1. London Borough of Bexley
Policy on discretionary Learner Support (dLS) for 16-18 year olds attending Schools in
2010/11 Academic Year
What is discretionary Learner Support (dLS)?
• It is a one-off grant for students with identified and specific financial needs associated with the
costs of learning or in cases of emergency with living costs.
• It is especially for students who have experienced a sudden change in their circumstances (e.g. a
loss of income or parent redundancy) that national schemes can not respond to.
• An application for discretionary Learner Support can be made for:
o Course trips
o Books and/or equipment
o University interviews expenses
o Transport costs on an individual temporary basis
o Short-term emergency accommodation while waiting for other benefit support
o Temporary support with domestic emergencies
o Costs of exam re-sits
o Where payment has already been made for any of the above which has left the student
suffering hardship
• discretionary Learner Support can not be used for:
o Replacing support and benefits offered nationally
o Fees for a College course
o Childcare costs (these are covered by Care to Learn: www.direct.gov.uk/caretolearn)
o To support students that have a low income, but where no specific hardship need has been
identified
• The discretionary Learner Support fund is cash limited and will be administered by London
Borough of Bexley on a first come first served basis.
• We may not be able to help all learners that apply (even if they are eligible) if there is a high
demand for the funding.
Who is eligible for a dLS Grant?
• 16-18 year olds past compulsory school education that
• Attend a school located within the Bexley Borough
• Meet the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) residency eligibility. An extract of the main
relevant paragraphs have been attached at Annex A.
• Applications will need to be able to demonstrate a specific financial need (for example to buy
essential books for course)
And in addition one of the following (for which evidence will be required please see Application Form
for details):
• Students currently receiving EMA (£10, £20 or £30 weekly allowance) or
• Student’s parent(s)/carer(s) household income is below £30,810 either for the 2009/10 and/or
2010/11 financial year or
• Student’s parent(s)/carer(s) (or student if independent) are receiving welfare benefits e.g. Income
Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance (income based), Employment and Support Allowance, Working
Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit or
• Student is currently entitled to receive free school meals or
• Student is currently in care or leaving care or
• Student is currently on probation or
• Student is a young parent or lone parent or

2. • Student has not yet achieved 5 GCSEs A* - C including Maths and English or
• Student has a disability and/or learning difficulty or
• Student is studying English as a second language or
• Other special financial circumstance not covered by the above, but can be evidenced (please see
Application Form).
Who is not eligible for a dLS Grant?
• Students participating in any New Deal option except New Deal for Lone Parents
• Students in prison or a young offender institution or who have been released on a temporary
licence (ROTL) for example on day release
• Students on Higher Education (HE) courses (this does not include learners that are in a school
studying a part-time HE course as a part of their overall programme)
• Waged apprentices
How do I Apply for dLS Grant?
Complete the discretionary Learner Support application form (BexdLS10-11) and return with the
required evidence (as requested in the application form) to:
Claire Ellis, 14-19 Manager, Education and Social Care, London Borough of Bexley, Hillview, Hillview
Drive, Welling, Kent, DA16 3RY
If the required evidence is not sent with your application, or we require further information we will
contact you, however this will delay your application.
Application forms have been sent to your school, but you can also get a copy by using the contact
details below.
What happens after my application has been sent to Bexley?
• We will aim to assess and respond to your application within 10 working days of receipt. However,
this may not always be possible.
• If you are successful we will write informing you of the amount of Grant you will receive and
payment will be made into your Bank/Building Society Account.
• If you are unsuccessful we will write to you informing you of the reasons why you have not been
successful.
If my application is unsuccessful can I appeal?
• Yes, you can appeal against the original decision as long as a written appeal (letter or e-mail) is
received within 15 working days of the date of our letter.
• A different member of staff (from the assessor of the application) will look at all the information and
make a decision on the appeal. This decision will be final.
• If your initial application has been unsuccessful the appeal process will be explained in the letter
you receive from us.
Who do I contact at London Borough of Bexley if I have a question?
You can contact:
Claire Ellis, 14-19 Manager, on 0203 045 4222 or claire.ellis@bexley.gov.uk
Please note that in preparing this Policy the following National Guidance had to be followed:
YPLA Discretionary Funding Guidance and Requirements 2010/11 – for learners aged 16-18

3. A copy of the National Guidance can be found at: http://lsf.ypla.gov.uk/resources/guidance/

4. Annex A : Extract from YPLA & SFA Agency Funding Guidance 2010/11: Learner Eligibility
Guidance on funding residency criteria
The full Learner Eligibility Guidance can be found at:
http://readingroom.ypla.gov.uk/ypla/learner_eligibility_guidance_2010_to_2011.pdf
Definition of Ordinarily Resident
18 For funding purposes, the Agency regards as ordinarily resident in a given country any person who
habitually, normally and lawfully resides from choice and for a settled purpose in that country.
Temporary absences from the relevant area should be ignored. Someone who has not been ordinarily
resident because he or she or the person’s parent or spouse or civil partner was working temporarily
abroad will be treated as if the person had been ordinarily resident in the relevant area.
Learners Eligible for Funding
19 The following persons will be eligible for funding (these groups correspond to the groups listed in
the Education (Fees and Awards) (England) Regulations 2007), namely:
a A person on the ‘relevant date’ who is ‘settled’ in the UK, and who has been ordinarily resident in
the UK and Islands (that is including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) for the three years
preceding the ‘relevant date’ (see paragraph 15 above), and whose main purpose for such residence
was not to receive full-time education during any part of the three-year period. ‘Settled’ means having
either indefinite leave to enter or remain (ILE/R) or having the right of abode in the UK. British citizens
and certain other people have the right of abode in the UK:
• those with European Community–United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland passports;
• British Dependent Territory Citizens (now known as British Overseas Territory Citizens);
• those whose passports have been endorsed to show they have right of abode in the UK;
• those who have a certificate of naturalisation or registration as a
• British Citizen.
b A national of any European Union (EU) country or the spouse, civil partner or child or grandchild or
dependant parent or grandparent of an EU national, or of the EU national’s spouse or civil partner,
where the learner has been ordinarily resident in the European Economic Area (EEA) for the three
years preceding the ‘relevant date’.
c An EEA migrant worker or the spouse, civil partner or child or dependant parent or grandparent of
an EEA migrant worker, or of the Learner Eligibility Guidance Version 1a Page 11 EEA migrant
worker’s spouse or civil partner, where the learner has been ordinarily resident in the EEA for the
three years preceding the ‘relevant date’.
d Anyone who is recognised as a refugee by the UK Government (granted refugee status) who has
remained ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands since being so recognised, or the spouse or civil
partner or child of such a refugee.
e Anyone refused refugee status but who has been granted leave to stay by the Secretary of State,
granted humanitarian protection (HP) or discretionary leave (DL), or was granted exceptional leave to
enter or remain (ELE/ELR) by the UK Government, and who has remained ordinarily resident in the
UK and Islands since being so recognised, or the spouse, civil partner or child of such a person.
f Learners studying under reciprocal exchange agreements.
g Learners who are children of Swiss nationals where the learner has been resident in the EEA for
the full three-year period prior to the commencement of their programme.
h Learners who are children of Turkish workers where the Turkish worker has been lawfully employed
and resident in the UK at any time in the past and where the learner has been resident in the EEA and
Turkey for the full three-year period prior to the commencement of their programme.

5. 20 The Agency will also treat a non-EEA national who is in the UK with work-related immigration
permission as eligible for funding after completing three years of residence in the UK with any work-
related permission, or the spouse, civil partner or child of such a person.
21 In addition to considering the groups outlined above, the Agency will also consider the following
groups of learners to be eligible for funding:
a People with humanitarian protection (HP) or discretionary leave (DL) or exceptional leave to enter
or remain (ELE/ELR), their spouses, civil partners and children.
b People with recently settled status (this means those having been granted indefinite leave to enter
or remain, right of abode or British citizenship within the three years immediately preceding the start of
the course).
c The spouse or civil partner of a person with settled status, who has been both married (or has
undertaken a recognised civil partnership ceremony) and resident in the UK for one year.
d The spouse or civil partner of an EEA national living within the UK, who has been both married (or
has undertaken a recognised civil partnership ceremony) and resident in the UK for one year.
Learner Eligibility Guidance Version 1a Page 12
22 The Agency will also consider the following groups of learners to be eligible for funding:
a Asylum seekers who have legally been in the UK pending consideration of their claim by the Home
Office for longer than six months.
b Asylum seekers refused asylum but eligible and granted support under Section 4 of the Immigration
and Asylum Act 1999.
All learners accepted as eligible under this paragraph must be reassessed for eligibility at the start of
each and every programme they undertake. The concession available to learners under paragraph 6
is not available to this group of learners as their circumstances are expected to be confirmed before
they undertake subsequent programmes.
23 In addition to the groups above, the Agency will also consider the following groups of 16–18 year-
old learners as eligible for funding:
a 16-18 year-olds who are accompanying or joining parents who have the right of abode or leave to
enter or remain in the UK (or accompanying or joining parents who are EEA nationals), or those
who are children of diplomats.
b 16-18 year-olds who are dependants of teachers coming to the Upon a teacher-exchange scheme.
c 1 6-18 year-olds entering the UK (where not accompanied by their parents) who are British (or EEA)
citizens, or 16-18 year olds whose passports have been endorsed to show they have the right of
abode in this country.
d All 16–18-year-olds asylum seekers.
e All 16-18 year-old learners (including unaccompanied asylum seekers) who are placed in the care
of social services.
24 In addition to considering learners in the categories listed in paragraphs 19-23 above, the funding
body will consider other exceptional circumstances. Where a provider believes that a learner should
be considered for funding under exceptional circumstances, it should contact its funding body.