A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/2015 1

Transcription

1 A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/2015 1

2 Contents Introduction... 3 Disclaimer... 3 Background and regulations... 3 Eligibility... 4 Residency criteria... 4 Residency rules in the UK... 4 Residency rules outside the UK... 5 Residency rules for European Union nationals... 6 Other eligibility criteria... 6 Employment based courses... 7 Joint discipline courses... 7 Financial assistance in 2015/ Which bursary arrangements apply to me?... 8 Pre-2013 arrangements arrangements... 8 Capping... 9 Basic grant... 9 Part-time funding... 9 Placement Travel Allowance (PTA)... 9 Tuition fees Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) Means tested bursary elements Explanation of terms Maintenance grant Allowances for dependants Childcare Allowance Adult Dependants Allowance (ADA) Parent Learning Allowance (PLA) Bursary payments Repeat funding Deferrals Extended funding Further funding information Contacts A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/2015 2

3 Introduction This booklet is for students studying on an approved part-time or full-time postgraduate social work course. The booklet has been produced for guidance only; it cannot cover all individual circumstances. More information is available from our website at or by contacting the Social Work Bursaries Helpline on Disclaimer The arrangements and rates described in this booklet are correct at the time of publication and apply to the 2015/16 academic year only. Changes may be made to the Social Work Bursary at any time and you should not rely on the current Social Work Bursary rules and allowances when planning for future academic years. Updated information about the Social Work Bursary will be posted on our website when it is made available. We advise students and prospective students to check the website regularly. The Department of Health (DH) and the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) accept no responsibility for loss of any type (including, but not limited to, financial circumstances) by students who have relied on current published rules and allowances when deciding whether to study on a social work course for future academic years. Background and regulations The Social Work Bursary is administered by the NHSBSA on behalf of the DH, who fund the bursary and set its policy. Although the bursary is administered by the NHSBSA, it is not an NHS Bursary. The bursary is administered under the Care Standards Act, which authorises the NHSBSA to distribute public funds within the context of the bursary. The bursary also adopts certain elements of the Education (Student Support) Regulations in force at the time of your application. However, the bursary is not legally bound by these regulations. Please note: The rules for the bursary may be subject to change at any time. The bursary is made up of non means tested* and means tested* elements. The non means tested elements include a basic grant, support towards tuition fees, and allowances for those with a disability. The Department of Health introduced the basic grant as an incentive to train in social work and does not have a specific intention other than as a financial incentive. Recipients of the basic grant can use it towards study related expenses and/or for any legal purpose they deem appropriate. The means tested elements include a maintenance grant and allowances to assist with certain costs of living. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/2015 3

4 *Non means tested means that we will not take into consideration such things as your (or any parent, spouse, partner or civil partner s) earnings, savings, dependants, mortgage or rent, income, special needs or any other similar factors. Means tested means we will take into account certain income and/or finances. If you receive any funding mentioned in the Other eligibility criteria section of this booklet, this may affect your eligibility for a bursary. Eligibility To be eligible for the Social Work Bursary, you must meet the following criteria: Residency criteria You must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the academic year in which you start your course. For the purpose of the residency criteria, the first day of the academic year is: 1 September for Autumn start courses (courses starting from 1 September to 31 December) 1 January for Winter start courses (courses starting from 1 January to 31 March). You must also satisfy the conditions in any one of the following three categories: residency rules in the UK residency rules outside the UK residency rules for European Union nationals Residency rules in the UK You must meet all of the following rules: You must be ordinarily resident in England. If you are ordinarily resident in England as a result of moving from another UK country for the purpose of undertaking your course (or one immediately before), you will be considered ordinarily resident in the country from which you moved. You must have been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for the three years immediately before the start of the academic year. You are not treated as living abroad if you are a member of the armed forces (this also includes your spouse and children), a student taking a gap year, or temporarily employed abroad. You must have settled status, which means you must be settled in the UK within the meaning of the Immigration Act This includes British Citizens and applicants with indefinite leave to remain or right of abode. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/2015 4

5 Residency rules outside the UK You must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the academic year in which you start your course. If you have moved to England to study, you will be considered ordinarily resident in the country from which you moved. You must also meet one of the following rules: You, your spouse/civil partner or your parents are UK nationals who have returned from work in another member country of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and have got a job in the UK, and you have been living in the EEA or Switzerland for the three years before the first day of the academic year in which you start your course. You, your spouse/civil partner or your parents are from an EEA country or Switzerland and you can show that you, your spouse/civil partner or either of your parents has migrant worker status and you have been living in the EEA or Switzerland for the three years before the first day of the academic year in which you start your course. You, your spouse/civil partner or your parents are a frontier worker i.e. from Switzerland or an EEA country, work in England and return to a residence in Switzerland or an EEA country at least once a week and you have been living in the EEA or Switzerland for the three years before the first day of the academic year in which you start your course. You, your spouse/civil partner or your parents are recognised by the British Government as a refugee 1 and have lived in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man since you were informed of your refugee status. You, your spouse/civil partner or your parents have been granted humanitarian protection 1 in the UK by the Home Office, and you have been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for the three years before the first day of the academic year in which you start your course. 1 Your Home Office papers confirming your refugee status or humanitarian protection must be valid for the full duration of the academic year. You are not eligible if your Home Office papers have an expiry date which is before the end of the academic year. If you are claiming a Social Work Bursary as the spouse or civil partner of someone who has been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection, you must have been their spouse or civil partner at the time of their application for asylum. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/2015 5

6 Residency rules for European Union nationals You must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the academic year in which you start your course. You must have been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for the three years immediately before the first day of the academic year in which you start your course, with at least 51 per cent of those three years in England. Other eligibility criteria You must meet all of the following criteria: You are entering or already studying on a social work course that has been approved by the General Social Care Council (GSCC), the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), the Care Council for Wales or the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC). For more information, please refer to the links on our website at If you are still unsure if your course has been approved, please contact your university/college. You do not already hold a higher education social work qualification (including the Diploma in Social Work (DipSW)) awarded by the GSCC, the HCPC, the SSSC, the Care Council for Wales or the NISCC, or the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW). You are studying on a college based course and are not receiving any of the following: paid time off granted by an employer to allow you to attend your studies payment of all or part of your tuition fees by a current or future employer payment from a practice learning provider for undertaking placement duties for them funding from a local authority or other employer (except in relation to the cost of books needed for the course) funding from the Children s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) funding from the Department for Education through social work reform funds, for example, the CWDC graduate recruitment funding from practice led programmes for career changes funding from any other public sector source (except a loan from Student Finance England) A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/2015 6

7 You are studying on a college based course and if you are receiving a retainer, the retainer meets all of the following criteria: It is offered as an incentive to engage in employment with the retainer provider once the recipient qualifies as a social worker, and not as support towards the recipient s social work training. It is a documented contractual agreement between the retainer provider and the recipient. The contractual agreement indicates the recipient s liability for paying back the retainer to the provider if they do not successfully complete their social work training and/or engage in employment with the retainer provider on qualifying as a social worker. The recipient is not and will not be engaged in employment, be contracted to, on a temporary assignment with or seconded to the organisation(s) providing the retainer throughout the recipient s social work training. It is not funded by a local authority (or other public sector employer or future employer) or by the Children s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) or Department for Education through social work reform funds, for example, the CWDC graduate recruitment. You are studying on a college based course and you are not receiving funding from a publicly funded body. Please note funding through the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, Access to Learning Fund, government benefit agencies and bursaries from your university/college is excluded. Employment based courses You are not eligible for a bursary if you are studying on an employment based course, including direct Open University courses, regardless of whether your social care employer is supporting you. For more information, please refer to the links on our website at If you are still unsure if your course is employment based, please contact your university/college. Joint discipline courses If you are studying on a joint discipline course that includes social work, you are not eligible for the Social Work Bursary. You need to apply to NHS Student Bursaries for funding. Visit for more information. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/2015 7

8 Financial assistance in 2015/16 Which bursary arrangements apply to me? Following a public consultation that took place in 2012, the DH announced new arrangements for the Social Work Bursary that commenced from the 2013/14 academic year. Please check which bursary arrangements apply to you so that you are fully aware of what you may be entitled to. The table below shows which arrangements apply depending on when you start your course. Date you start/started your course Social Work Bursary arrangements Before 1 September 2013* Pre-2013 arrangements On or after 1 September arrangements *You must have been in receipt of a Social Work Bursary for your current course prior to the 2013/14 academic year. Pre-2013 arrangements If your course started before 1 September 2013 and you were in receipt of a Social Work Bursary for your current course prior to the 2013/14 academic year, you will continue with your current (pre-2013) arrangements. You need to submit a completed bursary application form each year. Please download the appropriate application form and guidance notes from our website at If you have previously started a social work course prior to 1 September 2013 but have had a break in your studies, when you return to this course the pre-2013 arrangements will apply to you. If you never started the course, but deferred your place or started a new course after a break in your studies, then the 2013 arrangements will apply arrangements If you start, or have started, your postgraduate social work course on or after 1 September 2013, the 2013 arrangements will apply. If you have previously started a social work course prior to 1 September 2013 but have had a break in studies, the pre-2013 arrangements will still apply when you return to the course. The 2013 arrangements mean that the postgraduate bursary is still available to students for both years of the course but there is a restriction (or cap) which limits the number of bursary recipients from 2013 onwards (see the section below regarding capping). A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/2015 8

9 Capping The number of bursary recipients for both part-time and full-time courses will be limited or capped, so there is no guarantee that you will receive a bursary if you take up an offer of a place on a postgraduate social work course. Your university/college now decides who receives a Social Work Bursary. The DH has agreed and issued the criteria to each university/college to explain how the capping system will work. If you require further information regarding the figures and methodology that your university/college has used, please contact them directly. Social Work Bursaries are not involved in this process. Your university/college will agree a shortlist of students within their allocated number of places and then notify Social Work Bursaries of this list of students. You will only be assessed for a Social Work Bursary if you are on the list from your university/college and you satisfy the residency and other eligibility criteria. If you have not been allocated one of your university/college s bursary places then you will not be eligible to receive the Social Work Bursary. The only funding that you may be eligible to receive will be the fixed contribution towards your placement travel expenses through the Placement Travel Allowance (PTA). If you satisfy the residency and other eligibility criteria, the PTA will be available to you. Basic grant The bursary will be paid at the following rates: Full-time postgraduate basic grant rates Students studying at a university/college in London Up to 3, per year Students studying at a university/college outside London Up to 3, per year Part-time funding You will receive a pro-rata amount of the full-time bursary based on the number of years the course lasts. Your bursary entitlement is calculated to ensure that you will receive the same total bursary over the duration of your course as a full-time student would receive. The fulltime rate is multiplied by 2 and divided by the number of years your course lasts. Example: A 5 year part-time course starting 2013/14 at a university/college outside London; we will offer students 3, x 2 years (duration of the full-time course) 5 years = 1,345 per year. Placement Travel Allowance (PTA) A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/2015 9

10 The basic grant includes a fixed contribution of towards your placement travel expenses between your term time address and your placement agency (for part-time students the amount included is a pro-rata rate of based on the duration of the course). No further payments will be made for placement expenses through the social work bursary. It is expected that the agency offering your placement will contribute towards the travel costs incurred whilst you are carrying out your placement duties. A contribution of this nature will not affect your entitlement to the social work bursary. Tuition fees If you are entitled to a payment towards your tuition fees, we will pay this directly to your university/college on or after 1 December 2015 for Autumn start courses (1 March 2016 for Winter start courses). If you withdraw before this date, we are not responsible for any tuition fee payment. You will be liable to pay your own tuition fee costs. Full-time postgraduate tuition fee rates Students studying full-time Up to 4,052 for the academic year 2015/16 Part-time postgraduate tuition fee rates Students studying part-time Up to 2,026 for the academic year 2015/16 Please note if your university/college charges a higher amount for tuition fees than the figures quoted above you will be liable for the difference in these costs. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/

11 Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) Students with a disability may also apply for Disabled Student Allowance (DSA). For information on the DSA or to apply, please download a DSA application pack from our website at DSA is not means tested and is made up of the following components: Non-Medical Helper s Allowance Students studying full-time Students studying part-time Up to 20,725 per year Up to 15,543 per year Specialist Equipment Allowance* Students studying full-time Students studying part-time Up to 5,212 for the duration of the course Up to 5,212 for the duration of the course General Allowance Students studying full-time Students studying part-time Up to 1,741 per year Up to 1,305 per year *If you are applying for DSA for the first time in the 2015/16 academic year, you will need to pay the first 200 towards a computer yourself. Means tested bursary elements The means tested elements of the bursary consist of: a maintenance grant allowances for dependants These are subject to eligibility and will be paid in addition to the non means tested elements of the bursary. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/

12 Explanation of terms For the purpose of the grant and allowances, the following terms have specific meanings. Term Meaning Your spouse, cohabitee (including same-sex cohabitee) or civil partner. Partner Unearned taxable income Residual taxable income Civil partners are now treated in line with married couples for student support purposes. Cohabiting same-sex partners who are not in a civil partnership will be treated in the same way as cohabiting opposite-sex partners. Income that you have from sources other than work, for example dividends from shares you own, interest on savings and most income from land or property. The gross income from all sources less specific allowances (for example, pension contributions we do not make deductions for housing costs, bills or personal debts). Maintenance grant The bursary will be paid at the following rates: Full-time postgraduate maintenance grant rates Students studying at a university/college in London Up to 4,201 per year Students studying at a university/college outside London Up to 2,721 per year To calculate how much of the maintenance grant you are entitled to, we look at both of these: your net unearned taxable income during the current academic year your partner s residual taxable income from the 2013/14 tax year If your net unearned income is 8,473 or less, it will not affect the amount of income assessed maintenance grant you receive. If your net unearned taxable income is more than 8,473, your grant will be reduced by 1 for every 1 you receive over that amount. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/

13 If your partner s residual taxable income is 20,868 or less, it will not affect the amount of the income assessed grant you receive. If your partner s income is more than 20,868, your grant will be reduced by 45 and then an additional 1 for every 8 they receive in income over that amount. When calculating your maintenance grant, we may also take into consideration other dependants in your family. The information given above is provided as a guide only. Calculating your entitlement is complex and you should not base your entitlement on your own calculations. Allowances for dependants Allowances for dependants consist of the Childcare Allowance, Adult Dependants Allowance (ADA) and Parents Learning Allowance (PLA). Although we calculate your eligibility for these three allowances at the same time, we may award them independently. For example, we may award you PLA even though you are not claiming childcare costs. As all three allowances are income assessed, you do not automatically qualify for them if you have dependants. Your entitlement may be reduced because of the level of income you declare on the bursary application form. We will calculate your entitlement to these allowances using the net taxable income of your spouse/partner for the tax year 2013/14 and any dependent children. Childcare Allowance For information on the Childcare Allowance or to apply, please download a Childcare Allowance application pack from our website at Adult Dependants Allowance (ADA) If you have an adult who is wholly or mainly financially dependent on you whilst you are studying, you may be eligible for this allowance. You may claim for one adult only. The adult dependant must be 18 years of age or older. Please note you cannot claim this allowance if the adult dependant is your child or your spouse/partner s child. If the adult dependant is not your partner, their net taxable income cannot be more than 3,796 for the 2015/16 academic year. If the adult dependant is your spouse/partner then we will calculate the allowance using their net taxable income from the tax year 2013/14. If the adult dependant is a student and is receiving a statutory award, you cannot claim a dependants allowance for them. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/

14 ADA is paid at the following rates: Adult Dependants Allowance (ADA) Students studying full-time Students studying part-time Up to 2,757 per year Pro-rata of full time rate based on the duration of the course Parent Learning Allowance (PLA) If you have one or more children who live with you whilst you are studying, and they are wholly or mainly financially dependent on you, you may be eligible for this allowance. This includes children up to the age of 18 in full-time education but does not include children in higher education. PLA is paid at the following rates: Parents Learning Allowance (PLA) Students studying full-time Students studying part-time Up to 1,573 per year. Pro-rata of full time rate based on the duration of the course. Bursary payments The Basic Grant, Maintenance Grant, Adult Dependants Allowance and Parents Learning Allowance are generally paid together and paid in three instalments: The first instalment will be paid within 10 working days from the date we receive confirmation of course enrolment and attendance from your university/college or 10 working days from the date of your bursary notification letter, whichever is later. This is subject to your application being assessed as eligible. The second instalment will normally be paid by 8 January 2016 (22 April 2016 for courses that commence in Winter). The third instalment will normally be paid by 22 April 2016 (5 August 2016 for courses that start in Winter). This instalment will only be paid as long as you have received your second instalment and we are not waiting for evidence of any estimated income for you or your partner (this will be noted on our award notification). For details of when and how the Disabled Student Allowance and Childcare Allowance are paid please see the appropriate guidance booklet or application form. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/

15 Repeat funding Those in receipt of a bursary who are retaking any year because of academic failure will not, in most circumstances, be eligible for the bursary for the retake year. Bursaries will not generally be available to students for any period during which they are retaking a portion of their course. If a postgraduate bursary recipient fails their first full time year, they will not be eligible in future years, unless they pass the retake year at their own cost. In the few instances where it can be demonstrated that a student has failed as a result of a placement breakdown which is not the student s fault, the student will exceptionally be eligible for a bursary to retake the year. Students who can demonstrate that they have failed to pass as a result of compelling personal reasons (e.g. serious illness, death in the close family etc.) may be eligible for continued funding, despite a failure to complete or pass a year. The university/college and/or student will advise the NHSBSA on the individual circumstances and the final decision will be made by the NHSBSA. This allowance is not available if you are only required to re-submit course work or re-take examinations without attending classes. If any of these circumstances apply, you need to submit a bursary application form before the deadline, and make us aware of your individual circumstances. We will need to consult with your university/college before we can make a decision regarding your eligibility for funding. The final decision is made by the NHSBSA and is not at the discretion of your university/college. If you are eligible for repeat funding then up to a maximum of one year additional funding may be offered. This funding will consist of the income assessed elements of the bursary only and will be a proportional rate of the yearly amount based on your academic year modules. If your university/college charges tuition fees then support may also be offered towards these. Deferrals Students will be entitled to two years of funding to enable their studies whilst on the programme. Social Work Bursaries may be available for bursary recipients who have deferred a year as a result of personal circumstances, such as pregnancy or bereavement, providing that they have secured the support of their university/college that they are continuing their studies. However, deferral which would represent a significant break in learning, and which could be detrimental to maintaining knowledge and skills, will not be supported. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/

16 Extended funding If you are in receipt of a Social Work Bursary during your final year and you can demonstrate that your placement has broken down through no fault of your own, you may be eligible for extended funding if the duration of your placement will now extend beyond your original final term date or beyond your bursary award dates (whichever is later). The extended funding will only be considered if all of these apply: you have been assessed as eligible to receive the Social Work Bursary you are in the final year of your course the duration of your placement will now extend beyond the end of the academic year the placement is extended through no fault of your own If these circumstances apply you need to inform us of the reason for extending your studies. We will need to consult with your university/college before we can make a decision regarding your eligibility for funding. The final decision is made by the NHSBSA and is not at the discretion of your university/college. If you are eligible for extended funding, you can apply to receive all of the bursary elements that you were entitled to during your final academic year. The amount you receive will be a proportional rate of your final year bursary based on the duration of your extension. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/

17 Further funding information Various care councils in the United Kingdom offer support to students studying social work. Social care is a policy area devolved to each country. As a result, the NHSBSA does not have policy responsibility for the funding of students from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The table below explains where you should apply for funding, depending on where your country of residence is, where your university/college is located and the type of course you are going to be studying on. My country of residence* England My university/college is in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland The course I am studying is Full-time or part-time postgraduate Scotland Scotland Full-time postgraduate (not available to part-time postgraduates) Scotland England, Wales or Northern Ireland Bursaries are not available to any student studying outside Scotland Wales Wales Full-time or part-time postgraduate Wales Northern Ireland Northern Ireland European Union (EU) European Union (EU) England, Scotland or Northern Ireland Northern Ireland England, Scotland or Wales England Northern Ireland Bursaries are not available to any student studying outside Wales Fast-track routes for relevant graduates, leading to the award of Bachelor s degree in social work (part-time courses are currently not available in Northern Ireland) The bursary is not available to any Northern Ireland domiciled student studying on any social work course outside Northern Ireland Postgraduate (tuition fee support only) EU students will only be entitled to the normal support for EU students under arrangements managed by the Department for Employment and Learning Whom do I contact about possible funding? NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Not applicable Care Council for Wales Not applicable Social Services Inspectorate (SSI) N.B The five local Education and Library Boards (ELB s) administer the normal statutory education support provision. Please contact your local ELB for funding advice N.B The five local Education and Library Boards (ELB s) administer the normal statutory education support provision. Please contact your local ELB for funding advice NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) Department for Employment and Learning A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/

18 * You are considered as being ordinarily resident in the country in which you were living before you started any full-time higher education. If you have not yet started a full-time higher education course, it is the country in which you are normally living. All information contained in this funding table was correct at the time of publishing but may be subject to change. A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/

19 Contacts If you have any questions about the Social Work Bursary that are not answered in this booklet or on our website, please contact us: Social Work Bursaries Bridge House 152 Pilgrim Street Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 6SN Tel: Fax: Web: Company name Address Telephone and fax number and website address Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Compass House 11 Riverside Drive Dundee DD1 4NY Tel: or Web: Fax: None available Care Council for Wales Student Funding Team South Gate House Wood Street Cardiff CF10 1EW Tel: Fax: None available Web: Student Finance England Student Finance England PO Box 210 Darlington DL1 9HJ Tel: Textphone: None Available Web: NHS Student Bursaries Hesketh House Broadway Fleetwood Lancashire FY7 8SS Tel: Fax: Web: A guide to Social Work Bursaries for postgraduate students (V1) 05/