What is ELCAS?
Enhanced Learning Credits at 2 Start Training, An Approved ELCAS Training Provider
The Enhanced Learning Credits Scheme provides financial assistance to active serving personnel and service leavers of the Armed Forces. Financial assistance in the form of an upfront payment for a maximum of 3 separate financial years is available to pay for higher-level learning. Courses must be level three or above on the National Qualification Framework (NFQ) in the UK, Wales and Northern Ireland or a level 6 or higher on the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF)
All Service Personnel (SP) currently in service will be auto-enrolled to be eligible for both schemes, as will future Service Personnel on completion of Phase 1 training.
2 Start are an approved learning provider of the ELCAS and we can help you to prepare for life in civilian employment by enabling you to obtain a nationally recognised qualification in preparation for a new career outside the Armed Forces.
You can claim up to £1000.00 per financial year if you have accumulated 6 years* of eligible service.
*Please note that from April 2017, the qualifying service required for lower tier payments increased from 4 to 6 years. SP who have already accumulated 4 years qualifying service before 1 April 2017 will keep their entitlement to use lower tier payments
You can claim up to £2000.00 per financial year if you have accumulated 8 years or more of eligible service.
A new ELC payment has been created which is a single payment of up to £3000 for those with 6 or more years of qualifying service completed on or after 1 Apr 2016, which will count as all 3 payments.
Personnel leaving after 1 April 2016, access will be reduced to 5 years.
Anyone who left before 1 April 2011 will retain 10 years of post-service access.
If you were wounded, injured or sick (WIS) or Medically discharged before reaching the four-year eligible service then you may still be eligible to claim ELC’s.
What can you use ELC’s for?
You can claim up to £1000 (Lower Tier) or £2000.00 (Higher Tier) 3 times per financial year (31st March-1st April) towards qualifying courses. ELC’s can be used for up to 80% of a course, you have to cover the remaining 20% yourself.
ELC’s cannot be used towards travel, subsistence, accommodation, meals, equipment or course materials or where additional fees apply.
How to apply for ELCAS
Depending on if you are still in the service or not will depend on who you need to contact and how you can register for access to the ELCAS portal.
You can find all of the details for who to contact on the ELCAS website.
The previous MF1746 & MF1748 documents have been replaced with a single form you will need to complete, this can be found on page 63 within the below JSP document.
Already Registered for ELCAS?
If you are already registered for ELCAS, you can access the portal and view your account and available ELC credit(s) to you using your login details supplied to you by ELCAS.
Once your ELC credits are available to you, we can work with you to start booking your course.
Check your online portal today to see what is available to you.
Our ELCAS Training Brochure
Read more about the available ELCAS training in our brochure, click the button below to download.
Procedures for claimants no longer in service
Please note that the following information must be submitted with your claim by either post/electronic (Members Area) to your Single Service Representative a minimum of 25 working days prior to your course start date/registration date.
- Fully completed claim form
- Evidence of your last day of service which can be one of the following:
- Copy of your discharge document.
- Copy of P45 terminating employment, document stamped by regiment confirming leaving date.
- A copy of utility bill showing your home address.
- Full information about the course that you wish to undertake and include details of your registration date where applicable.
- Completion and submission of course evaluation form for all previous ELC-funded courses via the member's area.
Online ELCAS Claim Forms
This form has 5 sections.
All sections of the form have to be completed prior to submission, incomplete forms will be returned.
Part 1 – Your personal details (completed by you)
Part 2 – Requested activity (completed by 2 Start Ltd)
Part 3 – Individual Declarations (completed by you)
Part 4 – Authorisation by your line manager (only to be completed for serving personnel) this can remain blank if you have left the forces
Part 5 – Authorisation by Education staff – on successful application approval you will be issued with an ELC CAN authorisation note, this will need to be emailed to Jack King at admin@2start-training.com.
At this stage you will need to be ready to pay your 20% course contribution. Once the personal contribution has been made, 2 Start Ltd will issue you with your course joining instructions.
MOD Form 1746
Form of agreement for civilian work attachment or external training for a member of the Armed Forces.
This form will release in advance a maximum of 80% of your £534 IRTC grant or 80% of the course fees, whichever is the lesser of the sum
MOD Form 1748
Attendance at CWA/CTA confirmation and claim form. This form is to be used on completion of a civilian work attachment or undertaking external training in order to claim a refund of fees under the IRTC Scheme.
This form will enable you to claim back the other 20% on finishing your training courses; you will need a stamp and signature from the training provider along with a proof of payment receipt.
Why Train with 2 Start?
Call our advisors 02393 872 377
Speak with our experienced advisors Monday - Friday 7:00am - 5:30pm
