Funding and eligibility
Funding, explained plainly
We would rather tell you exactly how funding works than promise something we cannot deliver. Here is the position as we understand it, checked against official sources on 25 September 2026.
Status: no funded places are currently being advertised
Six things to know
Skills Bootcamps are the closest funded route
Skills Bootcamps in HGV driving are an England programme. Providers deliver them through local procurement by local authorities, mayoral authorities or lead providers — they are not a national grant you can apply to directly.
There is no scheme called “Uni-Grant”
We have not been able to verify any UK government funding programme formally called Uni-Grant. Universal Credit can support agreed training through your Jobcentre work coach, but it is not a cash payment of the course fee to you or to us.
Eligibility is checked, never assumed
Eligibility is not guaranteed by nationality or benefit status alone. Local residency, age (normally 19+), a full category B licence and provider criteria all apply, and the local funding authority's rules decide.
We only advertise funded places we can deliver
Changing Lanes must hold, or operate under, an approved funding contract or subcontract before it can offer a funded place. Until then, expressions of interest are recorded and we will contact you when a route is confirmed.
£6,500 is a planning figure, not an official rate
The £6,500 you may see in our planning documents is a working commercial assumption for bid pricing. It is not a published government funding rate, a cap, or an amount paid to learners.
Our certificate is not a licence
The Changing Lanes completion certificate records that you finished our programme. It does not replace a DVLA licence, a Driver CPC card or an awarding-body qualification.
Your possible routes
| Route | Who it is for | Cost to you | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funded place (subject to contract) | Eligible adults in England, once Changing Lanes holds or operates under an approved Skills Bootcamp or Adult Skills Fund contract. | Normally free to the eligible learner; the funded HGV offer usually includes the medical, provisional licence process, the Driver CPC tests and one re-sit per test. | Not yet available — register your interest. |
| Universal Credit referral | Claimants whose Jobcentre work coach agrees that this training forms part of their claim commitments. | Training may be free where a funded place exists; Universal Credit does not pay a separate course grant. | Work-coach evidence pack available on request once a funded route is confirmed. |
| Private (self-funded or employer-funded) | Anyone who meets the entry requirements and prefers to pay directly, or whose employer sponsors them. | Written price, cancellation terms and refund policy provided before you commit. No fee is ever charged for work-finding services. | Available from the first cohort, subject to venue and vehicle readiness. |
What we will ask you
Eligibility is checked by a member of staff against the rules of the funding authority for your area. Expect questions like:
- Are you aged 19 or over?
- Do you hold a full category B (car) driving licence?
- Do you live in England, and in which local authority area?
- Have you previously received Skills Bootcamp funding for the same or a similar course?
- Are you able to attend the full eight weeks and the practical training sessions?
Adult Skills Fund
Never pay to find work