DISCRETIONARYLEARNER SUPPORT FOR SFA FUNDED LEARNERS (aged 19+)

POLICY 2012/13

1. / Background
1.1 / DiscretionaryLearner Support funds (dLSF) are given annually to College from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and Education Funding Agency (EFA) to help support students aged 16 years or over on further education provision.
Colleges are informed of their allocation for the coming academic year at the end of June.
For 2012/13 the figures for The Manchester College are:
16-18 Hardship = £1,254,138
19+ dLSF* = £4,005,074
Total funds = £5,259,3212
* For 2012/13, SFA are providing a combined dLSF allocation which colleges can then use to support learners aged 19+ as they deem appropriate, rather than a separate allocation for hardship and childcare
Separate policy document has been produced for SFA funded learners and EFA funded learners for 2012/13.
1.2 / On occasion, the funding agencies may award additional funds ‘in-year’. Where this is the case, this policy will apply to these additional funds and these additional allocations will be incorporated into the existing system.
2. / Eligibility
2.1 / Student’s eligibility for dLSF is set out by the SFA for learners aged 19+. The annual SFA Funding Rules document forms the basis for the allocation of funds.
2.2 / DLSFis used to assist students who may have difficulty in joining, staying on and completing their programme of study because of financial hardship.
2.3 / To qualify for assistance from the dLSF, student must:
a) / Satisfy dLSF settled status criteria (ie settled on the first day of the course), AND
b) / Satisfy dLSF residency criteria (ie be ordinarily resident in England and Wales),
AND
c) / Be an enrolled student aged 19 or over on a programme of further education that is SFA funded (or EFA funded if they are aged 19-25 and in receiving high levels of ALS or continuing on an EFA funded course they started aged 18), AND
d) / Complete a Financial Assistance application form, and if applicable, a Childcare application form, AND
e) / Be prepared to show evidence of benefits, income and other documentation that satisfies awarding criteria.
2.4 / Ineligible students include those under the age of 19, on directly JCP contracted provision, on Adult and Community Learning, Work-Based Learning (including those funded by the SFA/EFA), HE foundation and Advanced Modern Apprenticeships, on full cost recovery programmes and on courses directly funded by HEFCE.
2.5 / In keeping with the College’s 16-18 and 19+ Adult segmentation of provision, students applying for Financial Assistance aged 19 or over will be treated as independent of their parents / guardians for the purpose of awarding funds and assessed on their (and if applicable their partner’s) income or circumstances.
2.6 / Payment of personal support will be dependent on satisfactory attendance, behaviour and effort. Normally a minimum of 85% attendance is required for students aged 19+ for the first payment.This level of attendance does NOT include authorised absences.
2.7 / In allocating funds, priority will be given to:
a) / Students who are disadvantaged (through hardship or socially), less able, (including hearing and sensory impairments and learning difficulties), and are medically ill or recovering from illness
b) / Students aged 19+ without a Level 2 qualification and those taking adult basic education or Foundation Learning programmes
c) / Students who have been in care, on probation, are young parents or otherwise considered to be at risk.
d) / Lone parents
e) / Unemployed students in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance, or their dependents.
f) / Students in receipt of a means tested benefit, or dependent on someone else who is.
g) / Students on low incomes or dependants from low income families, who will be identified by appropriate means testing.
2.8 / Childcare
a) / Students will only be eligible for childcare support provided they have a dependent child under the age of 15 (16 for children with disabilities) for whom they provide care AND they satisfy the general eligibility conditions above.
b) / The student must not have a partner who can care for the child(ren) on the day(s) when they attend timetabled lessons. If both adults are students, payment will only be made when both attend lessons.
c) / If childcare funding is available from another source, students will be expected to utilise that funding first and will not be double funded. Students in receipt of ‘Care to Learn’ funding, where this exceeds the annual limit, can be supported from dLSF.
d) / Funding will only be available where provision is registered in accordance with the requirements of the Children Act 1989. Exceptionally up to 2 hours per day unregistered childcare where registered provision is not available and the conditions are covered in the Act, may be funded. Ofsted registered provision applies to a childminder who looks after one or more children under eight years of age, in excess of two hours per day. Informal childcare, such as that provided by a relative, cannot be funded.
e) / Students will be encouraged to consider the College nurseries where these are available, in the first instance. However, this is not compulsory and the student has choice as to which childcare provider they choose to use.
f) / Funding agreements are between the College and the student, not the childcare provider. However, the student contracts for childcare provision directly with the childcare provider. Students must inform the childcare provider of the nature of these agreements. In addition, students must ensure they do not incur childminding costs prior to funding being approved in writing by the college, as they will be eligible for all costs if they are unsuccessful.
g) / Students must agree to abide by The Manchester College’s terms and conditions for the awarding of funds, including notifying childcare providers of their responsibilities, the monitoring of students’ attendance at College and notifying us if they finish courses early, in order to be eligible for support.
h) / A maximum amount of support that can be awarded per child is prescribed per annum. This includes term time only payments and can include retainers of up to 50% of the usual fee for Christmas, Easter and half-term holidays.
2.9 / Residential Support Funds
Where a student is aged 19+ has enrolled on a course which is not available within a reasonable travelling distance of their home address, they can apply for support with the costs of accommodation in Manchester whilst they study.
Reasonable daily travelling distance means: a daily return journey which takes under two hours on public transport; or a distance of under 15 miles from the student’s home to the college.
The availability of provision will be checked by the Guidance & Welfare Service to make sure there is no other provision available nearer to the student’s home address. It will be the qualification aim that will be checked and determine availability, NOT the course title as different college’s can define the course title where as the awarding bodies will define the name of the qualification aim.
Students meeting these criteria can receive up to £3000 support per academic year (£300 per month for the months September to June) to meet the cost of accommodation and the money will be paid directly to the landlord, providing an assured short hold tenancy agreement has been entered into.
Funding agreements are between the College and the student, not the accommodation provider. However, the student contracts for accommodation directly with the accommodation provider. Students must inform the accommodation provider of the nature of these agreements. In addition, students must ensure they do not incur accommodation costs prior to funding being approved in writing by the college, as they will be eligible for all costs if they are unsuccessful
Any deposit required for the accommodation MUST be paid directly by the student and the funds cannot provide support for this.
Students should arrange accommodation through Manchester Student Homes, with whom the college has a service level agreement for quality assured accommodation services.
2.10 / Changes in Circumstances
Students are required to disclose any change in circumstances, personal, financial and educational that may affect their eligibility for funding. Before any payments are made, the college will endeavour to check the enrolment details for each recipient and adjust the payments accordingly should the number of hours of study have increased or decreased. If a student is refused funding and subsequently has an adverse change in financial circumstances, they can be re-assessed on new evidence provided.
If they are receiving childcare funding, consideration can not be given to additional hours (eg placement or course), if the College is not notified and an application made in advance. Failure to notify the childcare fund administrator of these changes, which later come to light, could result in students becoming liable for the cost of funding given, because of this non-disclosure.
3. / Application and Support Process
3.1 / Students will be informed of the availability of dLSF directly through the publication of information in the Student handbook and through inductions and indirectly through staff via the College’s Enrolment Guidelines.
3.2 / Funds are normally allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis, although also with regard to eligibility criteria and individual need. Support is given for some or all of the following: course fees – tuition, exams and materials (if charged on labels); childcare; residential support; travel and in exceptional cases, hardship and other support.
In line with SFA guidance, no more than 20% of the total 19+ hardship allocation will be used for tuition fee support.
For student’s whose learning is not fully funded by the SFA, exam fees can also be paid through the funds and these will be deducted at source.
Funds other than course fees, residential support and childcare, are made direct to the student as personal support payments (known as the 19+ Study Award), usually by BACS payment. Should the number of applications mean funds are fully allocated early in the academic year, personal support payments due to be paid later in the year are not guaranteed. Conversely, should allocated funds not be taken up, an additional amount of personal support may be distributed to students. Any changes in the published personal support rates to students must be agreed by senior management and students informed.
3.3 / Applications must normally be submitted within 2 weeks of the student starting their course. Applications received after this date will only be considered wherethere are extenuating or exceptional circumstances. These circumstances must be explained by the student in their application.
3.4 / Applications will be processed by staff and students advised on eligibility using guidelines laid down in ‘dLSF rules and entitlements for students aged 19+, 2012-13’ and ‘Applying for Childcare Support Guidelines for Students 2012/13”
3.5 / Rates for personal support and the annual allocations schedule will be agreed by the Director ofSupport to Learners, the Director of Finance and the Student Finance Co-ordinator and approved by the relevant Steering Groups for dLSF and Childcare. (see 6.1)
3.7
3.8 / Students will normally receive personal support payments in3equal payments a year. Where students’ programmes start or finish between terms, they will receive pro-rata support and payments may be made on dates other than the 3 main allocated payment dates. The level of support is determined by the number of hours per week and weeks per year the student attends College. Tuitionis awarded additionally to this.
The first payment is assured but the subsequentpayments are discretionary and depend on funds not being exhausted.
Asylum seeking learners are not allowed to be supported with direct cash payments from learner support funds, under instruction from the SFA. Given this, the college will offer travel, childcare and/or study cost support for asylum seeking learners via alternative methods which supports these learners without making direct cash payments.
3.9 / Where a student has a disability or severe learning difficulty which means transport is required to and from college, they will be expected to fund this through their benefit entitlement and dLSF ‘19+ Study Award’ payments. Where the cost of this transport exceeds the benefit entitlement, they MAY receive additional support through the hardship funds to help with these additional costs.
3.10 / Where a student is on a low income, they will be considered for support if their taxable household income is under £15,000.
4. / Repeat Applications
It is possible for students to make repeat applications for funds (other than on appeal) Such circumstances include:
a) / Enrolling for an additional course
b) / Additional significant hardship
5. / Appeals Procedure
5.1 / Students are notified of the outcome of their application in writing and can be successful, referred or rejected. The reason for a referral or rejection is given.
5.2 / Where students wish to appeal against the decision, they can do so using the Financial Assistance Appeals application form. If the appeal is on the grounds of hardship, on the form they can list their outgoings and provide evidence of this.
5.3 / All appeals for Financial Assistance and Childcare will be dealt with by the Student Support and Safeguarding meetings on each campus, using eligibility criteria as in 2 above and the student informed in writing of the outcome.
5.4 / Unsuccessful appeals may only be re-considered on the grounds of additional evidence or changed circumstances.
5.5 / If unhappy with the decision, the student can resort to the College’s Compliments and Complaints procedure.
6. / Management
6.1 / The Director of Support to Learners will be responsible for the oversight of this policy. The policy is also presented to both the Student Tuition Fees Group and Childcare Steering Group, for oversight and to review expenditure and policies. Membership of these Steering Groups includes members of the college Principalship and representatives from finance, student records, management information and curriculum managers from the Adult segment.
6.2 / The Student Finance Co-ordinator will establish systems and procedures to allocate dLSF and monitor allocation and spend. They will report on these to the Director of Support to Learners and relevant Steering Groups, as well as departmental managers, including finance, student records and management information.
6.3 / The dLSF policy will be submitted annually to Governors.

Chris Hulme, Senior Advisor/Student Finance Co-ordinator, Student Support Services

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