The 16-19 Bursary Fund & Free School Meals scheme provides financial support to help some students in their learning. Schools are responsible for awarding bursaries to students, deciding the amounts, dates of payment and setting conditions that students should meet in order to receive payment.
Please note that the information below may be subject to change following guidance from the Education Funding Agency. Any changes will be updated on our website.
The Bursary Scheme is made up of two parts:
1. A payment of £1,200 to a small group of the most vulnerable students who will fall into one of the following
categories:
- Young people who are, or have recently been looked after children in the care of the Local Authority or foster parents
- Young people who receive Income Support or Universal Credit in their own name
- Disabled young people in receipt of both Employment Support Allowance and either Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment in their own name.
2. Students can claim expenses related to their studies e.g., bus fares, books, stationery. Students can claim if they are in receipt of free school meals OR if their total household income is £21,000 or below, including Tax Credits
If you think you are eligible for 16-19 Bursary Funding, and wish to apply, application forms are available from the school’s Finance Office at the start of the Academic Year. The deadline for applications to be returned is usually by the second Friday, in the month of October. This date is published on the application form.
Applications after this date will be considered but payments will not be backdated to 1 September.
To qualify for Free School Meals parents/carers should be in receipt of one or more of the following:
- Income Support
- Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income Related Employment and Support Allowance
- Child Tax Credit with an annual income of less than £16,190 provided they are not receiving Working Tax Credit
- The ‘Guaranteed’ element of the State Pension Credit.
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
- Universal Credit
If you think that you are eligible to apply for Free School Meals please visit:
https://www.bradford.gov.uk/benefits/applying-for-benefits/free-school-meals/
