply, eligible personnel can normally make a maximum of three ELC claims, with only one claim in each financial year from 1 April to 31 March.

ELC operates on a shared-cost basis. The MOD contribution will normally fund up to 80% of the eligible course cost, subject to your funding limit, with the learner making a minimum 20% personal contribution.

Eligible Service Leavers undergoing resettlement may also be able to use IRTC alongside ELC towards the same approved Learning Purpose, including towards the required personal contribution, subject to the relevant resettlement rules.

The best course will depend on your existing experience, qualifications and the type of civilian role you want to move into.

For example:

• NEBOSH National General Certificate – a strong choice for those beginning or developing a general health and safety career.
• NEBOSH Fire Safety Certificate – suitable for those wanting to develop specialist fire safety knowledge.
• NEBOSH Construction – particularly relevant if you are planning to work in construction or associated industries.
• NEBOSH Environmental Management – suitable for roles involving environmental responsibilities.
• NEBOSH Process Safety Management – relevant to higher-hazard and process industries.
• ProQual Level 6 NVQ Diploma – aimed at experienced health and safety practitioners who are already carrying out appropriate workplace responsibilities and can produce occupational evidence.

JSP 822 requires an ELC-funded Learning Purpose to have genuine developmental value and to form part of a properly considered learning plan. The course should therefore support your career or personal-development objectives rather than simply being selected because funding is available.

If you are unsure which route is best, contact us before making your claim. We can discuss your military experience, existing qualifications and intended civilian career and help you identify suitable options to discuss with your Education Staff or SSR.

Yes, in certain circumstances.

JSP 822 specifically allows separate courses to be combined where they form a discrete, single Learning Purpose, are delivered by one approved Learning Provider, and the learner can demonstrate, with Education Staff advice, that the combination of courses genuinely contributes towards that Learning Purpose.

For example, a planned combination of health and safety qualifications could potentially support a clearly defined transition into a particular health and safety career.

However, courses should not simply be grouped together for the purpose of using the maximum amount of ELC funding. There must be a valid relationship between the courses and your overall Learning Purpose.

At SM Safety Training, we can help you look at suitable course combinations and provide the relevant details for you to discuss with your Education Staff or Single Service Representative before submitting your claim.

Final approval always rests with the appropriate MOD authorising personnel.

Apply as early as possible once you have chosen your course.

Current ELCAS guidance and JSP 822 state that claims should reach your Education Staff or Single Service Representative at least 15 clear working days before the course start date. This is a minimum timescale, so allowing additional time is recommended.

Retrospective ELC claims are not permitted. You should not start your course and then attempt to apply for ELC funding afterwards.

If you have already left the Armed Forces, eligibility to make ELC claims is generally available for up to five years after discharge for those who left on or after 1 April 2016, subject to the detailed scheme rules. Different provisions can apply in circumstances such as attributable medical discharge.

Contact SM Safety Training early and we can provide the course dates and information you need to start your application.

Before your ELCAS-funded booking can be formally confirmed, you should:

• Be registered for and eligible to use the Enhanced Learning Credits Scheme.
• Select an ELCAS-approved Learning Provider and approved course.
• Confirm the correct course title, dates, cost and Learning Provider details.
• Submit your claim through the official ELCAS system.
• Receive approval and download your Claim Authorisation Note (CAN).
• Provide the CAN to SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd.
• Pay the required minimum 20% personal contribution, subject to any permitted resettlement funding arrangements.

The current JSP 822 process states that an Approved Learning Provider should not accept a confirmed ELC-funded booking until the correct CAN and the required personal contribution have been received. The course booked must also be the course detailed on the CAN.

Serving personnel should follow the relevant Education Staff and line-management process. Service Leavers applying after discharge may also be required to provide evidence of their last day of Service and proof of their home address to their Single Service Representative.

You are welcome to contact SM Safety Training before submitting your claim. We can discuss course availability and provide the information needed for your application, but your ELCAS-funded place will only be formally confirmed once the required authorisation and contribution have been received.