Bursary Fund Guidance Notes 2013-14

The Bursary Fund Guidance Notes

Lapwing Suffolk is committed to using the Bursary Fund to support students who are facing financial hardship. The fund has two elements: the Guaranteed Bursary for vulnerable young people and the Discretionary Bursary for young people facing financial barriers to participation.

Who is eligible to apply for the Guaranteed Bursary?

Vulnerable learners, who are aged at least 16 and under 19 years of age on 31 August of each year, will be eligible for a Bursary of £1,200 which is claimed by Lapwing Suffolk and paid ‘in kind’ to students to help them meet the costs related to participation including transport costs, books and equipment, field trips and other course-related costs. Payment of all bursaries is dependent on students maintaining attendance of 80% or above and behaving appropriately throughout the Lapwing programme.

To be eligible for a guaranteed bursary you must be in one of the following groups and be able to provide us with the evidence listed below:

Guaranteed Bursary Evidence Required

In Care or have been in Care A letter from your Social Worker or Local Authority.

In receipt of Income Support or Universal Credit in your own name

A letter dated within 3 months from Job Centre Plus which confirms your Income Support or Universal Credit claim. If you have a letter older than 3 months please also provide a bank statement which shows a payment going in to your account within the last 3 months.

Disabled and in receipt of both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment in your own name

A letter(s) dated within 3 months which confirms both of your benefit claims. If you have a letter older than 3 months please also provide a bank statement which shows a payment of each benefit going in to your account within the last 3 months.

Who is eligible to apply for the Discretionary Support Fund?

Discretionary Bursaries are available to students who are aged at least 16 and under 24 years of age on 31 August of each year

If you are not eligible for a guaranteed bursary then you can apply for a discretionary bursary if any of the following apply to you. The evidence you will need to provide us is also listed below:

1

Bursary Fund Guidance Notes 2013-14

Target Group Evidence Required

1 You received free school meals in Year 11 during the 2012/13 academic year

A letter from your Local Authority or school confirming Free School Meals eligibility

2 Your parent(s)/guardian(s), are currently in receipt of one of the following benefits:

Income Support Income-based Job Seekers Allowance Child Tax Credit with a gross annual

household income of less than £16,190

Income-based Employment and Support Allowance

Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit

A letter confirming your entitlement to benefits from one of the following:

Job Centre Plus Department for Work and Pensions Your Local Authority

Any letter you provide to us should be dated within the last 3 months. If your letter is older than 3 months then please provide a recent bank statement showing a payment going in to your account within the last 3 months

or

A full copy of HRMC Tax Credit Award Letter showing 2012/13 income

All students will have to supply evidence to support their application.

Support offered by the Discretionary Fund

Lapwing Suffolk will determine the level of support to be awarded to students at the beginning of the academic year once the number of eligible students is known. The level of support which Lapwing Suffolk can offer is dependent on the total funding received and the number of applications it receives. The level of support offered may vary during the academic year and is dependent on the amount of funds available. Bursary funds are claimed by Lapwing Suffolk and paid ‘in kind’ to students to help them meet the costs related to participation including transport costs, books and equipment, field trips and other course-related costs. Payment of all bursaries is dependent on students maintaining attendance of 80% or above and behaving appropriately throughout the Lapwing programme.

Application Procedure

Application forms are available to download from the Lapwing website (www.lapwingsuffolk.org.uk) or can be requested from the Lapwing head office (01473 604809). The application form states clearly what information the student will need to supply. Students are advised to submit their applications as soon as possible in order to benefit fully from the fund, although applications will be accepted throughout the year where family circumstances change. You also need to make sure you provide us with photocopies of the evidence we have asked for above. Please do not send originals as we will not be able to return these to you.

2

Bursary Fund Guidance Notes 2013-14

You should hand in your completed application form and evidence to your Programme Coordinator or send to the Head of Finance at:

Lapwing SuffolkIP-City Centre1 Bath StreetIpswichIP2 8SDNew students to the Lapwing will be sent an application form in as part of their induction.

Current students will be informed in June/July of each year of the need to submit a new application form along with the appropriate evidence.

What happens after you submit an application form?

1. Guaranteed Bursary

We will assess your application and write to you with a decision. If you are successful then the letter we send you will tell you how much you have been awarded and how this will be allocated “in-kind” towards the cost of your Lapwing programme.

2. Discretionary Bursary

We will assess your application and write to you with a decision. If you are successful then the letter we send you will tell you how much you have been awarded, how this will be allocated “in-kind” towards the cost of your Lapwing programme.

Conditions

The following conditions have been agreed in order for students to benefit from the fund.

Students benefiting from the fund are required to maintain regular attendance at College (normally 80% minimum with authorised absences excepted).

Students are expected to behave appropriately throughout their Lapwing programme.

Contingency Fund

Lapwing Suffolk retains a contingency reserve for unforeseen late applications and changes in financial circumstances.

Bursary Publicity

Lapwing Suffolk will publicise the bursary fund through the Lapwing website and information will be sent to all students as part of their induction to Lapwing.

3

Bursary Fund Guidance Notes 2013-14

Appeals

If a student believes that his/her application for the Bursary or the Discretionary Fund has been turned down unfairly then he/she has the right to appeal. In the first instance the student should contact the Head of Finance and any decisions will be made by the Chief Executive.

Fraud

Fraud is taken very seriously by the Lapwing Suffolk. If a student attempts to claim payment from the Bursary or Discretionary Fund fraudulently this will be investigated by the Head of Finance.

If, after an investigation, any attempt to make a fraudulent claim is found to be proven, and it is found that they have been awarded money to which they are not entitled then Lapwing Suffolk will contact them to make arrangements to repay the overpayment or may withhold future allocation of Bursary funds until all owing money has been repaid.

4