Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the report by the National Union of Students, Class dismissed: Getting in and getting on in further and higher education, published on 23 April, what steps they plan to take to tackle the 'poverty premium' in tertiary education in order for working class students to excel in post-16 educational settings.

Widening participation remains a priority for this government, to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from further or higher education and apprenticeships regardless of their background. “Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential,” published in December 2017, set out our plan for improving social mobility through education. A copy of this report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 19 December 2017.

The 16 - 18 Bursary Fund provides financial help to young people in further education who need help with costs such as travel and essential course equipment. Annual bursaries of up to £1,200 are available to vulnerable students such as those in care, care leavers and those receiving certain income or disability benefits in their own right. £130 million was allocated for discretionary bursaries to institutions in 2017 to 2018. A further £34 million was allocated in 2017 to 2018 for free meals.

Changes to the student finance system have allowed more 18 year olds to enter higher education than ever before, including the highest ever number from disadvantaged backgrounds. Students from the lowest-income households starting their courses in 2018 to 2019 will have access to the largest ever amounts of cash-in-hand support for their living costs. Support for living costs increased by 10.3% for eligible students on the lowest incomes in 2016 to 2017 compared with the previous system, with further increases of 2.8 per cent for the current academic year. The government has announced a further 3.2 per cent increase in 2018 to 2019.

A young person on an apprenticeship will receive at least the national minimum wage, which increased to £3.70 per hour in April 2018. The Apprenticeship Pay Survey 2016 estimates that the average gross hourly pay for apprentices in England was £6.70 an hour for level 2 and 3 apprentices and £9.83 for higher level apprenticeships.

For apprentices claiming benefits in their own right, financial support is available for those on low incomes. Young people may be able to claim Universal Credit or Tax Credits to help with living costs. Universal Credit is also an in-work benefit, so young claimants in work on low wages, including apprentices under contract, can continue to claim housing support.

Delivering more, better quality apprenticeships will make sure that more people from lower socio-economic backgrounds can gain the skills and training they need to build successful careers. The new funding model supports apprentices who are training on frameworks from disadvantaged areas by providing a cash payment to providers for training apprentices who live in the top 27 per cent of deprived areas.

The Review of Post-18 Education and Funding aims to ensure that everyone from every background can access tertiary education. There will be an extensive programme of engagement with stakeholders and experts, including students and recent graduates. An independent panel will publish their report at an interim stage before the government concludes the overall review in early 2019.