Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many loans were taken out by students aged between 18 and 24 studying for (1) Higher National Certificates, and (2) Higher National Diplomas, for the years (a) 2017, (b) 2018, (c) 2019 and (d) 2020; and how many of these students also took out maintenance loans.

The Government recently outlined reforms which aim to increase the take-up of high-quality higher technical qualifications. We have introduced a new approval scheme to show which higher technical qualifications meet employers’ skills needs, and we will support providers in this area and improve information, advice, and guidance for learners and employers alike.

Table 1, attached, details management information from the Student Loans Company (SLC) on the average value of loans taken out by 18 to 24-year-old students (as of 1 September in the relevant year) studying for a Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND). It covers the academic years 2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20 for English-domiciled students studying in the UK and EU-domiciled students studying in England.

Students are around four months into the 2020/21 academic year; as such, the number of students and average loan amounts are subject to change. Comparable figures for 2020/21 will be available after the end of the academic year.

The figures in Table 1 have been rounded to the nearest pound.

Table 2, attached, details SLC management information on the number of 18 to 24-year-old students in receipt of a loan (broken down by tuition fee loan and maintenance loan) and studying for a HNC or HND. It covers the academic years 2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20 for English-domiciled students studying in the UK and EU-domiciled students studying in England.

Students may take out a maintenance loan, a tuition fee loan, or both. Therefore, the average overall loan per academic year for HNCs or HNDs will not be the sum of the average loan for each product. Similarly, the total number of students taking out loans for HNCs or HNDs is not equal to the number in receipt of each loan product.