Additional Financial Support
Additional Student Financial Support
Childcare Grant
This financial support is to help you with the cost of registered and credited childcare whilst you are studying. The support is means tested and you could be entitled to claim up to 85% of your childcare costs.
Parents' Learning Allowance
If you are a student with dependent children you may wish to access the parent learning allowance. You could be entitled to claim up to an extra £1,470 per year (08/09 figures).
Child Tax Credit
If you are studying and have dependent children, you are entitled to child tax credit, whether or not you are working. If this is you, you should contact the Inland Revenue via their website www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/taxcredits or by calling them on 0800 500 222.
Disabled Students’ Allowance
What is the Disabled Student Allowance (“DSA”)?
It is a mandatory award which is available for students with disabilities who are eligible for DSA and are undertaking courses in Higher Education. This award is intended to cover any extra costs or expenses a student may have to meet whilst studying which arise because of a disability (including dyslexia).
1. For students attending or undertaking full-time courses (excluding postgraduate courses) there are three allowances to cover different areas of need:-
(a) Specialist Equipment Allowance (maximum £5,030 for duration of course)
a grant for major items of equipment such as computers, speech synthesisers, radio hearing aid or other IT equipment which may be needed to help the student benefit fully from the course. It could also be used to cover the cost of any specialist furniture a student might require in order to study. The allowance can be paid at any time during the course provided the total payments do not exceed the maximum amount.
(b) The General Allowance (maximum £1,680 per annum)
an annual amount to help pay for a non-medical helper. It may be used to cover any miscellaneous expenses (apart from travel) which arise as a result of a special need such as the cost of books or photocopying where the library facilities are inadequate; extra heating costs if the student is studying away from home for long periods of time; or specialist needs assessment, etc..
(c) The Non-Medical Helper Allowance (maximum £20,000 per annum)
a further annual amount for other extra costs. This can cover the cost of note takers, sign language interpreters, mobility helpers, or any other form of personal assistance including extra tutorial support for those with specific learning difficulties (dyslexia). This is normally paid in installments in relation to the helpers’ / support tutors/ wages and costs.
(d) Extra travel costs, for the purpose of attending the HE institution, incurred due to your disability (no upper limit).
2. Students attending part-time courses (excluding postgraduate courses) (equivalent of at least 50% of a full time course) may also be eligible for an allowance which will be pro-rata according to the period usually required to complete the equivalent full-time course.
3. For students attending or undertaking a full or part-time postgraduate course of at least a year there is one allowance of up to £10,000 per academic year to cover all DSA costs.
The above allowances are NOT means tested.
For further information / assistance in applying for the DSA please contact Alice Kemble-Davies or Steve Joyce, the Disability Coordinators on 01905 855413 or 855514
The allowances are applied for through the Local Authority’s (LA) in England and Wales, Student Awards Agency for Scotland in Scotland and the Education and Library Board in Northern Ireland. Nursing and Midwifery students can apply for DSA support through the NHS Bursaries scheme.
Evidence of your disability will be needed from a suitably qualified professional and you will be required to have an assessment of your study related needs carried out either by your university or an external qualified assessor.
Further details can be found in the DfES booklet "Bridging the Gap: A guide to the Disabled Students’ Allowances In Higher Education in 2008/2009)" available by following this link.
or contact the University of Worcester's Disability Service on
Alice Kemble-Davies (Disability Coordinator) 01905 855413, a.kemble-davies@worc.ac.uk
Steve Joyce (Assistant Disability Coordinator) 01905 855514, s.joyce@worc.ac.uk
or visit our website : http://www.worc.ac.uk/services/equalopps/equal.html
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The University’s Welfare and Financial Guidance Service is available to you even before you apply.
If you’d like confidential, one-to-one advice, contact our Welfare and Financial Advisors, Susan Richardson and Jackie Bryant.
Tel: 01905 855501 or 01905 542091
email: moneyadvice@worc.ac.uk