Westminster Kingsway College 16 to 19 Bursary Fund - Financial Support Policy

Transcription

1 Westminster Kingsway College 16 to 19 Bursary Fund - Financial Support Policy Introduction This policy sets out the financial support available through, and eligibility for, bursary funding for students attending Westminster Kingsway College. Westminster Kingsway College receives an allocation of funds from the Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). The College will use up to 5% of the allocation to meet the costs of administering learner support funds allocated by the Education Skills Funding Agency. To ensure finance is not a barrier to recruitment, retention and success, the College will promote ESFA funds and other sources of financial assistance. The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund guide: 2017 to 2018 and ESFA guidelines state how the funds are allocated and prioritised. It is the responsibility of the College to ensure that bursaries are awarded appropriately. The College also has the discretion to award funds according to need. Westminster Kingsway College manages the bursary funds directly, deciding which students are eligible for help and how much they receive, in line with our own policies. To ensure the funding has a positive impact, priority will be given to those defined as vulnerable learners and to those facing barriers to enrolling or attending their course due to equipment or travel costs. Once enrolment has finished, any surplus funding will be used to award discretionary hardship bursaries. 16 to 19 Bursary Fund The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund provides financial support to help students overcome specific barriers to participation so they can remain in education. 2 groups of students aged 19 or over on 31 August 2017 are eligible to apply for help from discretionary bursaries: Those who are continuing on a study programme they began aged 16 to 18 ( 19+ continuers ) Those who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) There are 2 types of 16 to 19 bursaries: Discretionary bursaries which institutions award to meet individual needs, for example, help with the cost of transport, meals, books and equipment. Vulnerable bursaries of up to 1,200 a year for young people in one of the defined vulnerable groups, divided by the amount of academic weeks they are enrolled for in a year. Student Eligibility to Receive Support To be considered eligible for any bursary, students must be: Aged ( 19+ continuers ) on the 31 st August in the academic year in which they start their studies. Resident in the EU for 3 years or more. Enrolled on a programme of learning funded by the ESFA. It is the policy of the college to optimise the use of bursary funding to provide support to those young people facing the greatest financial barriers to continuing in education.

2 Discretionary Bursary To be eligible for the discretionary bursary, students must be facing financial barriers to participation and need help to stay in education. Priority will be given to essential course-related costs. Discretionary support is assessed against household income. Students under 19 and living at home and/or supported by parents/ guardians are assessed against their own and their parents /guardians income, except in exceptional circumstances. A student may be eligible if they are: Aged 16 or over but under 19 at 31 August Aged 19 or over at 31 August 2017 and have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Aged 19 or over at 31 August 2017 and continuing on a study programme they began aged 16 to 18 ( 19+ continuers ). Meeting the residency criteria in ESFA 2017 to 2018 academic year funding regulations for post-16 provision. On a 16 to 19 traineeship programme. Vulnerable Bursary To be eligible for the vulnerable bursary, students must be in one of the defined vulnerable groups: Young person in care. Young care leavers - the local authority that looked after the young person will confirm the level of care and duration (must be longer than 13 weeks to be eligible). Young person in receipt of Income Support, or Universal Credit in place of Income Support this must be in their own name, evidenced by letter/document from the benefits office. Young person in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit and Disability Living or Personal Independence Payments in their own right. Free School Meals In September 2014, additional funding for free school meals was made available for students aged years old, who meet the EFA residency eligibility and who are in receipt (themselves or their parent/guardian) of the following benefit: Income Support/ Income-based Jobseekers Allowance. Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act The guarantee element of State Pension Credit. Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than 16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)). Working Tax Credit run-on paid for 4 weeks after someone stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit. During the initial roll out of the benefit, Universal Credit. A student is only eligible to receive a free meal when they, or a parent/guardian on their behalf, have made a successful application to the institution where they are enrolled. Please note: Working Tax Credit is not a qualifying benefit for free meals, and a parent or student who is in receipt of only Working Tax Credits is not entitled to a free meal.

3 Care to Learn If you re a parent aged the Government s Care to Learn scheme could pay up to 160 per child per week towards your childcare and travel costs whilst you study. Please speak to the Student Finance team for further information. Eligibility Criteria: All Bursaries Verification of Student Eligibility As part of the application, Westminster Kingsway College will ask the student (or their parent/guardian) to provide evidence of the award of the qualifying benefits. Means-testing will be rigorous but not excessive and evidence from other recent income assessment will be used wherever possible. Evidence will be retained in accordance with audit requirements. Evidence of Eligibility For students in receipt of qualifying benefits, a letter from DWP that states the benefit the student is entitled to. For students who are in care or a care leaver, written confirmation of their current or previous looked-after status from the relevant local authority Residency Students must meet the residency criteria in ESFA funding regulation for post-16 provision in the 2017 to 2018 academic year. For further information please speak to a member of the student finance team. Westminster Kingsway College must see evidence to confirm eligibility regarding residency. The bursary will be offered in the following strands: Travel bursary Course costs bursary Vulnerable learner bursary (not discretionary) General hardship bursary Meals bursary

4 Levels of Financial Support Household Income Under 16,190 (Band 1) 16,191 to 21,000 (Band 2) 21,001 to 30,000 (Band 3) Travel Bursary Hardship Bursary Essential Course Costs Vulnerable Learner Bursary Meals Bursary Amount dependent upon Amount dependent upon Amount dependent upon distance distance distance 300 per year % of total cost 50% of total cost 0 1,200 pa (or pro rata) 1,200 pa (or pro rata) 1,200 pa (or pro rata) 2.81 (student or parent must be in receipt of qualifying benefit) 0 0 Students enrolled on provision are not eligible for the Bursary. However, students aged under the age of 16 on 31 August 2014 and enrolled on an eligible programme of learning may receive financial support with the agreement of the Bursary Panel. Conditions General conditions Applications to the Bursaries will be accepted from 1st August 2017 through to the specific fund closure date (see individual bursary information below).

5 We reserve the right to request repayment of all or part of any payment received and/or return equipment provided if a student withdraws from their course. Students may be asked to return books or equipment at the end of their course. We also reserve the right to make changes to and removals of payments during the course of the academic year. At the Panel s discretion, the above criteria may be waived in the event of: A student facing a financial barrier as a result of high household income where a parent/guardian declares they are not supporting the student financially. A student facing a unique financial barrier to learning. Hardship Fund Discretionary hardship bursaries will only be awarded from the month of October until the end of the academic year subject to funds remaining. This is to support those in greatest financial hardship with the ongoing costs of being at college, including: Contributing to non-essential costs. Attending university open days/interviews. Purchase of items of stationery and printing. Payments: Bursary payments will be paid once a month for students on a discretionary bursary and once a week for students on a vulnerable bursary. Essential course costs are generally one-off payments. Direct payments made to students will be through BACS transfer, to accounts in the student s name only, unless otherwise requested in the application form by the student, or parent/guardian/social worker in the event of the student being considered incapable of managing their own finances or it being a possible safeguarding concern. Wherever possible, payments will be made direct to a supplier for essential course materials and uniforms, or via internal College transfer where appropriate. Payment is subject to satisfactory attendance. Students who receive a discretionary bursary are paid in arrears and need 90% attendance for the previous month to get paid for the current month, i.e. 90% attendance in September to get paid in October. Vulnerable students are paid in arrears and need 80% attendance for the previous week to get paid for the current week, i.e. 80% attendance in the first week of September to be paid in the second week. Checks will be made termly for hardship bursaries. The following actions will be taken on payments depending on the level of attendance: Monitoring: Monitoring of the bursary is the responsibility of the College Director Learner Services with the Student Welfare Officer and Finance Department. Expenditure is monitored monthly and reported to the Bursary Panel via panel meetings. Take-up of the bursary is monitored annually in relation to retention and reported in the self-assessment report. The Education Funding Agency requires an end of year return detailing the number of discretionary awards made to students. Feedback from students on the impact of the bursary on their learning is collected annually by the Student Finance Adviser. The Bursary Panel The bursary panel will comprise the College Director Student Services, Student Welfare Officer and Financial Support Officer, Safeguarding officer and a member of the Finance Department.

6 The panel will meet fortnightly during July, August and September, and thereafter as required, to approve Bursary payments, on the recommendation of Student Finance Manager. Panel dates will be published in advance. The panel will have the right to vary the above criteria in exceptional circumstances, and action will be possible in cases of urgent hardship. They will also review the criteria annually and make recommendations for changes to the College Executive. Appeals against decisions of the panel must be raised in writing to the College Director learner Services within 10 days of the decision being notified. Appeals will be acknowledged within 3 working days of receipt and resolved within 21 working days.