Claiming ELC after leaving the Military

The ELC claims process for those who are no longer in the Armed Forces

 

After completing years of service with the Armed Forces, ex-service personnel can make an ELC claim for up to ten years from the last day of service. 

  

Ex-service personnel who have registered on the Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) scheme whilst serving may claim up to £1,000 per financial year towards training course fees, if four years’ of service have been completed by the individual. If eight or more years’ of service have been completed by the individual they can claim £2,000. A total of three claims can be made, including those of which that have already been claimed whilst serving.

Making a claim...

To make an ELC claim, go to the ELCAS website www.enhancedlearningcredits.com/Claiming/Claiming%20ELC%20Only/ and download the claims form and fully complete it except for Parts 4 and 5 as these will be completed by staff in the single services.

After you have completed the form you will need to send to the relevant address with the following supporting material:

• Proof of last day of service

• Information about the course (including proof of level of qualification/accreditation) 

• Photocopy of a utility bill which states your home address

• Photocopy of a photo driving license or passport

• Telephone number (daytime)

 

Where to send your claims if you are no longer serving...

• Royal Navy – ELC Manager NTE (ER2), Floor 3, Mailpoint 3.3, Leach Building, Whale Island, HMS Excellent, Portsmouth, PO2 8BY

• Army – Learning Credit Scheme (LCS) Manager, DEdCap, Zone 4, Floor 2, Ramillies Building, Army HQ, Monxton Road, Andover, SP11 8HT

• Royal Air Force – Learning Credits Adminstrator, 22 (Trg) Gp, Rm 227, Trenchard Hall, RAFC Cranwell, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 8HB 

If your claim is eligible it will then be sent on to ELCAS, who will check whether you are registered for the ELC scheme and are eligible to receive funding. Once this has been processed ELCAS will then send your Claims Authorisation Note (CAN) to your single – service education/learning staff, with an evaluation form. They will then forward the CAN to your home address; this process takes around two weeks.  

All applications must be submitted to SDEs/SRRs for approval at least 25 clear working days prior to the course commencing. Approved applications will then be submitted by SDEs/SSRs to ELCAS.

Claimants must then present the CAN to their chosen training provider before the course commences. The CAN allows the training provider to invoice Defence Business Services for the appropriate funding amount (£1,000 or £2,000 – dependant on your eligibility).  

When you have completed your course you must also complete the evaluation form and return it to ELCAS. Please note if you do not do this it may jeopardise the next claim you make. 

For full details of how to claim go to the ELCAS website www.enhancedlearningcredits.com.

Read more about ELC funding and claiming to take a locksmith training course on the Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy website www.locksmiths-training.co.uk/elc-funding/

Using Enhanced Learning Credits with Individual Resettlement Training Costs

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has improved funding for Military leavers so that they can use learning credits such as Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) during their resettlement period with their Individual Resettlement Training Costs (IRTC) to pay towards the cost of an eligible training course.

Claiming IRTC with ELC

 

When using IRTC with ELC during resettlement, the individual may use the IRTC element to pay for, in part or in full, the 20% minimum personal contribution required. Unlike ELC funding, any unspent IRTC may also be directed towards another training activity!

Use it or lose it!

The IRTC funding will need to be used up before you leave the Armed Forces – if you don’t use it, you will lose it!

Funding combinations during the resettlement period

IRTC may be used together with ELC or SLC, but all three cannot be amalgamated. ELC and SLC are designed to fund different learning purposes and cannot be used together. For example, SLC may not be used to fund an exam for a course of study that has been supported by ELC. The MoD monitors providers closely to ensure that costs remain competitive and are not inflated to obtain the maximum funding available.

When using IRTC with ELC or SLC during resettlement, the individual may use the IRTC element to pay for, in part or in full, the 20% minimum personal contribution. This exception will be permitted only under these specific circumstances; otherwise the rules for each scheme remain unchanged. The MoD decided that funding should be optimised to enable Service leavers to undertake valid resettlement activities to help them secure employment. Some element of personal contribution will usually continue, especially for more expensive, higher-level qualifications where the 20% minimum will more than likely be exceeded.

Rules and guidance to claiming funding combinations

How it works...

The rules:

• IRTC + ELC                           YES

• IRTC + SLC                           YES

• IRTC + ELC +SLC                    NO

Key Points

 

• IRTC must be used in conjunction with ELC or SLC to fund a recognised learning activity, in accordance with each schemes rules.

• An SLC or ELC claim should be submitted, with the individual making their minimum 20% personal contribution.  

• An IRTC claim should be submitted either in advance of the allowance or in retrospect, once the learning activity has been completed.

Read more about ELC funding and claiming IRTC to take a locksmith training course on the Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy website www.locksmiths-training.co.uk/elc-funding/

Enhanced Learning Credits

What is ELC?

 

Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) is a scheme run by the Military of Defence (MOD) as part of an initiative to promote lifelong learning amongst those who are members of the Armed Forces. The scheme helps to provide financial support in the form of a single payment that you receive each year for a maximum of three years. This means that it can be used both during your time in the forces and also for a considerable time after leaving.

Joining 

 

In order to join this scheme you must be in the Armed Forces, you can register during your first year of service. Forms are available from education staffs, learning and education centres and the ELC Administration Service (ELCAS) website www.enhancedlearningcredits.com.  

Requirements

 

Before being able to make an ELC claim you must be able to meet the following requirements:

• To be eligible for lower tier ELC funding (£1000), you must have been serving in the armed forces for at least 4 years.
• To be eligible for higher tier ELC funding (£2000), you must have been serving in the armed forces for at least 8 years.
• The only exception to this is if you left the forces before April 2008 then you will only be eligible for a lower tier claim regardless of your length of service.
• If you are a service leaver, you can still claim for ELC funding, up to 10 years after leaving the forces.
• Each eligible claimant may make a total of 3 claims.
• Only 1 claim may be made for learning activities commencing in any one financial year.
• Courses must be National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 3 or above for both lower and higher tier claimants in order to receive funding. 

Read more about ELC funding and claiming to take a locksmith training course on the Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy website www.locksmiths-training.co.uk/elc-funding/

Locksmith Training and Locksmith Jobs for Armed Forces Leavers

What you need to know

Every year, hundreds of men and women leave the armed forces and are faced with the challenge of re-integrating with civilian life and work. It can be a stressful time, but one which the government has tried to ease with the Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) and Individual Resettlement Training Costs (IRTC) schemes, which provide funding for re-training in a new career.

The funding can be used for a huge variety of educational and training opportunities (everything from fine art degrees to flight training), but one of the most common uses is to put it towards the cost of a locksmith training course.

Find out more about using your funding here www.locksmiths-training.co.uk/elc-funding/ 

So why are locksmith courses so popular with military leavers?

 

First of all, the industry itself is attractive for a whole number of reasons. Demand for locksmiths is high, and is largely recession-proof (people are always going to get locked out of their homes!), while the nature of the work offers a degree of flexibility when it comes to working hours.

Locksmithing is also a job that is particularly well suited to military leavers. The key characteristics required to be a successful locksmith include a confident manner, perseverance, and the ability to carry out skilled manual work – all of which are traits common to those who have spent any length of time in the Armed Forces.

Working for Keytek™

Keytek™ is one of the largest National Locksmiths in the UK providing both Domestic and Commercial locksmith services for over 15 years. Over the years the Company has been able to build an extensive Engineer Network across the UK and Northern Ireland. Engineers wanting to join the Engineer Network will join on a sub contractual basis, meaning that working hours and time off is tailored to suit their needs. Keytek™ is able to provide all of it’s Engineers with all the help and support they need from technical to paperwork in the form of the Technical Department and Engineer Liaison Team.

To find out more about National Locksmith Keytek™ visit www.keytek.co.uk

So what kind of training is needed to become a locksmith?

Most people who are completely new to locksmithing start with a short, intensive course which allows them hands-on practice and expert tuition on the essentials of the industry. While this course will not give a comprehensive knowledge of all there is to know about locksmithing (that only comes with years of experience and constant learning), it does give a firm foundation to start working in the industry, either as an independent operator or as a sub contractor for an established company.

Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy

The Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy offers a variety of locksmith training courses to help you on the way to starting your career as a professional locksmith and is the only training provider able to offer a Level 4 Accreditation, the highest level accreditation within the industry.

All courses are taught in state of the art facilities and are tutored by highly experienced industry professionals. The locksmith training courses are tailored to meet specific industry requirements and to suit the needs of military leavers as newcomers to the industry.

If you have any questions regarding the courses provided by the Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy or would like to be sent an information pack, please call the Academy Team on 01202 711 195 or to find out more about the locksmith courses we run visit www.locksmiths-training.co.uk/locksmith-training-courses-2/

Setting standards for the industry through Locksmith Training...

For over four years now Keytek™ Emergency Locksmiths have been running a Locksmith Training Academy in Poole, Dorset to help set the standards for the locksmithing industry and provide support for it’s nationwide customer base.

The initial goal of the Locksmith Academy is to offer those wishing to join the industry a gateway to a career as a professional locksmith through its locksmith courses. It is in fact the only training provider in the country that is able to provide a Level 4 Accreditation, which is the highest level of Accreditation within the industry. The Academy is not only aimed at new comers to the industry but also aims to help industry professionals enhance their skills in the latest techniques and technology. All of the courses are run at the Academy’s comfortable, state of the art facilities and are taught by highly experienced industry professionals.    

Find out more about the courses run at the Academy by visiting www.locksmiths-training.co.uk or calling 01202 711 195

Benefits

Those who have trained through the Keytek™ Academy are able to benefit from further help and support from Keytek™

These benefits include...

• Ongoing 24hr onsite technical help from the in-house Technical Department.

• Discounted stock and tools.

• Full stock ordering facilities.

Military Leavers

For Military leavers locksmith courses have always been increasingly popular particularly because it is so well suited to the characteristics required to be a successful locksmith and the ability to carry out skilled manual work. Next week’s blog post in the locksmith training series will be going into more detail about locksmith training for Armed Forces Leavers. 

To ease the transition for Military leavers in their resettlement period the government are able to provide funding through Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC).

To find out more about using ELC funding towards a locksmith course at the Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy please visit www.locksmiths-training.co.uk/elc-funding