Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reasons maintenance grants are not available to people who are over 60 years old; and if he will make a statement.

Students aged 60 or over at the start of the first academic year of their course do not qualify for a Maintenance Grant in the 2015/16 academic year. They can instead get a means-tested Special Support Grant toward the costs of books, equipment, travel and childcare. This has the same income thresholds and maximum amounts as the Maintenance Grant. The Special Support Grant, unlike the Maintenance Grant, is not taken into account as student income when DWP calculates means-tested DWP benefits for students aged 60 or over.