Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the gap between the introduction of increased tuition fees in 2026 and the reintroduction of maintenance grants in 2029 on students from lower-income households.

No assessment has been made. Tuition fees are covered by tuition fee loans, so students do not need to pay them while they study.

Regarding students from lower-income backgrounds, we are acting to support them through future proofing our maintenance loan offer by increasing maintenance loans in line with forecast inflation every academic year from 2026/27.

Additionally, from 2028/29, maintenance grants will support full-time students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the government’s missions. The grants will provide disadvantaged full-time students with up to £1,000 extra per year, on top of existing maintenance loans, increasing cash in students’ pockets without increasing their debt.