6.0 Learning Token
6.1 How does the Learning Token process work?
The Learning Token is, from the providers’ point of view, the trigger to produce payment. It is issued to the learner and made clear that they must provide it to you when learning starts. You then input details from the Token onto the website, to confirm the start of learning and claim payment.
6.2 Will the Learning Token show how much the learner is entitled to receive under ILA Scotland?
The Token will not show the total amount the learner is entitled to receive via ILA Scotland or the contribution to the cost of the specific course. The ILA Scotland contribution will however be advised when registering the course booking on the system.
6.3 Do learners have to physically hand in their Learning Token?
Learners are generally expected to hand over the Learning Token in person. However, where learners are not required to attend classes at your premises, e.g. in the case of distance learning, it will be permissible for the learner to send the Learning Token, signed and dated, to the provider. It is not permissible for the learner simply to give details of the Learning Token to the provider by telephone; the actual token must be physically surrendered by the learner to the provider and must be retained by the provider for audit purposes.
It should also be noted that all Learning Tokens must be retained for a minimum of 6 years for audit purposes.
6.4 Will the Learning Token be issued by the start of term?
This depends on when you enter the course booking onto the ILA Scotland system. However, following a booking transaction the associated Learning Token will be issued within 3 working days.
6.5 What happens if a learner starts the course before he/she receives their Token?
As long as the learner has been booked on the course, and the Token requested before the commencement of the course, there should be no problem. However, the ILA Scotland system will only accept Tokens up to 60 days after the course start, at which point the token will expire and become invalid. The learner may start the course before they have received the Token however, you will be unable to claim payment until the Token has been received and this must be achieved within the 60-day time period. Therefore, it is within your interests to obtain the Token at the start of the course and, if you allow a learner to start the course without obtaining the Token, you do so at your own risk.
6.6 What is the procedure if the learner loses the Learning Token?
The learner may request a replacement Token to be issued by ILA Scotland. This will be issued immediately upon request.
6.7 What happens if the Learning Token is not provided? Should learners be prevented from attending the course?
The Learning Token is the learner’s means of providing ILA Scotland payment to the learning provider. It will be made clear in the ILA Scotland guidance notes issued to learners that, as there is a contract between the learner and the learning provider, failure to produce the Learning Token may result in you invoicing the learner for the full cost of the course.
6.8 Is it possible to get an extension if the Learning Token is not received with 60 days?
No. Learning Tokens should ideally be handed in by the learners at the start of the course. The 60 days is to give you time to collect the token and log it on to the system. Information issued to learners will stress that, if they do not provide the Token promptly, in order that the provider may fulfill the 60-day processing requirement, ILA Scotland funding may be lost and the learner may be accountable for the full cost of the course.
6.9 If the individual books their learning direct with us, why not send the Token direct to us instead of the learner?
The transaction is between the learner and you as the learning provider. The Learning Token is simply another form of payment which is available to the learner. By supplying the Token directly to the learner, this ensures that they take control of their own learning and minimises any misuse.
6.10 Are there any different arrangements for online learning?
In general, the principles for dealing with online learning are no different to that for any other type of learning. However there are two areas where there are specific differences.
Firstly, for online learning that does not have a specific start date, it will be necessary to enter a nominal start and end date into the ILA Scotland database. Further information on how this works will be provided by helpline staff.
Secondly, the mechanism for dealing with the submission of the Learning Token will be different as whilst you can book learners onto a course, you must confirm with the learner that the course is as described and that the support promised is available. When the learner is satisfied that this is being achieved, they should send you the Learning Token.
6.11 What are the procedures for Distance Learning Providers to get the Learning Token?
The procedures remain the same, i.e. the Learning Token is the trigger to secure payment. Guidance to learners tells them to send the token to Distance Learning Providers once they are happy they have received all the learning materials and support required to start learning.
6.12 Do I get a new token for each course the learner undertakes?
Yes – the token is unique to the individual and to each individual course.
6.13 How does the 60 day limit on learning tokens work for distance / flexible learning which have roll nominal start dates of the 1st of every month?
The 60-day limit on learning tokens is applied from day 1, i.e. the course start date. This date is taken from the information you provide through the PROM Tool. So if you book a learner on a course that has a nominal start date of the 1st of the month, this is the date that will be used.