This post first published: 04 September 2019
Meet our new colleagues
Stephen Jones joins the Funding Information Team. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new position, and will work predominantly with partners throughout the north-west of England and north Wales.
Stacey-May Fox also joins us and will be working with partners in the south-west of England and south Wales. She formally takes up her post on 9 September, and will be keen to meet as many contacts as possible once in position.
With our new colleagues on board, we have realigned ‘who works where’, and so it is possible that you will have a new Account Manager in your area. See the Funding Information Partners section for a revised list of areas covered, telephone and email details.
Are your new students ready to go for AY 2019/20?
This is obviously a very busy and exciting time of the year for new students embarking on their university careers. We want to make sure that they are as well-prepared as they can be with their student finance prior to starting the year. Have they updated their address if they've changed their mind about living at home or moving out? Have they applied for everything that they are entitled to? Have they been correctly means tested? Have bank details and National Insurance numbers been provided?
Please remind students that they can make use of the online Change of Circumstance facility to make certain changes including home address, bank details, telephone number and email address. Other changes will require the university to contact us in the usual way.
Discover Uni replaces Unistats
A new website, Discover Uni aims to support all students make decisions about where and what to study. It will be launched in mid-September by the Office for Students (OfS) in partnership with UK funding bodies, and will replace the Unistats website.
SLC has collaborated with the OfS to help provide authoritative resources that empower prospective students to make confident and informed decisions about higher education. Discover Uni supports all students, especially those without access to good information, advice and guidance, and reflects the diversity of the sector and the student body.
The new website is designed to be simple, to present data responsibly and to help students navigate a complex landscape. It will encourage students to reflect on what’s important to them and how to get the support they need.
SLC and HELOA Professional Development Conference: Spotlight on Independent Students
HELOA members are invited to register and attend the upcoming Spotlight on Independent Students event, held in collaboration with SLC. The event on Wednesday 06 November will take place at the Holiday Inn (Birmingham Airport) and includes guest speakers from DfE, NNECL and a young carers' support network.
For more information and booking details, members should visit the HELOA website when registration opens on Monday 09 September.
NHS Business Services Authority visits
The NHS Business Services Authority is available to visit your institution to offer advice to Health Faculties. They are able to discuss bursary support and additional learner support funds available to students on nursing, midwifery and Allied Healthcare Professional courses.
You can contact them directly to arrange a visit, or access their wide range of support tools for NHS students on the Student Services section of their website.
Student loans interest and repayment threshold
The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed the annual updates to Interest Rates and Thresholds of Income Contingent Student Loans and Mortgage Style Student Loans. These updates and information about the rise in the repayment threshold for Plan 2 loans as of April 2020, are available from Student Loans Company.
Migrant worker – term 1 evidence requests
We have now written to 9915 students who are required to send in evidence of continued employment or self employment.
Employed students have been requested to send one of the following:
- A copy of a payslip showing at least one week of work completed in September 2019 (we are unable to accept any payslips from August)
- A signed letter from their employer dated on or after 1 September 2019. The letter should be on headed paper, signed and dated by HR or a manager, confirming the student's name and that they'll continue to be employed in September.
Any other business...
The Student Finance Memorandum for the 2020/21 academic year is available. While these figures are yet to be confirmed, they do give an indication about government intentions for support for the next academic year. Once confirmed by Parliament (which has historically taken place early in the new calendar year), we will be available to deliver updated sessions on the new support package.
Until then, we can deliver in-depth operational training, with sessions about the new childcare payment process, independent student evidence requirements, NHS funding and non-UK residency evidence subjects currently proving popular.
We may be in touch...
As part of our service offer, we may be in contact with you directly to ensure that you receive the latest news, processing changes, policy updates, resource availability and guidance that may be of specific relevance to you and your students. Please ensure all relevant contacts at your organisation (including any new starters) are registered to receive our targeted communications.
Would you like to update the contacts we hold for you? All you need to do is email fundinginformationpartners@slc.co.uk.
