Access to Learning Fund Assessor’s Guide 2012/13
- ALF Assessors’ Quick Guide
- Programmes of study with AI disregard
- Non-standard Term Dates 2012/13
- List of SLC forms with summary of their use
- End of academic year/summer assessments
- Info on eligibility & residency
- Ceilings for variable costs
- Process for dealing with undeclared bank accounts
- Precedents
- Student Support & eligibility
(a)Where an applicant has only applied for the non-means-tested proportion of a Student Loan
(b)ALF and Tuition Fee Loans
(c)Students on placement
(d)Where there is a query over residency eligibility, if the student has evidence of award of a student loan
(e)Previous degrees and part time students
(f)Previous degrees and full time students
(g)Previous study (repeat years) and full time students
(h) Course/year with a reduced funding package eg year in industry
- Extension to study period: postgraduatestudents
If a postgraduate student has had to extend their period of study due to circumstances beyond their control
- Parental contributions
(a)Where there is no assessed contribution to living but parents are making a contribution
(b)Where the NHS Schedule indicates a parental contribution within the assessment
(c)Where an NHS-funded student has not been financially assessed
(d)If a student is in a target group where the AI is disregarded because of excessive work load and the student is receiving a parental contribution in excess of any assessed parental contribution
- Other Student Income
(a)When a student has money in a savings account
(b)Where students receive additional bursaries or scholarships
(c)Foyer Bursaries
(d)Part Time Leeds Bursaries
(e)Where a student is eligible to receive a Leeds Bursary, but hasnot yet received it
(f)Where a UG student has a bank loan
(g)Where an award is received for financial support and isnot based on an income assessment
(h)Social Work travel costs
- Tax Credits and Benefits
(a)Working Tax Credit
(b)Where a full-time UG student is receiving Incapacity Benefit
- Assumed Income and NPIs
(a)External undergraduate students NPI
(b)If a Postgraduate student has made arrangements to reduce expenditure
(c)Intercalating medical students
(d)Where a student has commented on difficulties which indicates more time needs to be spent on study and therefore the opportunity to find part time work is affected
- Rent/Mortgages/second rents
(a)Mortgage payments
(b)If two rents are required as the student is going abroad in the thirdterm
(c)Liability for Council Tax
- Travel
(a)Travel costs(home and term time):
(b)Travel costs are high due to living outside Leeds
(c)Travel – where a student’s parents live abroad
(d)Placement travel – Community Project students
- Medical Conditions and Psychological Assessments
(a)High food costs due to medical condition
(b)High food costs due to pregnancy
(c)Psychological assessments combined with full ALF assessment
(d)Psychological test costs for Taster applicants
(e)Timing of assessments and awards
(f)Psychological testing second reimbursement requests
(g) Colourimetry tests
- Children and Partners
(a)Where students have children who incur weekly costs associated with attending school (eg: school bus fare)
(b)Parents who are not the main carer
(c)Where two students of UoL are partners and have a child/children
(d)Where a student states they are living with a partner but it is clear that costs are shared equally and income is NOT shared
(e)Where a student has a partner who is also a student, but at another HEI
(f)Where a couple apply to ALF who are both FT postgraduate students at Leeds
(g)Where a postgraduate student is married/has a partner who is working
(h)Childcare costs for older children
- Other Expenditure and Debts
(a)Where a student is contributing to a private pension
(b)Where a student is in debt but a proper arrangement has been made to deal with the debts
- Awards and explanations of decisions
(a)Where an award is made and some of the assessed need is based on the standard assessment and some for non-standard costs
(b)100% Disbursements
(c)Where the Assessed Additional Need exceeds the £3500 maximum award
(d)Where a student has initially indicated no costs under a particular heading and then asks for an explanation of the decision
(e)Where a student claims they have mistakenly supplied incorrect bank details
- FT PG Healthcare courses designated PT on Banner
Ceilings for variable costs
Assumed Income: see AI disregards for programmes with excessive workload.
Course Costs
£520p.a. for FT; Pro rata by credit load for PT UG, to ceiling of £520.See ‘look-up’ table below for bands.*
PT PGs pro rata by intensity of study compared to a full-time equivalent
*Look-up table of ceilings for course costs by credit load:
80-120 credits:£520 maximum (count as full-time students)
70 credits:£390 max
60 credits:£260 max
50 credits:£215 max
40 credits:£175 max
30 credits:£130 max
20 credits: £85max
Accommodation
£100pw (less £12pw for utilities) for 1st year students in University of Leeds accommodation.
£73 pwfor all other single students
£45 pw parental home
Additional £45 pw.for every child/partner
If bills/food are included in accommodation costs then reduce rent expenditure by:
- £18pw when rent is inclusive of meals
- £12pw when rent is inclusive of utilities
Buildings Insurance (only applies to students with a mortgage) £10pcm
Travel – term time (check metrocard price again in January 2014)
£20.90pw (from January ‘13)
For students on placements, with children, a disability, or another exceptional reason for requiring a car, or for having higher travel costs, use discretion (consider proximity of school/nursery to home and Uni.Where a student has a partner the assessor should use their judgement as to what is reasonable for travel – consider how these costs are offset by earnings.
NB: do not pro rata by credit load for PT students as some may need to attend 5 days but for shorter hours, but do calculate for course-related costs, the travel associated with attending the course(see Part 2.6 of application to check number of days in attendance). Calculate part time travel taking the number of days’ attendance; divide appropriate ceiling by five before multiplying by the number of days attending.
Travel – permanent home
See ‘Travel Bands’ tab in ALF db, or apply discretion using information provided by the student and the Banner record.
Part-time students: assessors apply own judgement on individual cases.
Travel – work
When earnings are disregarded as income: The ceilings for term time travel and work travel combined are £20.90.The costs are split on the application form but work travel is not treated as a separate entity within the assessment.
When earnings are included as income: Travel costs should never exceed actual earnings.
Childcare
£180 per week per child under school age.
£100 per week per child for before/after school care. (Increased to £175 pw per child during school holidays – school holidays are normally 13 weeks per year)
Do not pro rata the above by credit load for PT students.
Don’t include costs for children aged 16 and over – unless the child has special needs or disabilities.
Debt
ALF cannot help with non-priority debt. Can only consider helping with Priority Debt as defined in ALF guidance and then only to the minimum payments during the assessment period.
ALF Precedents for assessing applications:
1.Student Loans, LA Support Adjustments & eligibility
(a) Where an applicant has only applied for the non means-tested proportion of a Student Loan, we should seek an explanation.
- If the student has indicated that there has been a drop in household income, advisethat they will need to get re-assessed by SFE or the LA before the ALF assessment can be completed.
- If the student explains that they believe that their household income would exclude them from any means-tested funding, check RKASSLC for evidence of a previous RHI. If a previous RHI indicates an amount that would qualify for any means-tested funding (ie a lower than maximum assessed contribution to the loan), apply maximum available funding *, and advise the student that the decision can be revisited if a revised RHI is received.
If there is no previous RHI available, apply minimum student loan plus maximum assessed contribution.
*Refer to the Loan, Grant and Fee rates – in 201213Tables A5, B5, C5, and D5.Please note that some loan will be substituted for grant, and this should be factored into your calculations. For a 2009/10 finalist example (NB the rate will be different for non-finalists), seexxxxxxxxx (£2906 MG + £3099 SL + £1540 LB).
HFL 280409 / RMcD090710.
(b)ALF and Tuition Fee Loans: If a student does not have an assessed need under the standard assessment, but where you have to move to a non-standard assessment to prevent withdrawal due to lack of funds, it is reasonable to insist that the student take out the tuition fee loan to free up funds before we consider making an award. (HFL email of 20/09/06)
(c)Students on placement: if the student is paid for the placement and the student loan is reduced because of this, then include the earnings as income within the assessment.
(d)Where there is a query over residency eligibility, if the student has evidence of award of a student loan, we can assume they meet the residency requirements for ALF.
(e) Previous degrees and full time students: Full-time students who already hold a degree (are studying towards an equivalent or lower qualification) should be aware before they commence their course that they will not receive the full funding package. They therefore should have made realistic provision for costs for each year that their funding is reduced, and we should apply a notional income to reflect this. Notional realistic provision equals the equivalent of minimum statutory support plus AI. For SFE funded students this is the NMT Student Loan + max assessed contribution to Student Loan + AI. For NHS funded students, provision should be the basic award + extra weeks allowance + AI. The AI should be applied even to assessments that would normally have this disregarded.
If the student is a non-finalist they must be able to demonstrate that they can pay their tuition fees before they receive an award from the ALF, because if they cannot then they will be prevented from re-registering and will be unable to complete the course and so we should not be making an award. (13/03/07 updated 26/10/10, 30/11/2010, 14/02/12, 17/04/12)
(f) Previous study (repeat years) and full time students: Full-time students repeating a level who are not funded in that year because they have already used up their +1 year of funding would not have been able to anticipate or financially prepare for this. They would normally be eligible for the non means-tested element of the loan for living costs plus supplementary grants, but would not be eligible for the means-tested element of the loan for living costs, or the maintenance grant or fee loan. When assessing income for these students include the NMT element of the loan for living costs, plus the usual AI and any other funding available (eg parental support, savings etc). Student should be made aware of the PCDL which may be available to cover some living costs, or fees. If the student is a non-finalist they must be able to demonstrate that they can pay their tuition fees before they receive an award from the ALF, because if they cannot then they will be prevented from re-registering and will be unable to complete the course and so we should not be making an award.
(g)When a student has chosen to undertake a course/year that has reduced statutory funding eg an unpaid industrial placement, it may not be appropriate to top up reduced statutory funding with an ALF award. If the student is able to change to another course that would attract a realistic funding package, (eg – a paid placement year, or the same course without the year in industry/abroad) then we should consider whether the student has chosen a course route for which they have made adequate financial provision. Also consider whether an ALF award would be sufficient to enable the student to complete the course. See xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxfor a 2010/11 example. (22/09/10)
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2.Extension to study period - postgraduate students
If a postgraduate student has had to extend their period of study due to circumstances beyond their control it would be reasonable to make an award of up to £3500 where appropriate. However, where the extension relates to slow academic progress rather than a significant change in circumstances affecting the student’s ability to progress then it may not be appropriate to make an award. (Up to Sept 2011 a limit on extension funding of up to £1000 had been applied)A ‘real costs’ assessment should be done for the number of weeks from the date of application to the expected completion date. We define a period of extension as being due to exceptional circumstances rather than just being the expected 4th year writing up for a PhD.
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3.Parental contributions
(a)Where there is no assessed contribution to living but parents are making a contribution, only count the parental contribution in excess of the full assumed income,e.g.parental contribution £585, assumed income £550, therefore excess p/c = £35.
NB when AI is disregarded, see 3(d).
(b)Where the NHS Schedule indicates a parental contribution within the assessment, treat the parental contribution the same as the Bursary, i.e. divide by 52 and multiply by 39. The assessment is then made over 39 weeks for a student with means tested support. (27/02/07) (amended 030809)
(c)Where an NHS-funded student has not been financially assessed, the student should normally apply to be financially assessed. Where a student is not able to comply with this, apply a notional income of the reduced rate student loan, plus the basic NHS award, plus the NHS extra weeks’ allowance, plus the assumed income (where applicable). If the actual income exceeds this, then apply the actual income. Likewise, where an NHS-funded student has been financially assessed, but the assessed parental contribution is not being fully paid, apply a notional income of the reduced rate student loan, plus the basic NHS award, plus the NHS extra weeks’ allowance, plus the assumed income. If the actual income exceeds this then apply the actual income. (April 2008).
For an example see xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx(07/08)
The 1011NHS bursary rates for Degree students are:
Basic Award: £2548 or £2084(parental home)
Extra Weeks allowance: £82pw (elsewhere) or £54pw (parental home) NB (Ray) this means anything above 30 weeks and 3 days.
The 08/09 NHS bursary rates for existing Degree students are:
Basic award: £2483 (elsewhere) or £2031 (home),
together with the Extra Weeks allowance figures of £80 pw (elsewhere) or £53 pw (parental home) NB (Ray) this means anything above 30 weeks and 3 days.
See for more recent figures.
(d) If a student is in a target group where the AI is disregarded because of excessive work load and the student is receiving a parental contribution (or has savings) in excess of any assessed parental contribution, do not subtract the AI from the additional parental contribution. This way, we are avoiding compensating the student twice for a heavy workload. (14/07/09)
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4.Other Student Income
(a)When a student has money in a savings account (e.g. an ISA), or a credit balance in their current account, offset this against any debts. Debts may include overdrafts, credit card balances and personal loans. Then any savings/credit balance remaining that exceed AI + AC Living + the most recent Statutory Support instalment (Student Loan, HEG, MG or NHS bursary), should be counted as income. See examples below. (NB this rule applies to undergrads only. Postgraduates’ savings should still count as income(but see Precedent 3[c] above).) (20/03/07) (NB: Figures calculated at the 2006/07 rates in these examples)
Example 1:
Net balance of all accounts @ application date = 2521.62 CR
Less AI -500.00
2021.62
less Jan inst of SL -1346.40
andless Jan inst of HEG-333.00
342.22
Therefore in this casecount £342.22 as savings and add to ‘Income’.
Example 2:
Savings Account balance @ application date2882.81 CR
Less AI-500.00
2382.81
less current account balance (overdraft) used1558.87
823.94
less Jan inst of SL 1346.40
andJan inst of HEG-284.00
-806.46
Therefore in this case you should not include any savings in the ‘Income’
(b)Where students receive additional bursaries or scholarships, e.g.. a Forces Bursary from the Army or RAF (in the region of £1,000), or an Intercalating Scholarship (in the region of £1,500), or a form of Sponsorship, include in overall income any amount above the Assumed Income level. Example 1: non-finalist student AI £1694and Army Bursary £1,000: disregard Army Bursary as less than AI. Example 2: finalist student AI £565but Army Bursary £1,000: include £435 in overall income.
(c)Foyer Bursaries are not institutional bursaries and should be fully disregarded for ALF purposes. (2/11/06) (amended 10/12/08 and again 030809)
(d)The Part Time Leeds Bursaries should be disregarded when assessing income for ALF as they are intended to offset fees where insufficient statutory support exists. (2/11/06)
(e)Where a student is eligible to receive a Leeds Bursary, but is not receiving it, don’t hold up an ALF assessment. Include the Leeds Bursary amount within the Income calculation and have sentence added to the decision letter. (30/01/07 – AJ/VJL)
(f) Where a UG student has a bank loan, disregard the income from the loan but include the Assumed Income.
(g)Where an award is received for financial support and isnot based on an income assessment (E.g. Erasmus, through the Study Abroad Office), count as income unless it is paid as remuneration for costs incurred during the previous academic year. If the Award is for specific costs in the current year, ensure that the student’s expenditure reflects these costs. (23/01/07 – updated 030809)
(h)Social Work Bursary travel costs: students no longer claim travel awards, but a proportion of the Bursary is a contribution towards travel, eg. in0910 the Bursary is £4575 - £4000 is for living and £575 for travel. (14/11/08 figures up-rated July 09)
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5.Tax Credits and Benefits
(a)Working Tax Credit: Where a full time student has dependents and therefore any earnings are disregarded, also disregard any Working Tax Credit as this is a top-up to earnings.