Financial help

Further and higher education | Assistance with travel costs | Free school lunches | Clothing grants

Further and higher education

‘Student loans’ are that part of the Student Finance Direct package that must be repaid once the student’s earned income reaches a defined level. Repayments are made through the student’s National Insurance Number and are taken from their income at source.

Due to the size of the City of London Local Authority, in the interest of best value, applications are processed by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Application forms can be obtained from the City of London by phoning us on 020 7332 1750 or by email to contact.centre@cityoflondon.gov.uk. Completed application forms are to be sent to Tower Hamlets Student Finance section at the following address:

Tower Hamlets Student Finance Section, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG.

The Directgov student finance website has been built to help students find out exactly how much financial help they are entitled to - from both the government and from universities and colleges - and how to get hold of it.

A range of support is offered for students staying on at school/college and those progressing to university. If you are considering a university undergraduate course and seeking financial support, further details and downloadable forms are available on the DCSF website or the City of London's student support service if you live in the Square Mile.

Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)

EMA is a weekly payment of £10, £20 or £30 a week dependent on your household income. The money is intended to help with the day-to-day costs when you stay on at school, college or with a training provider – for such items as travel, books and equipment for your learning programme You may be entitled to an Education Maintenance Allowance if you reach the age of 16 between 1 September 2006 and 31 August 2007 and enter year 12 of full time learning in 2007 / 2008 from September 2007; or you reach the age of 18 between 1 September 2006 and 31 August 2007 and enter a third year of full time learning in 2007 / 2008 from September 2007.

For further details please contact either your careers teacher, the student support service, your Connexions personal adviser, the EMA helpline 080 810 16 2 19 or www.ema.dfes.gov.uk.

For further information about any of the above tel 020 7332 1750.

Assistance with travel costs from home to school or college

All 5-17 year olds are eligible to receive free transport on buses and they must make use of the free bus facility unless the time taken to attend school/college by bus is more than one hour per journey. If the bus ride would be longer than an hour and you fulfil certain criteria you may be eligible for a Transport for London Travel Pass, paid for by the City of London.

The City of London runs the following scheme to assist with your child's home to school travel costs. Criteria are:

eligible applicants, both parent and child, to be resident in the City of London and where the pupil is of statutory school age to be entitled to receive assistance
the distance between home and school is over 2 miles (5-7 year olds) and over 3 miles (8-16 year olds) by the shortest available walking lit route
the school is the nearest suitable one with a vacancy
that pupils make use of the free bus facility, unless the time taken to attend school by bus is more than 1 hour per journey where a Transport for London Travel Pass will be issued at the City’s expense
a "suitable" school is one that is publicly funded and if a vacancy is taken up at a school further from the pupil’s home, assistance will only be given to meet zone 1 / 2 fares
that the City will have regard to the wish of parents to send their child to a particular school which provides religious education of a particular religion or denomination to which the parent adheres.

16-17 year olds

To be eligible:

The school / college you attend has to be the closest that provides the particular course you wish to take.
Students must be taking an appropriate course that consists of at least 12 guided learning hours per week.
After the initial application, students are required to submit additional forms on a termly basis to verify attendance at the school / college.

18 year olds

If you’re a student who is aged 18 before the start of the academic year, you will normally be eligible for support towards travel costs, to the nearest appropriate school / college (dependent on there being sufficient funding). A warrant may be issued for a bus pass on a termly basis. If the student attends the nearest appropriate establishment and it is more than one hour journey time on a bus or tram, a warrant maybe issued for a Travel Card and is to be incorporated into a student Oyster Card.

View the policy on transport support for students aged 16-19 (20.9kb)

In most cases a travel warrant is issued each term to be exchanged for a travel pass at your preferred station. An identity card issued by the travel operator may also be required.

Students may also be eligible to receive an education maintenance allowance.

Applicants should be ordinarily resident within the Square Mile.

For further information tel 020 7332 1750 or email contact.centre@cityoflondon.gov.uk.

Free School Meals

Children whose parents are in receipt of:-

Income support or income based Job Seeker’s Allowance;
Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;
Child Tax Credit where the parent is not entitled to Working Tax Credit and whose annual income (assessed by the Inland Revenue) does not exceed £14,495 or
Guarantee element of State Pension Credit,

are entitled to free school meals. Children whose parents meet these criteria and who are already receiving free school meals at primary school will need to re-apply to the Local Authority the school is situated in.

School Clothing Grants

School Clothing Grant is a one off payment of £110 made during July each year. The grant is given to City families who are on low income, (in receipt of Free School Meals, Working Tax Credit, Widowed Mothers' Allowance, Invalidity Benefit or basic rate state pension) whose children will be transferring from primary (year 6) to a maintained secondary school where there is an agreed school uniform.

The grant is paid at the discretion of the City of London to assist with the cost of school clothing.

Whom do I contact for an application form?

All applications for free school meals must be made to the Local Authority where the school is situated. (The school your child attends will be able to supply further details.)

Download the free school meal and clothing grant application form (72kb)
Download the free school meals / clothing grants booklet for a detailed guide on the eligibilty criteria and application process (125kb)

Send your forms to:

Family and Young People's Information Service
PO Box 270, Guildhall
London, EC2P 2EJ

Alternatively, call 020 7332 1750 or email us at contact.centre@cityoflondon.gov.uk.

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