I am 44 years old and desperate to become an HGV driver. At the moment I don’t work so I am wondering if the DWP would fund my training. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Ask at the job centre.
There was a post on here not long ago regarding this. Offering training to those who had been unemployed for more than 6 months.
Have worked with drivers that got class 1 & 2 this way. Don’t know if it is something on offer all the time or occasionally.
Good luck
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Thank’s for that and thanks for the good luck as well. cheers.
Had a few mates that went from van drivers to artic through company help apprentice schemes, they are contractually obliged to remain with the company for two years or pay the training costs, but that two years is gaining experience as they see it before they look for something else.
As has been said maybe try your job centre or ask local driving schools.
Peter Smyth could be the best bloke to ask.
Give van driving a go.
Thanks for all your friendly advise. I live in Farnborough and there is not much work outside of office or retail work. I know R.Collard is not to far from me. Anybody know what their like to work for?
I am around the same age group bud, and couldn’t find any help with funding so have funded training myself.
I have noticed though by looking for jobs, some of the hauledge companies will fund your training…I have also heard that wisemen muller offer a training scheme…Hope you find something. The bus companies seem to be offering bus/coach training if you can’t find HGV…
Did you pass your car test before 1996? if so you can drive 7.5 tonners and you only need to get your driver cpc.
Driving a 7.5 tonner is like being in a mini lorry, and a lot of fun.
There was a posting a while back about getting funding through the DWP, it claimed it certainly was possible but be prepared for them not giving you funding at first. You have to keep pestering them over and over apparently.
There was funding a few years back not sure if they still have it
There was also EU funding for this sort of thing but that has been pulled obviously
All you can do is go & ask but you may have to jump through a lot of hoop to get ie a letter from an employer to state there is a job for you if you pass
Couple of options I could think of would be Stobarts who might still offer something akin to this, or COOP if you happen to be near a depot (not 100% sure where all the depots are).
For the latter however you might need to work in the warehouse for 6 month’s as they do a warehouse to driver training course (class 2 i think).
I have a feeling Greencore were doing something like this at one time when I did agency for them. Might also have been warehouse to driver as its been a while.
Van driving wouldn’t be a bad start as it shows you have work ethic and you can do it on class B, plus if you can survive that madness, you’re a good candidate for HGVs. Just ideally not Amazon as we haven’t got enough psych beds for all their drivers. 
sjmartin1275:
I am 44 years old and desperate to become an HGV driver. At the moment I don’t work so I am wondering if the DWP would fund my training. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I was made redundant so figured I’d sign on… by the time I got paid I had a new job… anyway…
I asked them if they’d fund it and the guy said basically if I could get an employer to write a letter saying they’d take me on after I get my LGV license then they’d send off for funding. This was in 2017
sjmartin1275:
I am 44 years old and desperate to become an HGV driver. At the moment I don’t work so I am wondering if the DWP would fund my training. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Yes there is but it depends on your local office - I can’t remember what it is called but I will post again tomorrow.
I got funding for cat C when I lived in Suffolk and they made an application to the Norwich office. Where I live now they won’t help.
There is 84 million quid in the Government pot for retraining to get people back to work , they have only spent 4 million so far , I know this from taking a back to work course from a consulting firm that get paid if you get a job after their course with a work placement that you do for no pay ,with the hope of a job offer.
The DWP may pay for PPE kit and new work boots , but you have to keep nagging and begging for it, and never except NO for answer.
Google Cute Dog ltd ,they offer numerous courses for work training and are in unison with the DWP , so you could blag for an ADR course or a Hiab ticket.
Job centre staff don’t mention the money pot ,as they only have so much time, a bit like going to your Doctor when they have 7 minutes to see you.