16-19 Bursary

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is designed to help support young people who face specific financial barriers to participation so they can remain in education. 

Types of Award 

There are two types of 16 to 19 bursaries awarded: 

1. Bursaries for defined vulnerable groups up to £1,200 per year 
2. Discretionary bursaries which institutions award to meet individual needs, for example help with the cost of transport, meals, books and equipment 

Both types of bursary funding are designed to help students overcome the individual financial barriers to participation they face. The Academy Trust will ensure funds go to those who genuinely need them. The Academy Trust will assess the actual needs of students, in addition to eligibility, when agreeing bursary funding. Awards will reflect evidenced participation costs and will not be made as flat-rate or fixed-rate payments where those payments do not reflect the actual costs faced by the student. 

Eligibility Criteria

Defined vulnerable groups are students who are:

• in care 

• care leavers 

• receiving Income Support or Universal Credit because they are financially supporting themselves or financially supporting themselves and someone who is dependent on them and living with them such as a child or partner. 
• receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment, in their own right, and either Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit, in their own right. 

Discretionary Bursary criteria

Priority 1

Student is eligible for Free School Meals if the parent or carer receives any of the following: 

• Universal Credit; 

• Income Support; 

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; 

• The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit; 

• Income Related Employment and Support Allowance; 

• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; 

• Child Tax Credit (without Working Tax Credit except for the 4 week ‘run on’ period after becoming unemployed or a reduction in hours to less than 16 per week) and your annual family income does not exceed £16,190 and your child is under 19 and in full-time education. 

Parents in receipt of Working Tax Credit do not qualify for free school meals. 

Appropriate evidence confirming eligibility will be required. 

Students do not need to be taking free school meals to qualify but need to be registered for free school meals.  

Priority 2

Student is not eligible for Free School Meals but has a combined family income of less than £27,500 per year.

Appropriate evidence confirming eligibility will be required.  

Evidence of employment:  

• Salaries and wages – P60, month 12 or week 53 payslip; and P9D or P11D if you have received benefits or payments in kind; and P45 if you had more than one employer in the relevant tax year; 

• Self-employment income – SA302 form, Tax Credit award notification, or accountant’s letter on headed paper. 

Or benefits received:  

• Universal Credit, Income Support or income-based Employment and Support Allowance – the most recent benefit letter from HM Revenue & Customs or the Department for Work and Pensions detailing the amount of benefit received. 

• Tax credits – Tax Credit Award notification from HM Revenue & Customs detailing the household income and your Tax Credit entitlement;  
• DWP benefits – a statement of paid benefits from Jobcentre Plus or your social security office.  

Application

To receive a financial bursary and check eligibility criteria applicants will need to:

1. Read the Bursary Policy 
2. Submit an application
3. Submit evidence of meeting eligibility criteria

Applications and evidence to be emailed to the Head of CA6 on cveide@consettacademy.org.uk  

Once the application has been assessed the student will be informed if their application meets the criteria and they can be awarded a bursary.

Applications can be made throughout the year, should financial situations change. 

Students that were awarded a bursary as a Year 12 student will need to re-apply for Year 13 bursary award.

Bursary Payments

Payments are made directly to the student’s bank account via BACS payment and made at half-termly intervals.  Payments are made according to student’s assessed need.  All bursary payments will be subject to satisfactory attendance, punctuality, behaviour and progress in line with the relevant academy policies. A student awarded a Vulnerable Group or Discretionary Bursary will also be expected to fulfil the conditions of the Student Learning Agreement. Payments may be withheld if these conditions are not met.  In this event, students are informed in writing of the reason that the relevant payment has been withheld. 

Further information can be found at this government link: 16 to 19 Bursary Fund: Overview - GOV.UK