Student Support Fund 16-19

16-19 VULNERABLE YOUNG PERSON BURSARY FUND

• Travel to and from college
• Essential equipment such as books, uniform, kits etc.
• Meals on the days when you are in college
• Course trips/visits

• Young People in Care
• Care Leavers
• Students in receipt of Income Support
• Students in receipt of Employment Support Allowance (ESA) who are also receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments (PIP)

Full details regarding eligibility can be found here. 

16-19 Discretionary Support Fund

If your household income is under £35,000

• Travel to and from college
• Essential equipment e.g. uniform, kits, resources such as books or materials

This fund is available to students who are:

• Living in a household where the overall Household Income is up to £35,000
• Dependants of someone on Income Support, Income Based JSA or Employment Support Allowance, Universal Credit or claiming the Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
• Able to demonstrate that they are facing financial hardship

16-19 Care to Learn Fund

Students should meet the following criteria:

• Is the main carer for the child they are claiming for
• Be claiming Child Benefit for the child/children in question
• The other parent is unable to provide childcare (e.g. they are in education/working/absent)
• The other parent is not claiming childcare through Tax Credits
• Be under the age of 20 at the start of their course

Full details of eligibility for the Care to Learn fund can be found here.

Free College Meals

Students must be aged 16-18 on 31st August 2024 (students who turn 19 during their studies will remain eligible until the end of that academic year or the end of their study programme, whichever is sooner)

Students, or their parents/guardians, must be in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:

• Income Support, Income based JSA or Income related Employment Support Allowance
• Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190 - this is assessed by HMRC)
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after someone stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit with net earnings not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400 p/a

Please note, students aged 19-24 who have in place an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) are also entitled to a Free College Meal while attending their provision (if they meet the eligibility criteria).