16-18 Funding Options

16-18 Funding Options

Evidence (Whose and What)

You will need to provide income evidence for anyone in your household whose income you are financially dependent on. This is both employment income and benefit evidence.

All evidence must be from the current tax year. Evidence of benefit entitlement must be from within the last three months.

You must provide income evidence from the list below:

• P60 or 3 most recent pay slips
• Full copy (totalling 6 pages) of the household’s Tax Credit Award notice
• Evidence of income e.g. audited accounts for self-employed people
•  Evidence of asylum seeker status (ARC card or Home Office letter showing section 4 support)
• Award letter, or Benefit Office stamped application form, confirming being in receipt of one of the following benefits:
   
  – Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) 
  – Employment Support Allowance (ESA) 
  – Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit 
  – Income Support (IS)
  –  Universal Credit (can be online statement) 

Free College Meals

To be eligible for Free College Meals you must be in the receipt of a qualifying benefit (listed above.)
Each Monday your student card will be updated with your weekly meal allowance. You will receive £3.50 per day you are timetabled to be in college.

This can be spent in the college canteen and vending machines throughout the day. Any balance remaining on your card at the end of the week will be wiped.

Travel

All students must live over 3 miles walking distance from their college site to be eligible to claim travel expenses.

The Learner Support Fund can provide M-Tickets or paper ticket for FirstBus routes in the Bristol and West of England areas. These will be sent to you via email if your application is successful. You can collect paper tickets from college reception.

If you require an alternative bus ticket, we may be able to provide BACs payments directly into your bank account to cover these costs.

We can also provide a contribution to petrol costs or train cost reimbursement, providing we are the closest college offering your course. These will be paid weekly in arrears into your provided bank account, depending on your attendance.

Disability Travel

If you live under 3 miles from your centre of study and have a condition which affects your ability to walk, we may provide funding for travel. This must be verified by the Additional Learning Support team or your doctor. If you are not known to the ALS team, we can provide you with a letter to be completed by your doctor.

If you have a Disability Travel Bus pass from your local authority (Diamond cards) they are now able to be used 24/7.

If you require taxi travel, this must now be covered by your local authority.

Vulnerable Bursary

To be eligible for the Vulnerable Bursary, you must be in one of the defined vulnerable groups below:  

• In Care 
• Care Leaver  
• Receiving Income Support, or Universal Credit because you are financially supporting yourself or financially supporting yourself and someone who is dependent on you and living with them such as a child or partner  
• Receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in your own name, as well as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in your own name.

You must provide evidence from the list below:

• Letter from a Social Worker or relevant council confirming you are In Care or a Care Leaver 
• Award letter or Benefit Office stamped application form confirming you are in receipt of a benefit in your own name 
• Online Universal Credit statement 

Care to Learn

If you are aged 19 and under apply for help with childcare costs through the Care to Learn Scheme. Please complete the C2L application form available at college reception, or email LSF@cityofbristol.ac.uk.

Official Forms

You can find the 16-18 Learner Support Fund Form here.
You can find the Care to Learn Childcare Provider Form here.

Get In touch

We can help you with questions you have about fees and finances. Contact us today.