Can the CITB Levy fund NVQ assessment?

Key facts

• The CITB Levy is a statutory levy paid by construction employers above the registration threshold to the Construction Industry Training Board.
• Levy-registered employers can claim back grant against most construction NVQs.
• Grant is paid to the employer, not to MPTT or to the candidate.
• Grant rates are published annually by CITB and vary by qualification.
• MPTT issues the achievement documentation needed to release the grant once the NVQ is certificated.

Who pays the Levy and who can claim grant

The CITB Levy applies to construction employers whose wage bill (PAYE plus net CIS) exceeds the registered threshold for that year. Levy-registered employers automatically have access to the CITB Grant Scheme, which covers a wide range of recognised qualifications including:

• Plant Operations NVQ Level 2 (the Red-to-Blue plant operator bridge).
• NVQ Level 3 qualifications including Occupational Work Supervisor and Construction Contracting Operations.
• NVQ Level 4 qualifications including Construction Site Supervisor and Crane & Lift Supervisor.
• NVQ Level 5 Appointed Person (Planning Lifts).
• NVQ Level 6 Construction Contracting Management.
• NVQ Level 7 Senior Construction Management.

Sub-Levy-threshold employers do not pay the Levy and cannot claim grant. They can still enrol candidates on NVQs through MPTT and pay the assessment fee directly.

How much grant the employer gets back

Grant rates are published annually on the CITB Levy and Grants page and vary by qualification. For the high-volume Plant Operations NVQ Level 2 the grant typically covers most of the assessment fee. For Level 4 and Level 6 NVQs the grant is structured differently and may include both an achievement grant on certification and an attendance grant for course days where applicable. Always check the current rates on the CITB site before budgeting; rates move year to year. We will confirm the current rate for your qualification at the point of quote.

What documentation MPTT issues

Once the NVQ is certificated, MPTT issues the achievement documentation the employer needs to claim the grant from CITB. Documentation typically includes:

• Candidate registration against the awarding organisation specification.
• Achievement certificate copy issued by the awarding organisation.
• MPTT achievement letter on company headed paper with the candidate name, qualification, completion date and awarding organisation reference.
• Invoice and proof of payment showing the employer has paid the assessment fee.

The employer uploads this documentation to the CITB Grant Online portal. Grant is processed and paid to the employer’s nominated bank account.

How the claim process runs end to end

1. Employer enrols candidate through MPTT. We confirm Levy registration at enrolment.
2. Assessment runs on site over 6–18 months.
3. NVQ certificate issued by the awarding organisation.
4. MPTT issues achievement documentation within working days of certification.
5. Employer submits the grant claim through CITB Grant Online.
6. CITB processes and pays the grant to the employer’s nominated account.

For employers with multi-candidate cohorts, MPTT can issue the documentation in a single batch at the end of the cohort, which simplifies the CITB submission.

Levy claims and cash flow

The grant is paid to the employer after certification, not upfront. The employer pays MPTT’s assessment fee as the assessment progresses (or in staged payments) and the grant comes back later. For Levy-registered employers running multi-candidate cohorts this is well-trodden ground; for first-time claimants we will brief you on the cash-flow profile at enrolment.

Combining CITB grant with other funding

The CITB grant is the main funding route for construction NVQs in England. Where eligible, employers can also access:

• Apprenticeship funding where the NVQ is part of a recognised construction apprenticeship.
• CITB-administered project funding (Skills Build, regional project funding) which moves year to year.
• Devolved-nation funding for Scottish and Welsh candidates.

We will confirm whether any of these apply at enrolment. Grant-recovery rules forbid double-claiming the same qualification from two schemes.

Non-Levy candidates: self-funding

Candidates whose employer is not Levy-registered, or who are self-employed, pay the NVQ assessment fee directly to MPTT. We accept staged payments across the assessment window so the cost is spread. The all-in fee covers everything: registration, assessor visits, portfolio support, internal verification, awarding-organisation submission and certification.

Related questions

• How much does an NVQ cost?
• What is the Plant Operations NVQ Level 2?
• What NVQ levels does MPTT assess?
• How long does an NVQ take to complete?
• How does the NVQ upgrade me from Red to Blue?

Quick answers to related questions

Is the CITB grant paid to me or to my employer?

To the employer, on the strength of the achievement documentation MPTT issues at NVQ certification. The candidate does not receive the grant directly.

Does the CITB grant cover the full NVQ fee?

It covers most of it in many cases (particularly Plant Operations Level 2). The exact rate varies by qualification and changes year to year. Check the current rate on the CITB site before budgeting.

What if my company is not Levy-registered?

Non-Levy employers and self-employed candidates pay the assessment fee directly to MPTT and can spread the cost across the assessment window. The qualification itself is identical; only the funding route changes.

Last updated: 2026-05-21. Reviewed by the MPTT NVQ assessment team, registered Plant Operations and Construction NVQ assessors.