The Individual Learning Account (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2017

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Individual Learning Account (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (“the 2011 Regulations”). The amendments made to the 2011 Regulations rename ‘Individual Learning Accounts’ as ‘Individual Training Accounts’ and enable grants to be paid for training for employment. Key amendments are noted below.

Amendments to the conditions for qualifying persons

Regulation 5(3)(c)(ii) and (6) amends regulation 3 of the 2011 Regulations so that a person must be in employment or actively seeking employment in order to qualify for support.

Regulations 5(4)(b) amends regulation 3 of the 2011 Regulations so that, irrespective of a person’s nationality, that person can now satisfy the condition specified in regulation 3(3) of the 2011 Regulations by virtue of a period of long residence in the UK. To be eligible for support, any person under the age of 18 must have lived in the UK for a period of 7 years prior to registering for an individual training account. A person aged 18 or over must have lived in the UK for either half of his or her life or a period of 20 years prior to registering for an individual training account.

Regulation 5(5) amends regulation 3 of the 2011 Regulations by removing paragraph (5B). Persons holding first degrees or postgraduate qualifications are no longer excluded from qualifying for support.

Amendments in respect of monitoring and assessing Training Providers

Regulation 8(7) amends regulation 6 of the 2011 Regulations so as to require a Training Account Administrator to monitor and assess its Training Providers’ compliance with the Quality Standards.

Amendments in respect of the training for which grants can be paid

Regulation 12 amends regulation 10 of the 2011 Regulations so that grants may now only be paid in respect of training which is for the purpose of equipping a person for employment.

Amendments in respect of the amount of grants

Regulation 13(5) amends regulation 11 of the 2011 Regulations so that a Training Account Holder may only receive one award of grant in each Account Holder’s Year.