The Education (Student Support) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009

CHAPTER 7 SPECIAL SUPPORT GRANTS FOR CURRENT SYSTEM STUDENTS

Qualifying conditions for the special support grant

59.—(1) A current system student qualifies in accordance with this regulation for a special support grant in connection with the student’s attendance on a designated course to defray the costs of books, equipment, travel or childcare incurred for the purpose of attending that course.

(2) A current system student qualifies for a special support grant if the student—

(a) falls within a prescribed category of person for the purposes of section 123(1)(e) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act (Northern Ireland) 1992(1); or

(b) is treated as being liable to make payments in respect of a dwelling prescribed by regulations made under section 129(2) of that Act(2).

(3) If a current system student does not qualify for a fee loan in respect of an academic year of the designated course, the student cannot qualify for a special support grant for that year unless the reason that the student does not qualify for a fee loan is that—

(a) the year is an Erasmus year; or

(b) the designated course is an old flexible postgraduate course for the initial training of teachers.

Amount of the special support grant

60.—(1) The maximum amount of special support grant available in respect of an academic year is—

(a) in the case of a type 1 or type 3 teacher training student, £1,738;

(b) in the case of a type 2 teacher training student, £3,475;

(c) in the case of a current system student other than a type 1, type 2 or type 3 teacher training student, £3,475.

(2) A type 1 teacher training student who qualifies for a special support grant in respect of an academic year receives an amount as follows in respect of that year—

(a) where the household income is £19,203 or less, the student receives £1,738;

(b) where the household income exceeds £19,203 but does not exceed £29,019, the student receives an amount equal to where—

• M is £1,738

• A is £1 for every complete £9.09 by which the household income exceeds £19,203; and

(c) where the household income exceeds £29,019 or the student opts when applying for the grant not to provide the information needed to calculate the household income, the student receives £659.

(3) A type 2 teacher training student who qualifies for a special support grant in respect of an academic year receives an amount as follows in respect of that year—

(a) where the household income is £19,203 or less, the student receives £3,475;

(b) where the household income exceeds £19,203 but does not exceed £29,019, the student receives an amount equal to where—

• M is £3,475

• A is £1 for every complete £4.55 by which the household income exceeds £19,203; and

(c) where the household income exceeds £29,019 or the student opts when applying for the grant not to provide the information needed to calculate the household income, the student receives £1,318.

(4) A type 3 teacher training student who qualifies for a special support grant in respect of an academic year receives, subject to sub-paragraph (c), an amount as follows in respect of that year—

(a) where the household income is £19,203 or less, the student receives £1,738;

(b) where the household income exceeds £19,203 but does not exceed £41,065, the student receives an amount equal to where—

• M is £1,738

• A is £1 for every complete £9.09 by which the household income exceeds £19,203 but does not exceed £29,019

• B is £1 for every complete £19.00 by which the household income exceeds £29,019 but does not exceed £41,065; and

(c) where the household income exceeds £41,065, no special support grant is payable.

(5) A current system student other than a type 1, type 2 or type 3 teacher training student who qualifies for a special support grant in respect of an academic year receives an amount as follows in respect of that year—

(a) where the household income is £19,203 or less, the student receives £3,475;

(b) where the household income exceeds £19,203 but does not exceed £29,019, the student receives an amount equal to where—

• M is £3,475

• A is £1 for every complete £4.55 by which the household income exceeds £19,203;

(c) where the household income exceeds £29,019 but does not exceed £41,065, the student receives an amount equal to where—

• RM is £1,318

• A is £1 for every complete £9.50 by which the household income exceeds £29,019; and

(d) where the household income exceeds £41,065, no special support grant is payable.

(1)

1992 c. 7; section 123(1)(e) was inserted by paragraph 13(5) of Schedule 2 to the Jobseekers (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (S.I. 1995/2705 (N.I. 15)) and amended by Schedule 3 to, the State Pension Credit Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 (c. 14N.I.)); The relevant provisions is regulation 4ZA and Schedule 1B, as amended, of the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 (S.R. 1987 No. 459). Regulation 4ZA was inserted by regulation 4 of S.R. 1996 No. 199 ; relevant amending Rules are the Schedule to S.R. 2000 No. 241, regulation 5(3) of S.R. 2000 No. 71 and paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to S.R. 2005 No. 319 (c.23)

(2)

Section 129(2) was amended by Article 8 (2) of the Housing Support Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2002, S.I. 2002/3154 (N.I. 8). The relevant regulation is regulation 53 of the Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006 No. 405)