Financial Support

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Financial Contingency Fund is a support for learners who are aged 16 or over and on a FULL-TIME course, the fund is provided by Welsh Government to Colleges to support learners. The fund is limited and subject to change and fluctuation from term to term which is due to the level of funding the College receive yearly.

The Financial Contingency Fund support is split into two areas, please see below as there are a few things you will need to check to make sure you are eligible to apply:

FREE MEAL SUPPORT:
Before you apply for Free Meals please make sure you are eligible to apply, you must be in receipt of any of the following, as long as your total annual household income does not exceed £16,390:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and where total annual income is less than £16,390)
• Working Tax Credit ­(provided your total annual income is less than £16,390)
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

Young people who receive these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also apply.

To support your application you may need to provide one of the following as evidence:

A copy of the page called “How your Income Support/Jobseeker’s Allowance is worked out” from a recent letter. If you do not have this, please contact your local Benefits Agency

Your current Tax Award Notice. If you do not have this, contact the Inland Revenue Helpline on 0845 300 3900

When you apply, you must upload your evidence to the application form, if you do not upload your evidence, your application cannot be processed.

OTHER SUPPORT:
If you are in receipt of EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance or WGLG (Welsh Government Learning Grant) and have signed your learner agreement with the College, you can apply for the following without uploading evidence to the application form.

Travel Support (you must be Aged 19+ to apply)

Kit Support:  You can claim back the full kit cost

DBS Support:  you can claim back the full DBS cost

Childcare Support:  The College will support your childcare fees to a maximum of £50 per day. Please note the following:

• If you choose a childcare provider that charges more than the maximum of £50 per day, it will be the learners responsibility to pay any additional fees above the maximum allocated by the College.
• The College does not pay retention or holiday fees, this is also the learners responsibility.
• The budget for Childcare Support is limited and is allocated on a first come, first serve basis.
• The College does not accept any liability for the choice of childcare provider the learner chooses.
• The College does not accept any liability for the care provided by the childcare provider you choose to mind your child.
• The College only pays for fees incurred when the student is marked on the register as attending college.
• It is up to the learner, to make sure they are satisfied with the childcare provider before entering into an appropriate legal agreement with the Childcare provider

DETAILS

Application forms for 22-23 are available here via your Prospect Account or https://learnerhub.cymoedd.ac.uk/Page/U_FCFOverview

You can also get more information from your Learner and Campus Services team which is based in the Reception area of your Campus.

If your application is successful, you will receive an approval e-mail from the Grants Officer confirming the type of support you have been approved for and instructions about what to do next.