Welfare and financial support

Financial support may be available for students who attend college. Details of the type of support available are listed below. If you have any questions about what support you might be eligible for, please contact the Student Finance team by emailing welfare@educationpartnershipne.ac.uk

Travel

If you live in Northumberland: All 16-19 year olds living in Northumberland will need to apply for travel support through the Northumberland County Council Post 16 Travel Department (eligibility criteria applies, please see Northumberland County Council Post 16 Transport Policy for details)

If you have made a travel application through Northumberland County Council and have been rejected, or do not meet the eligibility criteria, you may receive support through the 16-19 bursary fund.

If you live more than 1 mile from your campus of study, you may receive travel support through the 16-19 bursary fund.

If you live outside of Northumberland: If you live more than 1 mile from your campus of study, you may receive travel support through the 16-19 bursary fund.

Students will receive support via:

  • Coopers Tourmaster Bus Pass
  • Stagecoach Bus Pass
  • Independent Travel

Meals

If you received free school meals when you were at school you may also qualify to receive support with free college meals. If you or your parent/ guardian are in receipt of the following benefits you may be able receive meals on the days that you attend college:

  • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by HMRC)
  • Working Tax Credit  run-on – paid for 4 weeks after someone stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit
  • Universal Credit with net earnings not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400 pa

Childcare

If If you require childcare support and are aged under 20 at the start of your course, you should apply for childcare through Care to Learn.

For students aged 20 and above at the start of your course, you should apply for Childcare through the College by either collecting a Childcare Care Request form from your Financial Support Team or by downloading the form here. (Students who are applying for an Advanced Learner Loan must have this approved by Student Loans Company (SLC) to be eligible for help with childcare costs through the College).

Course related costs

Support will be provided to cover kit and equipment costs for students with a household income under £30,000.

Vulnerable Bursary

If you are a young person who meets one or more of the following criteria you can apply for Vulnerable Bursary:

- Care experience students
- Those receiving Income Support or Universal Credit because they are financially supporting themselves or anyone living with them such a child or a partner
- Those receiving Disability Living Allowance / Personal Independence Payments will also need to be in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit
- Unaccompanied asylum-seeker children that are the responsibility of the local authority. (When a young person reaches legal adulthood at age 18, we must consider their immigration status. If the asylum claim is decided in their favour, they will be eligible to continue to receive support from Vulnerable Bursary until they reach the age limit

If any of you above applies to you may be able to receive help with financial costs of attending college.

FAQ's

The best way to contact the team is through email: welfare@educationpartnershipne.ac.uk

Please click here to complete the online Financial Support application.

You will be notified via email within 3 weeks of submitting your application form.

You will receive an award notification email which will tell you what you have been award.

You may receive help with travel cost, course related cost, free college meals and childcare. What you have been awarded will be detailed in your award notification email.

Payments will be made on 21st of every month.

You should contact the Welfare Team who will advise you what to do, as there may be a fee payable.

You need to contact the Welfare Team who will email you a secure link to enter your new bank details.

Speak to a member of the welfare team with ill advise what you need to do next, you may need to supply additional evidence to support your application.

Your childcare will be paid directly to your Childcare provider monthly.