Prospective students facing cut in grants

Oct 30 2008 by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post

A LIVERPOOL student leader last night criticised the Government after its shock announcement that financial support for thousands of prospective university students is to be cut.

The family income threshold at which students are eligible to receive a partial grant is to be set at £50,020 from next year – a cut from the £60,000 limit set by ministers in June, 2007.

It comes after the Government miscalculated increases in the bill for higher education.

The move will hit the children of middle-income families planning to go to university next year.

Danielle Grufferty, president of the guild of students at Liverpool University, said: “The Government needs to stop tinkering with grants and fees every year.

“We need a proper review of the system so parents and students know where they stand.”

Universities secretary John Denham confirmed the new arrangements will only apply to students starting higher education next September, and existing students would receive the same support as they were entitled to when they started university.

Mr Denham stressed students from poorer backgrounds – those from families earning less than £25,000 a year – would still get their full grants.

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills could not yet say how many students would be affected by yesterday’s announcement.

laurasharpe