Money

Depending on your family circumstances and what you choose to do, there may well be extra financial support to help you to continue in full-time education and other training programmes.

16–19 Bursary Fund

From September 2011, young people who need some financial support to help stay in education or training after 16 can apply to their intended school sixth form, college or training provider for the 16–19 Bursary Fund:

• Those most in need could be eligible for a bursary of £1200 a year, including young people in care, care leavers, young people receiving income support and disabled young people receiving both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.
• Other students facing financial difficulties may also be able to apply for a bursary to help with costs of transport, food, equipment or other course-related costs. Awards are made to individual students on a case-by-case basis according to assessed need and funding availability.

Care to Learn

Care to Learn is a scheme that provides financial support to young people who are parents themselves, to help them pay for childcare and related travel costs while they are learning. It’s available for all kinds of courses, both full and part-time, and is paid direct to the nursery or childminder.

Child benefit and tax credits

If you continue in education, your parents should be able to continue claiming Child Benefit and any Tax Credits that you are entitled to until you turn 20. If you leave education but return before your 19th birthday, they can start claiming again until they turn 20. If you are already 19, you need to have either started the course or been enrolled or accepted on it by their 19th birthday.

Help with transport

There are various schemes to help with the cost of your transport to college or sixth form, provided certain conditions are met: If your family is on a low income and you live at least three miles from the institution, you may be entitled to a free bus pass. You may also apply for assistance as an independent student without regard to parent/carers income according to set criteria. Students with any special needs that require assistance with transport will be assessed on an individual basis.

For full information and an application form, visit the City of York Council website.

Other support and help

In certain circumstances (for example, if you have to move out of the family home) there may be different types of support available. Castlegate can give more advice.

Apprenticeships

Nearly all Apprenticeships are counted as being employed, and so are entitled to the new minimum wage of £2.60 an hour, and many employers will pay more than this. See the Apprenticeships website for more information.