Eligibility criteria:

• Aged 16, 17, or 18 at 31^st August 2024

And can provide evidence that you are:

• In care; or
• A care leaver; or
• in receipt of Income Support or Universal Credit in your own name because you are financially independent; or
• Receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payments (PIP) in your own name as well as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit in your own name

Support available:

Up to £1,200 per year (pro rata amounts payable for courses less than 30 weeks)

Applications are assessed on an individual basis to ensure the financial support is used in a way that benefits the students the most, with in kind support offered in the first instance.

This may include:

• Support with travel costs to and from college that are not covered by the 16+ Oyster Zip Card (for students who live 2.5 miles or more from college)
• essential course equipment (e.g. hair/beauty kit, uniform, art materials)
• course-related books
• essential educational trips & visits
• authorised university visits (e.g. university interviews)
• UCAS fees
• college arranged work experience related costs
• Discretionary free college meals

4Eligibility criteria:

• Aged 16 or over but under 19 on 31 August 2024, or;
• Aged 19 or over and continuing on the 2nd year of a 2 year programme you began aged 16 to 18 (19+ continuer), or;
• Aged 19 to 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

and

• Living at home with a parent/guardian and can provide evidence that the total household income is less than £32,000pa (This figure will/can include all benefits)

or

You are aged 16 as of 31^st August 2024 and received free school meals during the last academic year and can provide evidence certified by your school or local authority.

Types of support available:

• Support with travel costs to and from college that are not covered by the 16+ Oyster Zip Card (for students who live 2.5 miles or more from college)
• essential course equipment (e.g. hair/beauty kit, uniform, art materials)
• course-related books
• essential educational trips & visits
• authorised university visits (e.g. university interviews)
• UCAS fees
• college arranged work experience related costs
• Discretionary free college meals

Applications are assessed on an individual basis to ensure the financial support is used in a way that benefits the students the most, with in kind support offered in the first instance.

Eligibility criteria:

• Students aged 16, 17 or 18 at 31st August 2024
• Students aged 19-24 with an EHCP
• Students aged 19 and continuing on the 2nd year of a 2-year programme (19+ Continuer)

FE Free College Meals are targeted at disadvantaged students. Free meals in FE defines disadvantage as students being in receipt of, or having parents who are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• 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
• Universal Credit with net earnings not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400 pa (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

Students who are eligible for a free College meal will be allocated a credit of £3.50 per timetabled day to cover the cost of breakfast and lunch, using their College ID Card, in the College Canteen.

An assessment is made based on a completed application with supporting evidence of household income and/or eligible status.

The number of dependent children/adults living at the same household as the applicant will be taken into consideration as the College recognises additional household living costs.

Payments for essential kit, equipment, uniform and trips will be paid direct to the curriculum area. Where the student has already purchased approved kit, equipment or uniform then payment will be reimbursed to the student’s bank account by BACS, once evidence of purchase has been received by Student Services.

Eligible students who live more than 2.5 miles away from college, and have travel costs that are not covered by the 16+ Oyster Zip card, may be eligible for a weekly payment towards travel costs. Any travel award will be based on the most cost effective method of travel, and will be paid to the student’s bank account on a weekly basis, subject to the student achieving 90% attendance over the previous week.

Students eligible for Free College Meals will receive an award of £3.50, towards the cost of breakfast and lunch, for each day the student is timetabled to attend college. This will be loaded to the student’s college ID card to be used as credit in the College canteen.

Arrangements to ensure eligible students receive a free meal when studying or participating in an activity offsite will be put in place as required.

Discretionary Free Meals may also be awarded to students who do not meet the criteria for FE Free Meals if sufficient funds are available.

Eligible students can be reimbursed for UCAS application fees, or costs associated with attending approved university visits or college organised work experience.

All applications for attending a university open day or interview are considered on a case by case basis. We will look to make a contribution if there are sufficient funds available. Any contribution that we make must be agreed before you attend the open day or interview, we will not consider retrospective claims.