Financial Contingency Fund (FCF)

Support

The Financial Contingency Fund (FCF) is for learners with a low household income. They may be at risk of dropping out of college because of financial difficulty and are of college and challenging circumstances.

The FCF is provided to Coleg y Cymoedd by Welsh Government to support our learners. It is limited and subject to change from term to term in line with the level of funding Coleg y Cymoedd receives from Welsh Government each year.

Eligibility for FCF support

To be considered for FCF you must:

Be over 16
On a full-time course

There are further eligibility criteria depending on whether you are claiming for:

Free meal support
Other support

Eligibility for free meal support

To qualify you must be:

16-18 years old
Have a household income not exceeding £16,190
Receiving (you or your parents/guardians) certain benefits.

List of qualifying benefits for FCF

Income Support.
Income-based Job Seekers Allowance (JSA).
Income-based Employment Support Allowance (ESA).
Guaranteed Pension Credit.
Claimants under Part VI of the Immigration & Asylum Act 1999. Asylum Seekers will also need a supporting document from UK or Local Government or an Asylum Registration Card.
Child Tax Credit without Working Tax Credit (£16,190 maximum annual gross income). You will need a P60 plus two consecutive months bank statements.
Working Tax Credit run-on. You will need a P60 plus two consecutive months bank statements.
Universal Credit (maximum £7,400 annual earned income).

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is not eligible.

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

These benefits do not form part of any means testing and should not be included in calculations for Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit.

Eligibility for other support

You are eligible for the other support element of the FCF as long as:

You receive either the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) or Welsh Government Learner’s Grant (WGLG).
You have signed your learner agreement.
You must be a full-time learner who is not supported by the LEA to be eligible for travel support.

What costs can the FCF help with?

If you meet the criteria and you’re aged 16-18 you can get help with free school meals and other costs associated with your learning.

If you’re over 18 you cannot claim for meals, but can still get help with other expenses.

Eligible learner of any age can get help with:

Travel expenses
The cost of kit and equipment for their course
The cost of a DBS check if you need it for your course
Childcare costs for learners with children

Travel support

You may be able to get a bus pass, train refund or travel grant if you’re not already supported by the Local Education Authority (LEA).

We support sustainable travel and encourage the use of public transport where possible.

Kit support

You can claim back the full kit cost if you are enrolled on a full-time course. Courses include, but are not limited to, Hair and Beauty, Catering and Sport.

DBS support

You can claim back the full cost of a DBS check if you need one as part of your course.

Childcare support

The College will pay up to a maximum of £70 per day for your childcare fees.

If you choose a childcare provider that charges more than £70 per day, it is your responsibility to pay any additional fees above that limit.
The College does not pay retention or holiday fees, so you will need to pay these yourself if your childcare provider charges them.
The College only pays for fees incurred when you are marked on the register as attending college.

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 your choice of childcare provider, nor any liability for the care provided by your chosen childcare provider.

It is your responsibility to make sure you are satisfied with your chosen childcare provider before entering into an appropriate legal agreement with them.

The application process

You can apply for FCF by logging in to your learner account.

If your application is successful, you will receive an approval email from Learner Services confirming the type of support agreed and instructions about what to do next.

Providing evidence

To support your application for free meals you may need to provide a copy of the full Universal Credit breakdown, including the name and address of the recipient.

You must upload your evidence to the application form when you apply. If you don’t, your application cannot be processed.

For other support, as long as you have signed your learner agreement with the college and you receive either: