Hardship Funds

What is the Financial Contingency Fund?

The Financial Contingency Fund is made available to institutions to provide discretionary financial help to support vulnerable students, in particular to help them access and remain in higher education. Assistance is given in the form of a non-repayable grant.

Specifically it should be used:

To assist those who need extra financial help to meet particular costs which are not already being met from statutory (or other) sources of funding.

To provide emergency payments for unexpected crisis

To intervene in cases where a student may be considering leaving higher education because of financial problems.

Eligibility

In accordance with the regulations set by the Higher Education Funding Council, to be eligible for the fund a student must meet the following criteria:

Be a home student* (or a student with refugee status) registered on a full-time or a part-time course (equivalent to 50% or more of a full-time course) at either undergraduate or postgraduate level. A student must also satisfy the requirement of three years residency in the UK prior to the start of the course.

*A home student is a student who satisfies certain conditions of eligibility for a student loan as set out in the Student Support Regulation 2011/12.

Because of limited nature of the funds, the following students will be given priority:

• Students with children
• Students with existing essential financial commitments, inlcuding priority debt**

•    Disabled students, in particular those where the DSA is unable to meet particular costs and the institution has no   legal responsibility to do so
•    Final year students who are in financial difficulty (including those unable to work due to academic pressures)
•    Care Leavers
•    Foyer residents and other homeless students

Should a student fall into one or more of the categories listed above this does not mean automatic entitlement to an award. Students identified as being in a priority group must provide evidence that their financial circumstances merit support from the fund.

** Priority debt generally means where non-payment would result in the creditor having the right to deprive the debtor of his/her home, essential goods or services. However, this does not guarantee payment from the fund. The student should show that they are making appropriates steps to manage their debt. Bank overdrafts and credit card debts would not normally be considered a priority debt.

Student Loan – Where eligible, full-time undergraduate students must have applied for their full entitlement of student maintenance loan and received the first instalment before receiving any payment from fund. This can be determined from the payment schedule letter issued by the Student Loans Company.

How and when to apply?

Students may apply at any time during the academic year and should call into the Money Support Unit to discuss their situation. All applications must be on a valid form and returned to the Money Support Unit with all the relevant photocopied documentation.

Students need only apply once for the current academic year unless there is change in circumstances.

The Application Form

For the purposes of allocating awards, students are assessed on evidence of a shortfall in their income and expenditure. It is therefore essential that you give clear and accurate details of all your income sources and legitimate financial commitments. It is important that you complete the form as thoroughly as possible and provide all the necessary documented evidence requested to enable us to successfully process your application.

Your application form will not be accepted without the required supporting evidence.

Students will be expected to have explored all means of helping themselves before applying to the fund, such as finding part-time work and considering ways to reduce their expenditure. It is therefore recommended that you carefully work out a weekly or monthly budget to identify where your expenditure can be reduced and/or income increased.

Allocation of Funds

Every two weeks during term-time the Allocation Group meet to discuss the applications received and decide on an appropriate allocation.

Members of the Allocation Group include the Director of Student Experience, Academic staff, Students' Union and Money Support Unit staff.

How will the money be paid?

Your award will normally be calculated for the whole academic year and you will be paid in two instalments directly into your bank account, one in the first semester and another in the middle of the second semester (exact dates will be confirmed by letter). It is essential that the correct details are entered on the application form, as the University will not accept responsibility for any payments made to students who fail to provide accurate bank details. Any changes to the account details entered on the application form must be advised in writing at least fourteen days prior to the scheduled payment date. You will be notified if your payment is a one-off payment only. All applicants whether successful or not will be notified of decisions by letter.

Note: It will be possible to arrange a third party cheque payment, for example, to the Crèche or your Landlord if requested, however, payment can only be made in a cheque format. Speak to the Money Adviser for further information.

Confidentiality

Applications are seen only by the Financial Contingency Committee and Money Support Unit staff. It may be necessary for additional supporting information to be sought from other University staff in order for the committee to reach a decision, in which case we will seek your permission beforehand.

Registration

Payment from the fund is dependant on a student being registered and in attendance on a course. The Money Support Unit will check this at time of application. Further payments from the fund will only be paid once the Money Support Unit can confirm registration for undergraduate students and continued attendance for postgraduate students.

Appeals

All applicants have the right to appeal if they are not entirely satisfied with the outcome of their application. However, appeals will only be considered where there is further evidence of a student's personal circumstances.

Students may seek a review in the first instance, and should make an appointment with the Money Adviser to discuss further evidence of personal circumstances. If appropriate, a reviewed application will be considered by the Allocation Group at its next meeting. Students will be informed in writing of the Allocation Group's decision.

Please call in to the Money Support Unit if you have any queries, or need assistance with any aspect of the form.