Hi

As most of you are aware, students who take time out because they have
become unwell are not eligible for welfare benefits such as Income Support
until they have been incapable of work for 28 weeks (or qualify for some
other reason). This is because if you start a course full-time you are
counted as a student by the DSS until you complete it or drop out
completely. You may also be aware that despite compelling argument from
Skill, Child Poverty Action Group, NUS and others, as well as the Social
Security Advisory Committee the government has decided not to correct this
problem at present.

However, the DfEE and the DSS are talking to one another more these days.
For example, we managed to get a meeting with officials from both. The
result is that they have decided that in the absence of DSS support (which
is prevented by law) the education support system should step in. Support is
automatic for the first 60 days of illness, and it is at the LEAs discretion
to extend it further. But as Student Support Information Note 41/00
tactfully put it: '...there is very little evidence to suggest that
intercalating students have continued to receive student support, for
reasons which are not entirely clear.' The DfEE goes on in that SSIN to
point out that it is not in the interests of anyone for students to drop out
due to hardship, and say that it is important that LEAs use the
discretionary powers open to them to prevent drop-out due to financial
pressures. They will also actively monitor use of this discretion in future.
Where this discretion is used, HE institutions can also make Hardship Fund
payments. Students should contact the HE institution in the first instance,
and whenever possible the HEI and student should make a joint approach to
the LEA to request continued support. This is good news, and will hopefully
mean that the students caught out have at least something to live on.

We will continue to press for a more satisfactory solution. First, the
rationale for students repaying loans is that they are benefiting from HE.
They are not benefiting whilst they are ill, however. Second, this support
remains discretionary. Third, the level of support from the student loan is
not always as high as the minimum students are expected to live on when they
get Income Support - that is why disabled students retain IS eligibility as
full-time students, and why most students work. For these students there
would be a strong case for extra Hardship fund support.

Just to keep you posted! Queries, as ever, to the info service.

Yours,

Nick Hawkes
Information and Research Worker

        Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities
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