Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial support they intend to offer to students from vulnerable families who are unable to begin a degree course in September.

If a person has deferred commencement of the first year of a degree course, they are not treated as a student and may be able to receive Universal Credit if they satisfy all of the other conditions of entitlement.

If a person has already started their degree course and is deferring a follow on year, they are treated as a student and financial support for students comes from the system of student loans and grants designed for their needs. Exceptions are made where students have additional needs that are not met through the student support system.