Budgeting for training events or courses

The costs of training will vary enormously depending on the precise format that it takes. It’s important to build in all the relevant costs in any funding bid for a project with public involvement.

Please note that benefits guidance and tax legislation been subject to considerable change/reinterpretation since 2019. Any INVOLVE documents referring to the payment of involvement fees may now be out of date and are pending a review during 2020. INVOLVE’s guidance should not be substituted for professional advice, and INVOLVE accepts no liability for decisions or actions taken as a result of its guidance. You are always recommended to take your own tax, finance or legal advice.

The expenses associated with training events might include:

• trainer / facilitator / speaker costs – fees, travel, accommodation, thank you payment
• travel and accommodation expenses for participants
• payment for participants’ time while attending the training
• catering – lunch / tea / coffee
• costs for social media, teleconferencing or webinars for remote access to training
• venue / room hire
• paper / printing handouts
• hire of specialist equipment or support services, for example projector, laptop, internet access, hearing loop, hoist, interpreters or signers
• carer / childcare costs
• costs of certificates or accreditation.