16-19 Bursary Fund & Free Meals in Further and Higher Education Funded Institutions

POLICY STATEMENT & GUIDELINES 2025-26

This policy primarily relates to students who are aged 16 or over but under 19 on the 31/08/2025 who are eligible for help from the 16-19 bursary fund & free meals fund

1. The 16-19 Bursary Fund overview

There are two types of 16-19 Bursaries:

1. Discretionary Bursary

2. Bursary for defined vulnerable groups

Both types of bursary funding are to help eligible students with essential costs of participating such as travel to and from school or college or to buy essential books, equipment, or specialist clothing (protective overalls, for example) that are required for their study programme. These are items a student would otherwise need to pay for to participate.

The bursary fund is not intended to provide learning support – services that a college give to students, for example, counselling or mentoring - or to support extra-curricular activities that are not essential to the students’ study programme or to provide living costs support.

2. Government Grants

For 2025-26 the College has been allocated the following grants from government funding bodies to help provide financial support to students:

• Free meals funding for disadvantaged students: 16–19-year-olds
• 16 to 19 Bursary Fund

3. Scarborough Sixth Form Policy Statement

The College is committed to helping students overcome financial barriers to successful participation and completion of their studies at S6F. Individual pastoral support on financial issues is provided through Guidance Support Tutors and College Counsellors, whilst Tutorials cover financial management skills. In addition, the College receives government grants each academic year specifically to provide financial support to students. Most of the grants are cash limited. In managing and administering the 16-19 Bursary Fund the College will:

• Clearly identify priorities, so that support is awarded on a fair yet affordable basis
• Put financial checks and controls in place as appropriate to public funds
• Ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of any award
• Provide effective and efficient processes for handling applications, payments and appeals
• Identify potential sources of support from other agencies or charities, where appropriate
• Retain sufficient funds to deal with emerging changes in students’ financial circumstances
• Ensure arrangements and decisions take due account of equalities legislation

Consider providing additional funds over and above the government grants, after taking into account the College’s overall financial situation and the level of demand for student financial support

4. Support for all students

All students aged 16-19 attending S6F receive the following support or benefits:

• Subsidised transport costs, so that if a student lives 3 miles or more from college, they do not have to pay more than £15.50 per week
• Free tuition fees and free examination entries (excluding re-sits)
• Students are provided with an iPad during their stay at college
• Free textbooks and materials essential to courses and a printing allowance
• Access to free or low-cost extra-curricular activities (e.g. sport, music)
• Eligibility for NUS card, which gives access to various on-line and in-store discounts
• Parents eligible to claim Child Benefit, if student is on a full-time course.

5. Priorities and eligibility

Students experiencing financial difficulty are also eligible to apply for assistance from the 16-19 Bursary Fund. The fund is cash-limited and so priority will be given to those students from families with the lowest household income and/or highest demonstrated need. Students are assessed on their household income to establish that they are eligible for the 16-19 Bursary Fund and the amount of support they need. The college uses two threshold criteria to assess a student’s eligibility:

• Threshold 1 - £0.00 - £7,400.00
• Threshold 2 - £7,401.00 - £35,000

Students will be required to provide 3 Universal Credit Statements, Pension Award/Pension Credit letter. For students whose families are transitioning or still not transitioned from legacy benefits such as ESA or Income Support, an up-to-date award letter will be required as evidence. Students can upload their household income evidence directly to their online application. The funds are intended to cover costs associated with studying at S6F; they are not a substitution for other sources of financial support (e.g. childcare payments under the Care to Learn Scheme) nor will they be used for regular payments for living costs.

6. Further Education Free Meals & College Subsidised Meals

Entitlement to free meals applies to those 16–19-year-olds in colleges who are in receipt of, or who have parents who are in receipt of certain benefits. These are currently defined as;

• Universal Credit with net earnings not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400*
• support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit

*Parents who are transitioning or still not transitioned from legacy benefits e.g. ESA, Income Support and JSA to Universal Credit will need to supply a 2025/26 award letter of the relevant benefit. An initial assessment can be made based on one Universal Credit statement, however, the award will be amended or cancelled if the three required Universal Credit Statements don’t meet the funding requirements.

Students aged 19 or over who are continuing the same study programme they started before they turned 19 or who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are also eligible for the Government FSM funding.

The Government FSMs entitlement is £2.61 for each day the student attends their study programme, but the College tops this up to £6.00 per day from its discretionary bursary grant for students who meet the discretionary fund criteria. For those not eligible for the government FSMs, but who have a household income of not more than £35,000 then the College provides a contribution towards meals at the rate of £5.00 per day.

All payments for meals are uploaded to student ID cards monthly in advance, to enable them to make purchases in the colleges on-site cafeteria Café 6.

When students are off-site as part of their study programme (e.g. on work placement or work experience), they may still be able to buy food for a packed lunch in advance from Café 6. Where this is not practicable (e.g. for a weekly ongoing placement) alternative arrangements can be made either with the work placement provider or via a cash reimbursement.

7. Bursary support for transport

Students who meet the eligibility criteria of the 16-19 Bursary Fund will get a contribution towards their transport. The student must live 3 miles or more from college and use public transport or college transport (subject to a maximum college subsidy of £900 per year).

Irrespective of household income, the College will subsidise bus transport costs, so that no student who lives more than 3 miles from College has to pay more than £15.50 per week.* Arrangements for reimbursement will vary dependent on circumstances (e.g. a bus pass may be provided with student paying their contribution, or the student may be expected to provide receipts for reimbursement on a monthly basis, with the student paying for the first £15.50 per week).

* Based on lowest cost transport arrangements and subject to a maximum subsidy of £550 per year.

8. Minor Payments & Emergency Fund

There will be occasions when students face an immediate financial crisis, and some form of assistance is urgently required. To ensure such requests do not by-pass the fair and transparent processes, then a small cash loan of up to £50 can be made to the student as a temporary measure, on the authorisation of the Director of Finance and Resources and/or the deputy principal. The loan should then be repaid within an agreed time period. Alternatively, the student may then apply for the loan to be converted into a non-repayable grant. In such cases an application for support in exceptional circumstances from Students Services should be completed, which is a simplified application form for assistance with minor costs and which is authorised by the Student Services Coordinator and the Finance Systems Manager.

Provided eligibility is satisfactorily proven, awards will be approved by the Student Services Coordinator based on the current academic year of the Department of Education’s 16-19 Bursary Fund guidelines. For other discretionary awards and to ensure these are dealt with on a fair yet affordable basis, these discretionary decisions will be considered by the Student Service Coordinator who will provide the details to the Finance Systems Manager who together will authorise the decision. The Finance Systems Manager and Student Service Coordinator will take the decision to Director of Finance & Resources for further guidance if required.

9. Timescale for Applications

Applications are given a deadline of the 1st of April but remain open to allow for changing circumstances. However, funds are limited, and this may reduce the amount which can be awarded for late applications. Consequently, students are encouraged to apply as early as possible if they wish financial assistance to be in place at the beginning of the new academic year. Student’s will receive acknowledgement of the application by text and email. They will then have up to 12 weeks to complete their application and provide the evidence required. If the student’s application is not completed in this time frame, their application will be closed. Students will still have the opportunity to reopen their application later.

10. Notification of Decision and Appeals

Once an award has been approved then the Student Services Coordinator will send written notification to the student, detailing the amount(s) awarded, what the award is for, when and how the award will be paid and any specific conditions which apply. If an award is not made, the notification will explain the reasons for this. Students will be reminded of their right to appeal against an award decision and given details how to submit an appeal. If a member of the Student Services team made the original award decision, then any appeal will be heard by the Student Finance Panel. If the Student Finance Panel made the original award decision, then the appeal will be heard by a member of the College Management Team not previously involved (usually the Principal).

11. Making Payments

Where a monthly payment schedule has been agreed (e.g. to cover transport costs) then this will be processed via BACS direct into the student’s bank account – with the first payment being early September (or the first month after the award has been approved). The college cannot pay into another person’s bank account under the terms and conditions of the government grant, though it can pay into a joint account provided the student is one of the account holders. Alternative payment arrangements will be considered by the Student Finance Panel in exceptional circumstances where a student is unable to administer their own account.

Other payments, unless urgent, will be processed on a monthly basis. Payment will preferably be by either BACS or cheque, though cash payments of up to £30 are possible for minor and/or urgent payments.

Bursary & Free meals contributions for meals will be internally uploaded to the student’s students ID card on a monthly basis in advance.

Where the College contributes to costs such as trips, exam re-sits etc, then payment will normally be made direct by the College rather than via the student. The student must provide their contribution first. For example, for trips students are generally expected to pay the deposit up front in order to demonstrate commitment to paying their share of the costs.

12. Conditions of 16-19 Bursary Fund awards

Financial assistance from the 16-19 Bursary Fund is dependent upon attendance and behaviour. Should either be unsatisfactory or should the student withdraw from the course early, then they may be asked to pay back some or all of their award, and future awards may be withheld or reduced.

The general approach will be that monthly for payments towards travel & meals and any other related monthly payment bursaries will be reduced in proportion to non-attendance, where attendance which is below 90%. Exceptions to these may be made under extenuating circumstances and as well as taking into account reasonable adjustments for those students whose attendance or behaviour is affected by their disability (or by any other characteristic protected under equality legislation). Alternatively, students who have poor/non-attendance may be moved to weekly payments to avoid the risk of them going without a meal and will be monitored by the Student Services Coordinator and the students Guidance Support Tutor.

Payments will not be made until appropriate documentary evidence has been provided. This is to safeguard public money from potential fraud. Fraudulent activities, including giving false statements, will be treated seriously and may leave the individual open to prosecution.

13. Accounting and Audit Arrangements

As a public body, the College is expected to have sound systems in place to control and account for any items of expenditure and internal auditors regularly review such systems.

Responsibilities

• The Principal has overall responsibility for the operation of the Student Support Fund.

• The Director of Finance & Resources is responsible for ensuring that the College maintains satisfactory financial systems, controls and records in relation to the 16-19 Bursary Fund, which are compliant with auditors’ and Department of Education’s guidelines of awarding the 16-19 Bursary Fund to students.

• The Director of Finance & Resources is responsible for managing the 16-19 Bursary Fund budget

• The Finance Systems Manager is responsible for the oversight of the administration of the Fund, ensuring the terms of any grants are met, processing payments via BACS or internal transfer and balancing the Fund at monthly intervals during the year.

• The Student Services Co-ordinator is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Fund and for the processing, reviewing and approving of applications and monthly payment schedules in an efficient and timely manner in line with agreed procedures.

• Student Services staff and Guidance Support Tutors are responsible for ensuring students are appropriately informed and advised of the financial support available from the College and from external agencies and of how to apply for such funds.

14. Confidentiality

Applications are only seen by those involved in the management and administration of the 16-19 Bursary Fund and College auditors. From time to time it may be necessary for additional supporting information to be sought from other College staff in order for a decision to be made. Other College staff may be provided with details of awards made provided this is directly relevant to fund administration or pastoral/educational support.

Personal data provided on the application form or in support of the application will be used solely for the purposes relating to the application for financial assistance. Processing of such data will take place in compliance with data protection legislation and College policy.

15. Other Funds and Support

Students may be eligible for grants or benefits from other government or external agencies. Examples include:

• Care to Learn grant – available to help with childcare costs for students up to age 20. Further details can be found on the gov.uk website.

• Ministry of Defence scholarships – available to support the children of servicemen and women killed on active service. Further information can be found on the gov.uk website.

• Scarborough United Scholarship Fund (SUSF) – a local charity which awards small grants (up to £500) to students aged 16-25 who have attended school in Scarborough and who need support with educational needs (e.g. purchase of musical instruments, equipment, costs of specialist courses, university costs).

In processing applications for support, the Finance team, Student Services and the Student Finance Panel will actively look out for opportunities for students to claim funds from these other sources, including government benefits.

16. Equality Implications

In determining arrangements for assessment and payment of the 16-19 Bursary Fund, the College is subject to equalities legislation, which means that students must not be discriminated against, either directly or indirectly, on the grounds of protected characteristics. The procedures and eligibility guidelines detailed in the previous sections have been established in order to ensure all student applications are dealt with fairly and consistently. In relation to conditions attached to attendance and behaviour, the Finance team is aware that attendance and behaviour may be affected by disability or by other protected characteristics and will make reasonable adjustments for this in making decisions about levels of payment.

The fund improves equality of opportunity by helping students overcome financial barriers to successful participation and completion of studies. Priority is given to those students from families with the lowest household income and/or highest demonstrated need (which includes those students with disabilities).