Funding your child's life - maintenance loan

We realise that everyone’s circumstances are unique, with some parents or guardians more able to provide financial support than others. The maintenance loan is a cost of living payment that is provided by the government. This covers expenses such as accommodation, food, travel, and course materials. This is available to any full-time home student.

Cost of living loans are paid directly into your child’s bank account. This is calculated based on household income and is a process you’ll need to be directly involved in during the application process.

What you need to do:

Register - Once your child has applied for student finance, you'll receive an email within 24 hours. You will have to create your own account via the link in the email - your account is separate to your child's, so remember to keep your login details to hand.
Declare your income for last year - Fill in your National Insurance details and income for the previous tax year. If you have a partner in the same household, they will have to register separately, so you won't need to fill in their details in your account.
Complete a current year income tax assessment form - Fill in a current year income tax assessment form and send it to Student Finance England. You'll have to send this to Student Finance England, which can either be done online or through the post.
Keep your financial information up to date - You will then have to keep your income details updated throughout the year. At the end of the tax year, you'll confirm your actual income.

You can find a helpful guide for how to support your child's student finance application on the government website. Here, you will find information about how to give details about your household income and if you need to update your information.

There is an expectation by the government that you’ll provide some financial assistance to your child during their studies, although we do recognise this isn’t always feasible.

If you need any advice on financial support, feel free to email Student Wellbeing if you have any questions.

We also have Unitemps, which is a service that helps students find part-time work so they can earn whilst they learn.

Parents' and supporters' guide to fees and finance