Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect on students living or studying in areas where household income is below the national average of the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 8 July 2015 that maintenance grants will be discontinued from 2016-17.

From 2016/17 all new eligible students living or studying in areas where household income is below the national average and who would otherwise have received a grant will qualify for an increased loan for living costs. The total living costs support available under the new student support arrangements for eligible students on the lowest incomes is increasing by 10.3% in 2016/17.