The Education (Student Support) (Wales) Regulations 2015

Grants for disabled students’ living costs

25.—(1) An eligible student qualifies in accordance with this regulation for a grant for disabled students’ living costs to assist with the additional expenditure which the Welsh Ministers are satisfied the eligible student is obliged to incur by reason of a disability to which the student is subject in connection with the eligible student’s attendance on, or undertaking of a designated course.

(2) Subject to the following paragraphs, the amount of grant for disabled students’ living costs under this regulation is the amount that the Welsh Ministers consider appropriate in accordance with the eligible student’s circumstances.

(3) Except where paragraph (4) applies, the amount of the grant for disabled students’ living costs must not exceed—

(a) £21,181 in respect of an academic year for expenditure on a non-medical personal helper;

(b) £5,332 in respect of all the academic years during the period of eligibility for expenditure on major items of specialist equipment;

(c) the additional expenditure incurred—

(i) within the United Kingdom for the purpose of attending the institution;

(ii) within or outside the United Kingdom for the purpose of attending, as a part of the eligible student’s course, any period of study at an overseas institution or for the purpose of attending the Institute;

(d) £1,785 in respect of an academic year for any other expenditure including expenditure incurred for the purposes referred to in sub-paragraph (a) or (b) which exceeds the maxima specified in those paragraphs.

(4) The maximum amount of grant under paragraphs (3)(a) and (3)(d) is £15,885 and £1,338, respectively where—

(a) an eligible student attends a course for the initial training of teachers which—

(i) began before 1 September 2010;

(ii) begins on or after 1 September 2010 where the student transfers to the present course pursuant to regulation 8 from a course for the initial training of teachers beginning before 1 September 2010; or

(iii) began on or after 1 September 2010 but before 1 September 2011 and in relation to which the student is a 2010 gap year student; and

(b) in any academic year of that course, the periods of full-time study and full-time teaching practice are in aggregate less than 6 weeks.

(5) An eligible student does not qualify for a grant for disabled students’ living costs under this regulation in respect of a distance learning course unless the Welsh Ministers consider that the student is undertaking the course in Wales on the first day of the first academic year.

(6) An eligible student who is undertaking a distance learning course will no longer qualify for a grant for disabled students’ living costs under this regulation in respect of that course if the Welsh Ministers consider that the student is undertaking the course outside the United Kingdom.

(7) Subject to paragraphs (8) and (9), a grant for disabled students’ living costs is payable to an eligible student in respect of the four quarters of the academic year.

(8) Where a grant for disabled students’ living costs is used for expenditure on major items of specialist equipment (within the meaning of paragraph (3)(b)) it may be payable in respect of the whole academic year.

(9) Where one of the events listed in regulation 24(13) occurs in the course of an academic year, an eligible student may only qualify for a grant for disabled students’ living costs for the purposes specified in paragraph (3)(a), (c) and (d) in respect of such quarters as begin after the relevant event occurs.