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27 May, 2021

How to claim your ELC if you are no longer serving …

Although the main purpose of ELC is to encourage serving personnel to pursue higher-level learning that benefits both the learner and their Service, it also allows learning at level 3 and above to be pursued during resettlement or for up to five years after discharge from the Services for those leaving on or after 1 April 2016, or ten years for those leaving before 1 April 2016.* The majority of this learning is likely to be vocational (learning new skills or enhancing existing ones), with the qualification benefiting the learner and a future employer and, nationally, adding to the UK skills base. 

First of all, refer to the eligibility criteria – you can check the detailed eligibility rules by visiting the ELCAS website To make a claim, download the appropriate form from the site and complete it fully, except for Parts 4 and 5 – your Single Service Representative (SSR) will complete these sections (you will find their contact details below). Send your otherwise fully completed claim form to them at the relevant address (again, see below), along with:

  • evidence of your last day of Service, which could be a copy of your discharge document, a copy of your P45 terminating employment or a document stamped by your regiment confirming your leaving date
  • a copy of a utility bill showing your home address
  • full information about the course you wish to undertake and including details of your registration date where applicable. 

IMPORTANT!

Any ELC applications from personnel no longer in Service are to be made online via the ELC Members Area, which you can access on the ELCAS website using your Member Login and Password.

On receipt of your Claim Authorisation Note (CAN), you can proceed with payment by sending it, along with your 20% minimum contribution, to the training provider.

When you have finished your course, you must complete the course evaluation form and return it to ELCAS. You will not be able to make any more claims until you have done so.

If you have doubts about any aspect of this process, contact your SSR/learning representative for advice before you submit your claim.

How to contact your Single Service Representative (SSR)

Note: You should contact your SSR with questions only if you have been unable to find the answer to your query on ELCAS website (which also has a useful FAQs page). 

Royal Navy

NCHQ, Mailpoint 3.3, Leach Building, Whale Island, HMS Excellent, Portsmouth PO2 8BY 

Note: Those still serving are not to use the above POCs but are to consult staff in their local RN Education Centre.

Army

SO3 Int Dev, Education Branch Zone 4, Floor 2, Army Personnel Services Group, Home Command, Ramillies Building, Army HQ, Monxton Road, Andover SP11 8HJ Tel: 079 7722 9294 email: Army-ELC-Veterans@mod.gov.uk

Royal Air Force

Learning Credits Administrator, 22 Gp, Rm 221b Trenchard Hall, RAFC Cranwell, Sleaford, Lincs NG34 8HB email: michael.quainton100@mod.gov.uk

Note: Those still serving in the RAF are not to use this POC but are to consult staff in their local Learning Centre.

 

* If you left the Service before 31 March 2016, please refer to JSP 822 for the expiration date of your claims; this is downloadable from the ELCAS website