I dont think the DFFEs have said HEi's can
 'give Hardship loans away as they please'
as Neil benieves. The pronblem lies in the fact that
there is a discretionary pot of money sat within the
student support regs , which menas that once a person
fulfills that particular HEi's criteria IN ADDITION to
the criteria laid out in the student support regs then
a HSL cannot be refused .
Jayne

On Wed, 6 Feb 2002 17:44:49 +0000 Neil Harrison
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Dear all
>
> Very interested to read all these comments about the
> administration of hardship funds in different institutions.
> What is clear is that many places have either (a) not read
> the DfES guidance (including HEFCE 01/15), or (b) have
> chosen to ignore it as it is unworkable and contradictory.
> We fall into the latter category, especially when the rules
> are changed mid year.
>
> I was absolutely appalled to read the latest information
> from DfES about Hardship Loans (HLs).  At the start of the
> year, we installed a means-testing process which occupied a
> large amount of staff time and caused some degree of
> internal pain.  The reason for this was that we were told
> that we could not exceed our budget as we had in previous
> years (160% in 00/01).  What then are we to think when the
> DfES decides, without consultation, in January 2002, to say
> that actually we can give them away as we please.  Where
> now the joined-up government?
>
> I will be feeding this formally back to DfES and I have
> taken heart from colleagues' liberal attitude to the
> guidance with which we are provided!
>
>
> Neil...
>
> ----------------------------------------
> Neil Harrison
> Head of Student Advice & Welfare Services
> University of the West of England
> Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane
> Bristol, BS16 1QY
> E-mail: [log in to unmask]
> Tel : (0117) 344 2822
> Fax : (0117) 344 2895

Jayne Aldridge
Team Leader, Student Advice
Student Services
Thames Valley University
North East Building
St Mary's road
Ealing, London  W5 5RF
U.K.

Tel:    + 44 (0)20 8231 2508
Fax:    + 44 (0)20 8231 2587
Email:  [log in to unmask]