Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial support they plan to offer to students who qualify for free school meals and who are undertaking T-Levels to help them meet their food costs during work placements.

The department is keen for students not to be prevented from undertaking T level industry placements due to travel and subsistence costs.

We are providing significant funding to help education providers to put in place the infrastructure needed to deliver high quality industry placements in preparation for T levels. This funding can be used to support the students’ travel and subsistence costs. In addition to this, providers are receiving additional discretionary bursary funding of just under £2.5 million in 2018-19 to support students’ access to industry placements and other associated costs. We have recently announced further funding for 2019-20.

Where students are eligible to receive Further Education Free Meals, providers must make sure that students are provided with a meal on days when they are off-site as part of their study programme. This responsibility will apply to industry placements. We have also advised that employers may also support students with their travel and subsistence costs if they wish.