Digital Education Resource Archive

Communications and Digital Committee : 3rd Report of Session 2024–25 : Media literacy

Field, Simon

A World of Difference : International apprenticeship policy and lessons for England

FE ITE bursary funding manual, 2025 to 2026 : Published 21 March 2025

16 to 19 Bursary Fund guide : 2024 to 2025 : Published 2 April 2025

The Families First Partnership (FFP) Programme Guide : Delivery expectations for safeguarding partners in England : March 2025

This guidance explains how maintenance support for living costs at colleges anduniversities will change when the lifelong learning entitlement (LLE) launches.The LLE will launch in the 2026 to 2027 academic year. It will apply to coursesand modules that start on or after 1 January 2027.The LLE will create a single post-18 student finance system in England.How maintenance loans will workLearners attending a course which requires face-to-face attendance will be able toapply for a maintenance loan to help with living costs.The loan amount will depend on:their characteristics, including where they livewhat they study and howtheir household incomeThis is also true for learners studying now.GuidanceMaintenance loans for living costs inthe lifelong learning entitlementPublished 9 July 2025Applies to EnglandMenuHome Education, training and skills Funding and finance for studentsLifelong learning entitlement: maintenance loans for living costsDepartment for EducationContentsHow maintenance loans willworkLearners’ characteristics andwhere they liveWhat learners study and howHousehold incomeFlexible studyThe calculation processThe LLE will not have different sets of rules for full-time and part-time students.This is a change from the current system.Learners will be able to study designated modules of courses and short coursesas easily as full courses.  Learners’ characteristics and wherethey liveLearners under the age of 60 will receive different amounts depending on whetherthey:live in the parental home or away from homestudy in London or outside itstudy abroadMany features of the current system will remain the same.Learners aged 60 or over may get limited funding for maintenance loans through aspecial support loan which is means-tested.Learners who are eligible for an NHS bursary will be able to apply for a reducedrate of maintenance loan.Distance learners will only be able to apply for a maintenance loan if they cannotattend their course in person because of a disability.Learners on a sandwich course with a qualifying placement can apply for areduced maintenance loan. If a student has a placement in a service-based fieldthat already exists (such as healthcare, education or social work), they will still beeligible to apply for full maintenance support.What learners study and howThe amount that learners are entitled to in each course year will depend on:how much they studyhow they study it – such as modules or short coursesIt will also be linked to a learner’s tuition fee loan balance. Learners taking fewerthan 120 credits in a course year will have their loan reduced proportionally to thenumber of credits in the year.Learners taking more than 5 credits per week on average will not get entitlementfor more than 5 credits per term week. This is equivalent to 50 hours of study perweek.Learners on course years longer than 30 weeks may qualify for extendedmaintenance support, if their household income is below £45,000.Learners taking 110 credits or more in the final year of their course will get lowerfinal year rates of loan. This is similar to now, where these rates apply to full-timestudents only.Learners with a tuition fee loan balance of £0 will not be entitled to maintenanceloans. Learners with less than 30 credits of tuition fee loan left will only be entitled tomaintenance loans if they use part of their remaining tuition fee loan balance topay for a course.Household incomeThe existing rules for assessing household income and calculating anydeductions will not change, for full-time or part-time students.The rules for calculating entitlement for part-time students will closely reflect thesystem used for full-time students. This means that household income will beused to assess eligibility for maintenance support – just as it is for full-timelearners.Learners who choose not to provide household income information will only beeligible for the minimum loan amount.Flexible studyLearners will be able to apply for a maintenance loan to study multiple courses ormodules at the same time. This is a change from the current system.If their total study is more than 180 credits in a single course year, they will not beeligible for support for any course or module that takes them beyond this limit.The calculation processLearners can get maintenance support  for each course year of a course.To calculate the final entitlement, we:Help us improve GOV.UKTo help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about yourvisit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab).Services and informationBenefitsBirths, death, marriages and careBusiness and self-employedChildcare and parentingCitizenship and living in the UKCrime, justice and the lawDisabled peopleDriving and transportGovernment activityDepartmentsNewsGuidance and regulationResearch and statisticsPolicy papers and consultationsTransparencyHow government worksGet involvedBack to topcalculate the maximum maintenance support based on factors such as thelearner’s age and location, and whether it is their final year of study1adjust the maximum entitlement according to the learner’s householdincome2apply more adjustments, based on the intensity of study and whether thelearner is enrolled in multiple courses simultaneously3Education and learningEmploying peopleEnvironment and countrysideHousing and local servicesMoney and taxPassports, travel and living abroadVisas and immigrationWorking, jobs and pensionsHelp  Privacy  Cookies  Accessibility statement  Contact  Terms and conditionsRhestr o Wasanaethau Cymraeg  Government Digital Service All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated© Crown copyright

Maintenance loans for living costs in the lifelong learning entitlement : Published 9 July 2025

Subject Benchmark Statement : Music : April 2025

Schools block funding formulae 2025 to 2026 : Analysis of local authorities’ schools block funding formulae : Published 26 June 2025

Effective senior post holder appraisal and chair performance review : March 2025

Adult skills fund : funding and performance management rules 2024 to 2025 : Published 30 April 2025

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