The Education (Student Support) (Wales) Regulations 2017

Grants for disabled part-time students’ living costs

88.—(1) An eligible part-time student qualifies in accordance with this regulation for a grant for disabled part-time students’ living costs to assist with the additional expenditure which the Welsh Ministers are satisfied the student is obliged to incur in connection with the eligible part-time student undertaking a designated part-time course by reason of a disability to which the eligible part-time student is subject.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), the amount of grant for which an eligible part-time student qualifies under this regulation is the amount that the Welsh Ministers consider appropriate.

(3) The amount of the grant must not exceed—

(a) £15,885 in respect of an academic year for expenditure on a non-medical personal helper;

(b) £5,332 in respect of all the academic years during the period of eligibility for expenditure on major items of specialist equipment;

(c) the additional expenditure incurred—

(i) within the United Kingdom for the purpose of attending the institution;

(ii) within or outside the United Kingdom for the purpose of attending, as a part of the eligible part-time student’s course, any period of study at an overseas institution or for the purpose of attending the Institute;

(d) £1,338 in respect of an academic year for any other expenditure including expenditure incurred for the purposes referred to in sub-paragraph (a) or (b) which exceeds the specified maxima.

(4) Subject to paragraphs (5) and (6), a grant for disabled part-time students’ living costs is payable to an eligible part-time student in respect of the four quarters of the academic year.

(5) Where a grant for disabled part-time students’ living costs is used for expenditure on major items of specialist equipment (within the meaning of paragraph (3)(b)) it may be payable in respect of the whole academic year.

(6) Where regulation 82(3) applies, an eligible part-time student may only qualify for a grant for disabled part-time students’ living costs for the purposes specified in paragraph (3)(a), (c) and (d) in respect of such quarters as begin after the relevant event in regulation 82(4) occurs.

(7) Subject to paragraph (8), a new eligible part-time student does not qualify for a grant for disabled part-time students’ living costs if the new eligible part-time student is a prisoner.

(8) Paragraph (7) does not apply in respect of an academic year during which the new eligible part-time student enters prison or is released from prison.

(9) An eligible part-time student who is not a new eligible part-time student does not qualify for a grant for disabled part-time students’ living costs in relation to an academic year of a designated part-time course if the intensity of study during that year is less than 50 per cent.

(10) A new eligible part-time student does not qualify for a grant for disabled part-time students’ living costs in relation to an academic year of a designated part-time course if the intensity of study during that year is less than 25 per cent.

(11) For the purposes of paragraphs (9) and (10) the intensity of study during an academic year of a designated part-time course is to be calculated in accordance with regulation 85(2) and (3).