NVQ Level 2 Boarding and Tacking Cost and Payment Plans
The NVQ Level 2 Boarding and Tacking costs £705 plus VAT. That is £846 including VAT at 20%.
You can pay in full, or spread the cost over up to 5 months from £169.20 per month including VAT. The payment plan is interest-free, approval is instant, and there is no third-party finance company involved.
Every enrolment is subject to eligibility screening before you pay anything, and every assessment carries a money-back guarantee. If you fail, you get 100% of your fee back.
What Is Included in the £705
- A dedicated assessor with a direct contact number, not a shared inbox.
- Assessment planning against every assessment criterion across the four units.
- On-site observation of your normal work, or a remote observation by Zoom where that suits better. The method is agreed with you in advance.
- Evidence review. You send photos, videos, job sheets and method statements, typically by WhatsApp or email. We work out what covers which criterion.
- Knowledge question sheets, emailed to you to complete in your own time.
- Portfolio construction and certification claim to the awarding body on completion.
The Three Optional Add-Ons
Unlike the management qualifications, nothing is bundled on Level 2. Three options are available:
- No Homework, £200. Replaces the written question sheets with an on-site professional discussion. You explain how you do the job, your assessor asks questions and completes the paperwork.
- Fast Track, £200. Priority status and an assessment plan built around your working week.
- 1-Day Registration, £50. Registration confirmation within one working day, which is what you need if you are applying for a temporary red Experienced Worker CSCS card to stay on site while you complete the assessment.
That last one is worth understanding before you decide. If you already hold a valid card and are simply upgrading, you probably do not need it. If you are being asked for a card to get through the gate next week, you do.
Total Cost from NVQ to Blue CSCS Card in Hand
The NVQ is one of three costs. The other two are paid to CITB and CSCS directly, not to us.
| Item | Paid to | Cost |
|---|
| NVQ Level 2 assessment | Up Level | £705 + VAT |
| CITB HS&E test (Operatives) | CITB | £23.50 |
| Blue CSCS Skilled Worker card | CSCS | £36 |
| CITB Short Qualification Grant, if eligible | Reclaimed by employer | up to £600 |
The fees shown are correct as of September 2026. Please check citb.co.uk and cscs.uk.com to confirm the current fees.
CITB Grant Funding for the NVQ Level 2
This qualification is covered by the CITB Short Qualification Grant, which is paid on achievement rather than up front, and is claimed by the employer rather than by you.
The current rate is £600. That is the standard rate for NVQs at Levels 2 to 6 from 1 January 2026. Level 2 craft qualifications were never on the £1,500 management enhancement that ended on 31 December 2025. It is listed on CITB's short-qualifications list under Interior Systems.
Who Can Claim the Grant
The grant is claimed by the employer. To be eligible, the employer must be registered with CITB and up to date with their Levy Returns.
A registered employer can claim for directly employed staff on the payroll, for business owners and partners, and for subcontractors. That last category matters in boarding and tacking, where most of the workforce is subcontracted. If you use subcontract boarders, their achievements can still attract grant.
Registered employers can claim if levy returns are up to date, including employers who do not pay levy.
Claims are made through the CITB Online Services portal within 52 weeks of the achievement date, with the achievement certificate attached. For help with eligibility or the claim itself, CITB Customer Services is on 0344 994 4455.
Up Level is an approved member of the CITB Training Provider Network, and our centre is listed on the official CITB Training Directory.
Grant rates and rules are correct as at September 2026. Confirm current terms with CITB before relying on them.
How to Get Your Blue CSCS Card After the NVQ Level 2
The blue CSCS Skilled Worker card is the card for tradespeople who hold a Level 2 qualification in their occupation. It is valid for five years.
To qualify for it you need a Level 2 NVQ or SVQ in your trade, plus a valid CITB Health, Safety and Environment test pass. The NVQ Level 2 Boarding and Tacking is the qualification route for dry lining boarders and tackers.
The CITB Operatives Test
You must have passed the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test for Operatives within the two years before you apply for the card.
There are three versions of the HS&E test: Operatives, Specialists, and Managers and Professionals. For a blue Skilled Worker card you need the Operatives version. CSCS says this applies to most Blue Skilled Worker cards. If your occupation is one of the specialist exceptions, CSCS Card Finder will say so. Operatives is the default.
The test costs £23.50. Book online through Pearson VUE, by phone on 0344 994 4488, or directly with a local Internet Test Centre. On the day, arrive at least 15 minutes early and bring photo ID that includes your signature. Keep your Score Report afterwards, because it carries information you will need for the card application.
You do not need the test to start your NVQ assessment. You need it to apply for the card. Most candidates book it while their assessment is under way.
The Red Experienced Worker Card, While You Wait
If you need a card to get on site before your NVQ is finished, the red Experienced Worker card is the temporary route. It is valid for one year and cannot be renewed. Complete the NVQ and apply for the blue Skilled Worker card.
CSCS normally asks for at least one year of experience in the last three. Proof of registration from the awarding body or training organisation must include your name, the full qualification title including level, and the date of registration, which must be in the last two years. The 1-Day Registration add-on exists for exactly this situation.
You also need a valid HS&E test pass within two years, the same Operatives test required for the blue card.
Applying for the Blue Card
Apply online through CSCS Online or the My CSCS app. The application fee is £36.
You will need your NVQ certificate, your valid HS&E test pass, proof of identity and a recent photograph. If your qualification was issued by City & Guilds after 1 April 2013, you will need an electronic certificate with a certificate authentication code so CSCS can verify it directly.
CSCS issues the card, not us. Their application rules apply and can change. Fees quoted are correct as at September 2026.
NVQ Level 2 Boarding and Tacking Pay
The National Careers Service gives the Dryliner range as £22,000 for starters up to £43,000 for experienced dryliners. That is a career-wide range, not a promise attached to any vacancy.
What the NVQ changes is not the number itself. It is access. Most main contractors will not let an uncarded operative on site, and you cannot get a blue Skilled Worker card without a Level 2 qualification in your trade.
Salary figures are indicative UK ranges as at September 2026. Actual pay varies by region, employer, working arrangement and the level of responsibility the role carries.
NVQ Level 2 Boarding and Tacking for Employers
For a dry lining contractor putting boarders through, four things usually matter:
- No time off the tools. Assessment happens on site, around the work. Your boarders keep working, and the observation is of the lining they were fixing anyway.
- Grant recovery. If you are CITB registered and up to date with your Levy Returns, the Short Qualification Grant is £600 per achievement, claimable for employed staff, owners, partners and subcontractors alike.
- Gate access. A carded squad is a squad that gets on site. The 1-Day Registration add-on supports a temporary red card application while the NVQ is under way.
- Volume enrolment. The booking form takes a quantity, and payment plans apply to multi-candidate bookings.
For multiple candidates, call the office on 0333 050 9007.
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