BOB

A Local Education Authority(LEA) does not have to give financial help to any student over the age of 16. However, it does have the power to help if it chooses to. Each LEA has its own rules for helping students in further education. They may give a certain amount of money in the form of either an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) or a Local Education Authority Grant. If your home is in Wales you may be able to get an Assembly learning Grant to help with the costs of your studies, even if his college is not in Wales itself.

It is also possible that your son may get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit. However, the rules for claiming these benefits if you are a student are restricted to certain kinds of students and many will not be able to get help in this way.

Colleges also have their own funds that can be used to help individual students. Each college has its own rules for giving out these funds which are called 'Access Funds'. Your son can find out more about these from the college itself.

Click here for more information about EMA, LEA grants and benefits.