To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any steps her Department is taking to alleviate student poverty, within further and higher education.

Access to Further and Higher Education is key to addressing equality of opportunity and creating pathways to good jobs. This is particularly important for individuals who experience additional barriers to participation, such as people from a low-income background.

A range of financial assistance is currently available for Further Education learners including Further Education Grants, the Hardship Fund, the Education Maintenance Allowance, free school meals and the Care to Learn childcare scheme.

As a direct response to current student poverty, I have agreed additional funding this winter to continue the Further Education Sector Cost of Living/Winter Warmer scheme. This provides learners with Cost of Living information sessions including details of student support interventions and a warm meal.

In the Higher Education sector, means-tested maintenance grants and loans are available to assist with living costs. Ordinarily, receipt of a maintenance grant reduces the level of loan available, however, for students eligible to claim means-tested benefits such as Housing Benefit or Universal Credit whilst studying, a Special Support Grant is available which does not impact on the amount of maintenance loan received.

A range of targeted support for Higher Education students is available in the form of the Disabled Students’ Allowance, Childcare Grant, Parents’ Learning Allowance and Adult Dependants’ Grant. Additional support for students whose access to study might be inhibited by financial considerations, or who face financial difficulties in meeting their living costs, is available through Student Support Funds (also referred to as Hardship Funds), managed by the five local Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on the Department’s behalf.

My Department is currently undertaking a review of student support measures to ensure they continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in society to enable them to continue their education and training within further education.