Repaying your student loan

Overview

You need to pay back:

Tuition Fee Loans

Maintenance Loans

Postgraduate Loans

You do not need to pay back other student finance, for example grants and bursaries, unless you’ve been paid too much.

You still have to repay your student loan if you leave your course early.

When you start repaying your loan and how much you pay depends on which repayment plan you’re on.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

How to repay

How you repay your loan depends on whether you’re employed or self-employed.

You can make extra repayments in your online repayment account and by card, bank transfer or cheque.

Keep your payslips and P60 for your records - you’ll need them if you want to get a refund.

Sign in

Sign in to your student loan repayment account if you already have one.

Repaying during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Read the guidance about repaying your student loan for more information on:

changes in your income

refunds

interest on your loan balance

Which repayment plan you're on

When you start repaying your loan and how much you repay depends on your repayment plan.

There are 4 plans:

Plan 1

Plan 2

Plan 4

Postgraduate Loan

You cannot choose the repayment plan you’re on. If you have more than one loan, they could be on different plans.

Plan 1

You’re on Plan 1 if you’re:

an English or Welsh student who started an undergraduate course anywhere in the UK before 1 September 2012

a Northern Irish student who started an undergraduate or postgraduate course anywhere in the UK on or after 1 September 1998

an EU student who started an undergraduate course in England or Wales on or after 1 September 1998, but before 1 September 2012

an EU student who started an undergraduate or postgraduate course in Northern Ireland on or after 1 September 1998

Plan 2

You’re on Plan 2 if you’re:

an English or Welsh student who started an undergraduate course anywhere in the UK on or after 1 September 2012

an EU student who started an undergraduate course in England or Wales on or after 1 September 2012

someone who took out an Advanced Learner Loan on or after 1 August 2013

Plan 4

You’re on Plan 4 if you’re:

a Scottish student who started an undergraduate or postgraduate course anywhere in the UK on or after 1 September 1998

an EU student who started an undergraduate or postgraduate course in Scotland on or after 1 September 1998

Postgraduate Loan

You’re on a Postgraduate Loan repayment plan if you’re:

an English or Welsh student who took out a Postgraduate Master’s Loan on or after 1 August 2016

an English or Welsh student who took out a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan on or after 1 August 2018

an EU student who started a postgraduate course on or after 1 August 2016

When you start repaying

You’ll only repay your student loan when your income is over the threshold amount for your repayment plan. The threshold amounts change on 6 April every year.

The earliest you’ll start repaying is either:

the April after you leave your course

the April 4 years after the course started, if you’re studying part-time

Your repayments automatically stop if either:

you stop working

your income goes below the threshold

If you have a Plan 1 student loan

You’ll only repay when your income is over £382 a week, £1,657 a month or £19,895 a year (before tax and other deductions).

If you have a Plan 2 student loan

You’ll only repay when your income is over £524 a week, £2,274 a month or £27,295 a year (before tax and other deductions).

If you have a Plan 4 student loan

You’ll only repay when your income is over £480 a week, £2,083 a month or £25,000 a year (before tax and other deductions).

If you’re on a Postgraduate Loan repayment plan

If you took out a Master’s Loan or a Doctoral Loan, you’ll only repay when your income is over £403 a week, £1,750 a month or £21,000 a year (before tax and other deductions).

Early repayments

There’s no penalty for paying some or all of your loan off early.

How much you repay

How much you repay depends on which plan you’re on.

Each plan has a threshold for your weekly or monthly income. You repay:

9% of the amount you earn over the threshold for plans 1, 2 and 4

6% of the amount you earn over the threshold for the Postgraduate Loan

You do not pay anything back if your income is under the threshold.

Interest starts being added to your loan from when you get your first payment.

Plan 1

The thresholds are £382 a week or £1,657 a month (before tax and other deductions).

Interest on Plan 1

You currently pay interest of 1.1% on Plan 1. You can find out how the interest is calculated and interest rates for previous years.

Plan 2

The thresholds are £524 a week or £2,274 a month (before tax and other deductions). They change on 6 April every year.

Interest on Plan 2

While you’re studying, interest is 5.6%.

This is made up of the Retail Price Index (RPI) plus 3%. RPI is currently set at 2.6%.

This rate applies until the 5 April after you finish or leave your course, or for the first 4 years of your course if you’re studying part-time, unless the RPI changes.

After that, your interest rate depends on your income in the current tax year.

If you’re self-employed, your income is the total income amount on your Self-Assessment form.

If you’re an employee, your income is your taxable pay:

plus any pension contributions

minus any benefits you get from your employer that are taxed through payroll (ask your employer if you’re not sure)

If you have more than one job in a year, your interest rate will be based on your combined income from all your jobs.

Your annual income | Interest rate

£27,295 or less | RPI (currently 2.6%)

£27,296 to £49,130 | RPI (currently 2.6%), plus up to 3%

Over £49,130 | RPI (currently 2.6%), plus 3%

You must keep your contact details up to date in your online account and give the Student Loans Company (SLC) evidence if they ask for it. If you do not, you may be charged the higher interest rate even if your income is lower.

You can find out how the interest is calculated and interest rates for previous years.

If you have Plan 1 and Plan 2 loans

You pay back 9% of your income over the Plan 1 threshold (£382 a week or £1,657 a month).

If your income is under the Plan 2 threshold (£524 a week or £2,274 a month), your repayments only go towards your Plan 1 loan.

If your income is over the Plan 2 threshold, your repayments go towards both your loans.

Plan 4

The thresholds are £480 a week or £2,083 a month (before tax and other deductions).

Interest on Plan 4

You currently pay interest of 1.1% on Plan 4. You can find out how the interest is calculated and interest rates for previous years.

If you have a Plan 4 loan and a Plan 1 loan

If your income is under the Plan 4 threshold (£480 a week or £2,083 a month), your repayments only go towards your Plan 1 loan.

If your income is over the Plan 4 threshold, your repayments go towards both your loans.

If you have a Plan 4 loan and a Plan 2 loan

You pay back 9% of your income over the Plan 4 threshold (£480 a week or £2,083 a month).

If your income is under the Plan 2 threshold (£524 a week or £2,274 a month), your repayments only go towards your Plan 4 loan.

Postgraduate Loan

The thresholds are £403 a week or £1,750 a month (before tax and other deductions).

Interest on Postgraduate Loan

You currently pay interest of 5.6% on Postgraduate Loans.

The interest is made up of the Retail Price Index (RPI), plus 3%. RPI is currently set at 2.6%.

If you have a Postgraduate Loan and a Plan 1, Plan 2 or Plan 4 loan

You pay back 6% of your income over the Postgraduate Loan threshold (£403 a week or £1,750 a month). In addition, you’ll pay back 9% of your income over the Plan 1, Plan 2 or Plan 4 threshold.

If your income changes during the year

You can ask for a refund if you make repayments but your total annual income (from 6 April to 5 April the following year) is less than:

£19,895 a year for Plan 1

£27,295 a year for Plan 2

£25,000 a year for Plan 4

£21,000 for Postgraduate Loans

If you have 2 or more jobs

If you’re employed, your repayments will be taken out of your salary. The repayments will be from the jobs where you earn over the minimum amount, not your combined income.

If you need to send a Self Assessment tax return

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will work out how much you repay from your tax return. Your repayments are based on your income for the whole year. If you’ve already made repayments from a salary, HMRC will deduct them from the amount you have to repay.

How to repay

Your repayments will be taken out of your salary at the same time as tax and National Insurance if you’re an employee. Your payslips will show how much has been deducted. You may need to tell your employer which repayment plan you’re on.

You start repaying when your income is more than the minimum amount.

There’s no penalty if you make extra repayments to pay some or all of your loan off early.

If you’re self-employed

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will work out how much you pay from your tax return. You pay at the same time as you pay your tax.

If you’re an employee and you do a tax return

If you earn over the minimum amount, your employer will deduct loan repayments from your salary.

Check your payslips or P60 to see how much of your loan you’ve paid off during the tax year. You’ll need to include this information when you fill in your tax return.

The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April the following year.

If you leave the UK for more than 3 months

You will need to tell the Student Loans Company (SLC). They will work out if you have to repay while you’re not in the UK and if so, how much you need to pay.

The rules for repayment are the same as in the UK, apart from different repayment thresholds for each country.

If you’re abroad, your repayment amounts are based on:

the minimum amount under Plan 1 for that country

the minimum amount under Plan 2 for that country

the minimum amount under Plan 4 for that country

the minimum amount under the Postgraduate Loan plan for that country

Once SLC have told you how much you need to repay, you can make repayments:

through your online account

by International Bank Transfer (IBAN)

Online account

Sign in to your online account to:

make a repayment using an international debit card

set up a direct debit

You can also use your online account to update your contact details and make extra repayments.

International Bank Transfer

To transfer money from a non-UK bank account, use the following details:

IBAN: GB37NWBK60708010027254
SWIFT: NWBKGB2L
NatWest Government Banking Team
NatWest Customer Service Centre
Brampton Road
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Staffordshire
ST5 0QX

Use one of these as your reference:

customer reference number

grant reference number (if it’s for a grant repayment)

Checking your repayments

You can check your repayments and balance in your:

annual statements from SLC

online account

If your contact details change, you must update them in your online account.

Avoid paying more than you owe

If you have nearly repaid your loan, you may be able to make your final repayments by direct debit instead of from your salary.

This makes sure your employer will not accidentally take more than you owe.

SLC will contact you in the final year of your loan repayments to let you know how to set up a direct debit.

Keep your contact details up to date.

Make extra repayments

You can choose to make extra repayments towards your student loan. These are in addition to the repayments you must make when your income is over the threshold amount for your repayment plan.

You should only make extra repayments if you think you can pay off the full balance before the loan term ends. This is because your loan will be written off at the end of the term.

There’s no penalty if you make extra repayments but they are not refundable.

Speak to a financial adviser if you’re unsure whether you should make extra repayments or not.

If you decide to make an extra repayment, you can choose how it is applied to your loan. For example, you can use it to reduce the total balance of your loan or to reduce the balance of a specific plan (if you have more than one plan).

If you do not choose how the repayment is applied, the Student Loans Company (SLC) will decide how it’s applied for you.

If you’re a full time student from Wales, you may be able to get £1,500 of your Maintenance Loan written off.

Make a repayment without signing into an account

You can make a card repayment towards your loan or someone else’s without signing into an online account.

You need the person’s surname and customer reference number.

Make extra repayments from the UK

You can make extra repayments:

through your online account

by bank transfer

by cheque

Online account

Sign in to your online account to:

make a repayment using a debit card

set up a direct debit

Bank transfer

To make a bank transfer or set-up a standing order from a UK bank account you must use the following bank details:

Account name: Student Loans Company
Sort code: 60 70 80
Account number: 10027254

Use one of these as your reference:

customer reference number

grant reference number (if it’s for a grant repayment)

Cheque

To pay by cheque make your cheque payable to Student Loans Company Ltd and write the customer reference number on the back.

It is taking longer than usual to process cheques because of coronavirus (COVID-19). Your cheque will be backdated and you will not build up additional interest because of the delay.

Make extra repayments from overseas

You can make extra repayments:

through your online account

by International Bank Transfer (IBAN)

Online account

Sign in to your online account to:

make a repayment using an international debit card

set up a direct debit

International Bank Transfer

To transfer money from a non-UK bank account, use the following details:

Use one of these as your reference:

customer reference number

Pay your loan off in full

Call or contact SLC on social media to find out:

the total amount you owe (this is called the ‘settlement amount’)

the date you need to pay by (this is called the ‘settlement date’)

You’ll need your latest payslip if you’re employed.

Once you know the total you owe, you can pay by debit card over the phone, bank transfer or cheque.

If you do not pay the settlement amount by the settlement date, you’ll need to contact SLC again. This is because the amount you owe might have changed. You’ll only need to provide any recent payslips or calculations since you last called.

Getting a refund

You can ask for a refund if:

you’ve paid more than the total amount you owe

your annual income was below the threshold

you started making repayments before you needed to

You cannot get a refund for extra repayments.

If you pay back more than you owe

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will tell your employer to stop taking repayments from your salary when you have repaid your loan in full. It can take around 4 weeks for salary deductions to stop.

This means you may pay back more than you owe.

You can avoid paying more than you owe by changing your payments to direct debit in the final year of your repayments. Keep your contact details up to date so SLC can let you know how to set this up.

If you have paid too much the Student Loans Company (SLC) will try to:

contact you to tell you how to get a refund

refund you automatically (this will appear in your bank account as ‘SLC Receipts’)

You can check your loan balance in your online account.

If you’ve overpaid and have not heard from SLC you can ask them for a refund.

If your annual income was below the threshold

You can ask for a refund if you made repayments but your income over the whole tax year (6 April to 5 April the following year) was less than:

£19,895 a year for Plan 1

£27,295 a year for Plan 2

£25,000 a year for Plan 4

£21,000 a year for Postgraduate Loan

If your annual salary is less than this, your employer may still deduct repayments - for example if you get paid a bonus or overtime.

If you’re repaying a Plan 1, Plan 2 and Plan 4 loan, you can only get a refund if your income was less than £19,895.

You can check previous thresholds if you ask about a refund on repayments made before this tax year.

If you started repaying before you needed to

If a deduction is taken from your salary before you’re due to start repaying, you can ask for a refund.

How to ask for a refund

Call or contact SLC on social media with your customer reference number.

You can contact SLC by post.

When your student loan gets written off or cancelled

When your student loan gets written off depends on which repayment plan you’re on.

When Plan 1 loans get written off

When your Plan 1 loan gets written off depends on when you took out the loan.

Academic year you took out the loan | When the loan’s written off

2005 to 2006, or earlier | When you’re 65

2006 to 2007, or later | 25 years after the April you were first due to repay

When Plan 2 loans get written off

Plan 2 loans are written off 30 years after the April you were first due to repay.

When Plan 4 loans get written off

2006 to 2007, or earlier | When you’re 65, or 30 years after the April you were first due to repay - whichever comes first

2007 to 2008, or later | 30 years after the April you were first due to repay

When Postgraduate Loans get written off

If you’re a student from England or Wales, your Postgraduate Loan will be written off 30 years after the April you were first due to repay.

If you’re a postgraduate student from Northern Ireland, you’re on Plan 1.

If you’re a postgraduate student from Scotland, you’re on Plan 4.

If someone with a student loan dies

The Student Loans Company (SLC) will cancel the person’s student loan.

You need to let SLC know that the person has died and provide evidence (for example an original death certificate), as well as the person’s Customer Reference Number.

If you can no longer work because of illness or disability

SLC may be able to cancel your loan if you claim certain disability benefits. You’ll need to provide evidence (for example a letter from the benefits agency) and your Customer Reference Number.

Update your employment details

You need to update your details if you:

leave the UK for more than 3 months

start a new job or become self-employed

stop working

get a letter or email from the Student Loans Company (SLC) asking you to update your employment details

SLC use these details to work out if you should be repaying your loan.

You might get a higher interest rate if you do not update your details.

Start now


Social work bursaries

Overview

If you’re training for social work you may get a bursary.

Social work bursaries:

help with living costs and tuition fees

don’t depend on your household income

don’t have to be paid back

What you'll get

The social work bursary is a grant that doesn’t depend on your household income and doesn’t have to be paid back.

The amount you get depends on:

where you study

whether you study full or part-time

the cost of your tuition

Graduates doing an undergraduate social work course can apply for the Maintenance Loan part of the main student finance
package.

How it’s paid

Social work bursaries are paid in 3 instalments, one each term.

If you’re disabled

You may be able to get extra help if you’re disabled and a postgraduate student.

Eligibility

Social work bursaries are available to eligible social work students who:

don’t get funding from their employer

are studying an approved undergraduate or postgraduate course in social work

don’t already have a higher education social work qualification

Your university or college will tell you if your course qualifies.

Undergraduate students may also be able to get help from the main student finance
package - apply to Student Finance England.

You’re not eligible for a bursary if you’re studying on an employment-based course including direct Open University courses.

How to apply

You need to download forms from NHS Business Services Authority. The address to send the form is in the guidance notes.

The deadline for 2017 to 2018 applications depends on when you start your course:

Course starts | Application deadline

Autumn term | 1 November 2017

Winter term | 14 February 2018

Evidence needed

You may need to prove your identity by sending both:

your birth certificate

your passport (which must be valid)


Student finance

Overview

You may be able to borrow money to help pay for university or college tuition fees and to help with living costs.

You might get extra money on top of this, for example if you’re on a low income, are disabled or have children.

If you’re a continuing student or you’ve already created an account, log in to your account.

Before you apply

You start repaying once you earn over a certain amount. The size of your monthly repayments will depend on how much you earn, not what you owe.

You’ll be charged interest on the loan from the day you take it out. The terms and conditions can change.

The rules are different if your course started before September 2012.

Read the student finance privacy notice to find out how the information you provide will be used.

How to apply

Find out how to apply for student finance.

If you’re under 25 and have no contact with your parents, you might be able to apply as an ‘estranged student’.

There’s a different process if you’re a student from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. Contact the education authority if you live in the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) or Isle of Man.

You can give someone permission to act on your behalf (for example using Power of Attorney) if you want them to apply for you.

New full-time students

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan if your course starts on or after 1 August 2016.

Tuition Fee Loan

Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back.

| 2020 to 2021 academic year | 2021 to 2022 academic year

Full-time student | Up to £9,250 | Up to £9,250

If you’re studying an accelerated degree course, you could get up to £11,100.

Maintenance Loan for living costs

You may have to give details of your household income.

The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term. You have to pay the loan back.

Living at home | Up to 7,747 | Up to £7,987

Living away from home, outside London | Up to £9,203 | Up to £9,488

Living away from home, in London | Up to £12,010 | Up to £12,382

You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad | Up to £10,539 | Up to £10,866

You must report any changes to your living arrangements in your online account, so you get the correct amount of student finance. You might need evidence of any changes.

If you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course you can apply for up to £4,014.

Use the student finance calculator to estimate your Maintenance Loan.

Applying during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Read the guidance for students during coronavirus for more information about:

changes in your household income

self-isolation stopping you from posting evidence

contacting the Student Loans Company

Coronavirus and maintenance loans

You do not need to tell SLC if your course has moved online, as long as your living arrangements stay the same. If they have changed, you must update your address in your online account.

Extra help with travel costs

You might get a grant to cover some travel expenses if you normally live in England but study away from home. If you’re a medical or dental student you might also qualify for help with the costs of attending clinical placements in the UK.

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

2021 to 2022 academic year

Continuing full-time students

What you’re eligible for depends on when your course starts.

You may also be able to get extra help.

If your course starts on or after 1 August 2016

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan if your course starts on or after 1 August 2016.

Tuition Fee Loan

| 2020 to 2021 academic year | 2021 to 2022 academic year

Full-time student | Up to £9,250 | Up to £9,250

Maintenance Loan for living costs

You may have to give details of your household income.

The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of term. You have to pay the loan back.

Living at home | Up to 7,747 | Up to £7,987

Living away from home, outside London | Up to £9,203 | Up to £9,488

Living away from home, in London | Up to £12,010 | Up to £12,382

You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad | Up to £10,539 | Up to £10,866

You must report any changes to your living arrangements, including if you’re no longer studying abroad in your online account, so you get the correct amount of student finance.

In your final year, you’ll receive less money than you did in previous years.

If your course started before 1 August 2016

You can apply for grants and loans if your course started before 1 August 2016.

Tuition Fee Loan

Maintenance Loan for living costs

Students aged 60 and over cannot apply. You may have to give details of your household income.

Living at home | Up to £5,247 | Up to £5,410

Living away from home, outside London | Up to £6,597 | Up to £6,802

Living away from home, in London | Up to £9,205 | Up to £9,490

You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad | Up to £7,838 | Up to £8,081

Maintenance Grant for living costs

You have to give details of your household income and your course start date.

The grant is paid into your bank account at the start of each term. You do not have to pay it back, but any funds you get will reduce the Maintenance Loan you can get.

Special Support Grant

You may get a Special Support Grant instead of a Maintenance Grant if you get or qualify for:

Income Support

income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Housing Benefit

the housing element of Universal Credit

The amount you get is the same as the Maintenance Grant, but it will not reduce the Maintenance Loan you can get.

You may get the Special Support Grant if, for example, you’re a lone parent or have certain disabilities.

You’ll be told if you can get the grant when you apply for student finance.

Apply

Apply for student finance or find out how to apply.

Help with the costs of studying abroad

Help during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Read the guidance for students during coronavirus for more information, including if:

your university or college is shut

your household income changes

you’ll need to repeat or extend your studies

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

2021 to 2022 academic year

Part-time students

You may be able to get a loan if your part-time course has a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more.

‘Course intensity’ measures how much of your course you complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course.

You can work this out by comparing your module credits with the number of module credits a full-time student will study. You’ll be asked how many credits you’ll study when you apply for the loan.

Check with your university or college if you’re not sure.

What you can apply for depends on when your course starts.

If your course starts on or after 1 August 2018

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan.

Tuition Fee Loan

You can get up to £6,935 in an academic year.

Maintenance Loan for living costs

How much you can get depends on:

where you live while studying

your household income

your course intensity

The loan is paid directly into your bank account 2 weeks after the start of each term. You have to pay the loan back.

You can only apply for a Maintenance Loan as a Distance Learning student if you cannot attend your course in person because of a disability.

Use the student finance calculator to estimate your Maintenance Loan.

You’re not eligible for a Maintenance Loan if you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course.

If your course started before 1 August 2018

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan.

Apply

Apply for student finance or find out how to apply.

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

EU students

You may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan and help with living costs if you’re from an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

Use the student finance calculator to see what finance you can get.

Tuition Fee Loan

| 2020 to 2021 academic year | 2021 to 2022 academic year

Full-time student | Up to £9,250 | Up to £9,250

Full-time student at a private university or college | Up to £6,165 | Up to £6,165

Part-time student | Up to £6,935 | Up to £6,935

Part-time student at a private university or college | Up to £4,625 | Up to £4,625

Use the student finance calculator to estimate your Tuition Fee Loan.

Help with living costs

You may be eligible for help with your living costs if both the following apply:

you’ve lived in the UK for more than 3 years before the first day of the first academic year of your course

you have settled status

Academic years start on 1 September, 1 January, 1 April or 1 July. Ask someone who runs your course if you do not know which one applies.

Student Finance from August 2021

If you’re starting a course on or after 1 August 2021, you must have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get student finance.

If you’re coming to the UK from 1 January 2021, you may need to apply for a visa to study here.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Apply

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

2021 to 2022 academic year

Extra help

Check on the student finance calculator to see what extra help you might be able to get.

Students on a low income

You can apply for:

Universal Credit

extra help if you’re experiencing financial hardship

Students with children or dependent adults

You can apply for:

Childcare Grant - full-time students only

Parents’ Learning Allowance - full-time students only

Adult Dependants’ Grant - full-time students only

Universal Credit

Disabled students

If you have a disability, long-term health condition, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) you can apply for:

Disabled Students’ Allowance

You may also qualify for disability related benefits.

Medical, social work and teacher training students

You can apply for:

NHS bursaries if you’re studying certain medical, dentistry or healthcare courses

help with costs of travel to UK clinical placements if you’re studying a medical, dentistry or healthcare course

social work bursaries if you’re a social work student

extra help if you’re a teacher training student

Students studying abroad

Help from your university or college

Many universities and colleges offer extra money directly to students.

Funding from charitable trusts

Use the Turn2us grant search to check whether you qualify for funding from a charitable trust.

Eligibility

Whether you qualify for student finance depends on:

your university or college

your course

if you’ve studied a higher education course before

your age

your nationality or residency status

Your university or college

This should be a university, college or other institution that offers a qualifying course.

Your course

Check with the university or college that your course is recognised.

If you’re studying full-time

You may be eligible for student finance if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd

a Foundation Degree

a Certificate of Higher Education

a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

a Higher National Certificate (HNC)

a Higher National Diploma (HND)

an Initial Teacher Training course

an integrated master’s degree

a pre-registration postgraduate healthcare course

Check on the student finance calculator to find out which loans and grants you could be eligible for.

If you’re studying part-time

Your course needs a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more for you to be eligible for student finance.

You’ll be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

a Foundation Degree

a Certificate of Higher Education

a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

a Higher National Certificate (HNC)

a Higher National Diploma (HND)

an Initial Teacher Training course

an integrated master’s degree

You’ll be eligible for a Maintenance Loan if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

an Initial Teacher Training course (if it’s degree level or above)

an integrated master’s degree

a Foundation Degree in dental hygiene and dental therapy

a DipHE in dental hygiene and dental therapy or operating department practice

If you’ve studied before

You’ll usually only get student finance if you’re doing your first higher education qualification - even if your previous course was self-funded. You may still be eligible for limited funding in certain circumstances and for some courses.

If you changed course, stopped your studies or are repeating a year

If you stopped your course within the first year, you’ll get funding for the same course or a new course when you go back.

You might also get funding if you:

suspended your course or withdrew before it finished - and you’re going back to study any course

are repeating a year of your course at the same university, college, or institution.

If you stopped your studies for a personal reason (for example, you were ill or pregnant) you might get funding for all of your course - you should apply online with supporting evidence.

You can calculate the amount you will get by taking the total number of years of the course you are applying for and adding one year. Then take away the number of years you studied for. If you studied for part of a year you should count it as a whole year.

If you already have a degree

You may be eligible for limited funding in certain circumstances.

You may get limited funding if you’re ‘topping up’ a higher education qualification, for example you’ve finished an HNC, HND or Foundation Degree and now want to do an Honours degree.

You may also get limited funding if you hold an Honours degree or a higher level of qualification and start a new course. This could be a part-time Honours degree, a joint Honours degree or an Integrated Master’s degree in one of the following (or 2 if it’s a joint Honours degree):

agriculture and related subjects

architecture (if it’s a MArch RIBA Part 2 course)

biological sciences

computer science

mathematical sciences

medicine and allied subjects

physical sciences

technologies

courses leading to qualification as a veterinary surgeon

You could also be eligible if you’re starting a healthcare course on or after 1 August 2017.

Your age

There’s no upper age limit for Tuition Fee Loans or grants.

If you’re 60 or over

You may get limited funding for Maintenance Loans if all of the following apply:

you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your
course

you’re studying full-time

your course started on or after 1 August 2016

The amount you can apply for depends on your household income.

Your nationality or residency status

You may be able to get help with:

your tuition fees and living costs (full support)

your tuition fees

The type of help you can get depends on your nationality and residency status.

When you’re eligible for full support

You can apply for full support if all the following apply:

you’re a UK or Irish citizen or have ‘settled status’ (no restrictions on how long you can stay)

you normally live in England

you’ve been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for 3 continuous years before the first day of your course, apart from temporary absences such as going on holiday

You may be eligible for full support if you’re a UK national (or family member of a UK national) who:

returned to the UK by 31 December 2020 after living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

has been living in the UK, the EU, Gibraltar, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein for the past 3 years

You may also be eligible if your residency status is one of the following:

refugee (including family members)

humanitarian protection (including family members)

migrant worker from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein (including family members) with settled or pre-settled status

child of a Swiss national and you and your parent have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

child of a Turkish worker who has permission to stay in the UK - you and your Turkish worker parent must have been living in the UK by 31 December 2020

a stateless person (including family members)

an unaccompanied child granted ‘Section 67 leave’ under the Dubs Amendment

a child who is under the protection of someone granted ‘Section 67 leave’, who is also allowed to stay in the UK for the same period of time as the person responsible for them (known as ‘leave in line’)

granted ‘Calais leave’ to remain

a child of someone granted ‘Calais leave’ to remain, who is also allowed to stay in the UK for the same period of time as their parent (known as ‘leave in line’)

you’ve been given settled status (‘indefinite leave to remain’) because you’ve been the victim of domestic violence

you’ve been granted indefinite leave to remain as a bereaved partner

You could also be eligible if you’re not a UK national and are either:

under 18 and have lived in the UK for at least 7 years

18 or over and have lived in the UK for at least 20 years (or at least half of your life)

You must have been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for 3 continuous years before the first day of your course.

When you can apply for help with your tuition fees

You can apply for tuition fee funding if you’ve been living in the UK, the EU, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland for the past 3 years and you have one of the following:

pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and you’re an EU national or the family member of an EU national

pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and you’re the family member of an Irish citizen or person of Northern Ireland

Irish citizenship

Gibraltarian status as an EU national

been living in Gibraltar as a UK national

If you’re an Irish citizen, you’re still eligible to apply if you’ve lived in the UK and Ireland in the 3 years before your course.

Use the student finance calculator to see what finance you can get.

Apply

Apply for student finance or find out how to apply.

Apply

Find out how to apply for student finance.

Parents or partners of students

Confirm your income if you’re the student’s parent or partner.


Student finance if you suspend or leave your course

Overview

If you leave or suspend your studies you must:

stop your student finance

repay any student finance you are not entitled to

Your student finance includes:

Maintenance Loans

Tuition Fee Loans

grants and bursaries

How much you need to repay and when you need to repay it depends on:

what type of student finance you have

when in the academic year you leave your course

whether you’re planning to return to your course or not

If you suspend because of illness or another serious personal reason, you might still be able to get student finance while you’re away.

Stopping your student finance

You must stop your student finance payments as soon as you decide to suspend your studies or leave your course early.

This will reduce any repayments you may need to make.

Student finance covers:

Maintenance Loans

Tuition Fee Loans

grants and bursaries

How to stop your student finance payments

You must:

tell your university or college that you’re leaving or suspending your course

contact Student Finance England if you’re a student from England

The way to make contact is different if you’re a student from:

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

If you suspend your studies you can usually postpone your student finance payments until you return.

Repaying your student finance

How much and when you have to repay depends on:

the type of student finance you have

Your university or college will tell your student finance provider the date you finished your studies.

Maintenance Loans

Your student finance provider will reassess your Maintenance Loan based on the number of days you attended your course.

If any of your loan covers the period after you’ve left your course, this counts as an overpayment and you’ll need to repay it straight away.

The Student Loans Company will write and tell you how much you must repay. If you cannot repay the full amount, you can ask them to set up a repayment plan.

The rest of your Maintenance Loan is repaid in the usual way once you start earning over the threshold amount.

If you’re planning to return to your studies

The amount you were overpaid will usually be taken off your student finance payments when you return, so you do not have to repay straight away.

Grants and bursaries

If any of your grant or bursary covers the period after you’ve left your course, this counts as an overpayment and you’ll need to repay it straight away.

There are exceptions for:

childcare grants taken in or after the 2019 to 2020 academic year

grants taken in or before the 2016 to 2017 academic year

You do not have to pay back overpayments on these grants until you’ve finished your course.

Tuition Fee Loans

You’ll need to repay at least some of your Tuition Fee loan for the year that you suspend or leave your course.

You’ll need to pay back:

25% of the loan for the year if you suspend or leave in term 1

50% of the loan for the year if you suspend or leave in term 2

all the loan for the year if you suspend or leave in term 3

This is repaid in the usual way once you start earning over the threshold amount.

Getting student finance while you suspend your studies

You might be able to get student finance while you’re away from your course if you suspend due to illness, bereavement or another serious personal reason.

You might also be able to get Disabled Students’ Allowances.

You can apply for funding if you return to your studies.

If you suspend because you’re seriously ill

You might be able to get a Maintenance Loan for 60 days after you suspend your course.

Your university or college must tell the Student Loans Company (SLC) about your situation.

Apply for extra money

If you’re having financial difficulties after 60 days you might be able to get more Maintenance Loan.

Apply to Student Finance England with:

a covering letter explaining your situation, including your customer reference number

evidence to support your claim, such as a bank statement or copy of your tenancy agreement

The address you send your application to is different if you’re a student from:

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

You might also be able to get extra money from your university or college hardship fund.

If you suspend for another serious personal reason

You might still be able to get a Maintenance Loan for some or all the time you’re away from your studies.

Apply to Student Finance England with:

a letter explaining why you have to suspend your course, including your customer reference number and the academic year it relates to

evidence to support your claim

Supporting evidence includes things like:

a letter from your doctor or social services

a letter from your university or college

a bank statement

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

You might need to send more than one piece of evidence.

SLC will send you a letter explaining how much loan money you can get. You’ll usually get a decision within 6 weeks.


Student finance: how to apply

How to apply

How you apply depends on whether you have studied before and your nationality.

New students from England

Most full-time and part-time students can apply online to Student Finance England.

Set up a student finance online account.

Log in and complete the online application.

Include your household income if needed. Your parent or partner will be asked to confirm these details.

Send in proof of identity, if needed.

If you cannot apply online, use the form finder to get the forms you need. You can call Student Finance England if you want to apply online but you cannot use a computer without help.

Continuing students from England

You’re a continuing student if you are:

moving on to the next year of your course

repeating a year of the same course or returning to a course after taking time out

transferring onto a new course from your old course

You should log in to your student finance account and apply online.

If you’re returning to study after taking time out for personal reasons

There’s a different process if you have studied for more than one year before and you’re going back to your studies after stopping your course because of personal reasons. This could be for things like if you were ill, pregnant, caring for someone or someone close to you died.

You must also send a letter explaining why you suspended your studies with supporting evidence.

The letter must include:

your customer reference number for student finance

an explanation of your situation and why you had to suspend your studies

Supporting evidence can include:

a letter from your doctor or social services on headed paper

a letter from your university or college on headed paper

copies of birth or death certificates

You might need to send more than one piece of evidence if it helps you to show why you stopped your course.

Use your online account to send the letter and evidence to Student Finance England, or send it by post.

Student Finance England will send you a letter confirming how much you’ll get, usually within 8 weeks.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

There’s a different process for students from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

New EU students

If you’re applying for tuition fee support and help with living costs, apply online.

If you’re applying for tuition fee support only, apply by post.

You’ll get a letter confirming how much you’ll get, usually within 6 weeks.

Continuing EU students

If you’re applying for tuition fee support only, you’ll be sent application forms to fill in and return by post. Check your address is up to date in your student finance account.

When to apply

You can apply for the following academic years:

2021 to 2022 (part-time students can apply from summer 2021)

2020 to 2021

You can still apply for funding up to 9 months after the first day of the academic year for your course.

Course start date | Apply by

Between 1 August and 31 December | 31 May after your course started

Between 1 January and 31 March | 30 September after your course started

Between 1 April and 30 June | 31 December after your course started

Between 1 July and 31 July | 31 March after your course started

You do not need a confirmed place to apply.

EU students

If you’re an EU student applying for 2021 to 2022, when and how you apply depends on the type of support you want.

Full-time students

If you’re applying for tuition fee support and help with living costs, you can apply online now.

If you’re applying for tuition fee support only, you can apply by post now.

Part-time students

If you’re applying for tuition fee support and help with living costs, you can apply online from summer 2021.

If you’re applying for tuition fee support only, you can apply by post from summer 2021.

Proof of identity

Students from England

Include your valid UK passport details in your application the first time you apply. Fill in the passport details form - do not send the passport itself.

Academic year | Form

2021 to 2022 | UK passport details form 2021 to 2022 (PDF, 49KB)

2020 to 2021 | UK passport details form 2020 to 2021 (PDF, 41KB)

If you do not have a UK passport (or it has expired), send your original birth or adoption certificate to Student Finance England.

Include your name and address. You should also include your customer reference number if you have one. This is an 11-digit number. You can find it on letters or emails you’ve had from Student Finance England.

EU students

Send your non-UK passport or identity card the first time you apply.

Where to send your documents

Any original documents you send will be returned to you within 4 weeks.

Students from England

EU students

Household income

You must provide your household income if you apply for any of the following:

full Maintenance Loan

Maintenance Grant - not available if your course started on or after 1 August 2016

Special Support Grant - not available if your course started on or after 1 August 2016

Childcare Grant

Adult Dependants’ Grant

Parents’ Learning Allowance

You’ll need to provide your household income for tax year:

2019 to 2020 if you’re applying for the 2021 to 2022 academic year

2018 to 2019 if you’re applying for the 2020 to 2021 academic year

After you apply, Student Finance England will ask the people in your household to confirm their income. They might need to provide evidence.

What counts as household income

Your household income includes any of the following that apply:

your parents’ income, if you’re under 25 and live with them or depend on them financially

the combined income of one of your parents and their partner, if you’re under 25 and live with them or depend on them financially

your partner’s income, if you’re over 25 and live with them (even if they spend most of their time abroad)

income you get from your own savings, investments or property, for example dividends or rent

If you’ve supported yourself financially for at least 3 years or had no contact with your parents for over a year, you might be able to apply as an ‘independent student’.

Change an application

You must say if any details in your application change. You’ll need to report some changes yourself. Your parents, partner or sponsor will need to report others.

Changes you must report

Full time students

Use your online account to tell Student Finance England if:

you’ve changed your course, university or college

you’re repeating a year

you’ve changed your name or marital status

your Tuition Fee Loan amount has changed

you’re living somewhere new

Part-time students and EU students

If you’re a part-time or EU student, you’ll need to fill in form CO2 or EUCO1 instead.

| Student type | Form

2020 to 2021 academic year | Part-time student | CO2 form for 2020 to 2021 (PDF, 94KB)

2019 to 2020 academic year | Part-time student | CO2 form for 2019 to 2020 (PDF, 85KB)

2021 to 2022 academic year | EU student | EUCO1 form for 2021 to 2022 (PDF, 136KB)

2020 to 2021 academic year | EU student | EUCO1 form for 2020 to 2021 (PDF, 146KB)

Use your online account to send the form to Student Finance England, or send it by post. The address is on the form.

After your course starts you can contact your university or college to change or repeat your course or change your Tuition Fee Loan.

If you’ve changed your name or marital status

You must write and tell Student Finance England if you’ve changed your name or marital status. The letter must include:

your customer reference number

the date

your signature

evidence that you’ve changed your name or marital status

If you’ve changed your name you must include a copy of one of the following with your letter:

marriage certificate

decree absolute

change of name deed - it must be an enrolled deed poll

If you’ve changed your marital status, you must include a copy of one of the following with your letter:

marriage certificate

decree absolute

civil partnership final order

If you cannot provide the right document, contact Student Finance England.

Changes your parents, partner or sponsor must report

If your household income changes

Your parents or partner must:

correct any mistakes relating to their household income

tell Student Finance England if they think their household income will be at least 15% lower than the tax year they submitted details for

If your parents or sponsor have another child

Your parents or sponsor must tell Student Finance England if they have any more children.


Studying abroad: travel grants for students (England)

Overview

You may get a grant to cover some of your travel expenses if you normally live in England and:

you’re studying abroad as part of your course, or on an Erasmus study or Erasmus work placement

you’re a medical or dental student studying abroad or attending a clinical placement in the UK

You do not have to pay back a travel grant. There are rules on eligibility and how much you’ll get.

There’s a different process if you’re a student from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

What you'll get

The amount you get depends on your total household income. This means your income, if you have one, combined with that of your parents or guardians, or spouse or partner if you live with them. Do not count income from other family members you live with.

You must pay the ﬁrst £303 of your travel costs - and your travel grant will be reduced by £1 for each £8.73 of household income over £39,796.

Keep your travel costs as low as possible without being impractical.

If you’re studying abroad

You can apply for:

up to 3 return journeys between your home and the overseas institution during a full academic year abroad

help with essential expenses, medical insurance and travel visas

You may be able to apply for your children’s travel costs if you’re a single parent.

Medical or dental students doing a clinical placement in the UK

You can apply for travel costs between your home and the hospital or facility where you’re doing your placement.

Eligibility

Your permanent home address must be in England.

If you’re studying abroad

You must attend an overseas institution for at least half of each academic term. This period of study can be compulsory or optional.

You can also get a travel grant if you’re on an Erasmus study or Erasmus work placement. Other work placements do not count.

If you’re doing a clinical placement in the UK

The placement must be an essential part of your medical or dental course. You will not get a travel grant if you’re eligible for means-tested bursaries or awards from the Department of Health.

You can apply if you get student ﬁnance that depends on your household income, for example a Maintenance Loan or Maintenance Grant.

How to apply

If you’re studying abroad

Apply for student finance for your study abroad using your student finance account. You can register and set up an account if you do not already have one.

You’ll then receive a course abroad form.

Once you’ve filled in and returned the form, you’ll automatically receive a travel grant form if you’re eligible.

Keep all receipts for any expenses you want to apply for - you’ll need to send copies when you apply.

The money will be paid direct into your bank account.

After applying for student finance for clinical study you’ll automatically receive a travel grant form if you’re eligible.


Support your child or partner's student finance application

Give details of your household income

You might need to provide information about your income if your child or partner has applied for student finance in England.

Your information will be used to work out if your child or partner can get extra money on top of the Tuition Fee Loan and the basic Maintenance Loan.

There’s a different process if your child or partner is applying in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

You’ll get an email with a link to create an online account or login. You must use your own account - you cannot use the same account as your child or partner.

Provide information about your income in the previous tax year.

If your income this tax year will be at least 15% less you can give your income details for the current tax year instead.

Send in evidence if you’re asked for it.

What information you’ll need

You’ll need to know the following about a previous tax year:

your household’s taxable income

details of your personal taxable income

The previous tax year will be:

2019 to 2020 if your child or partner is applying for the 2021 to 2022 academic year

2018 to 2019 if your child or partner is applying for the 2020 to 2021 academic year

2017 to 2018 if your child or partner is applying for the 2019 to 2020 academic year

If you’re supporting your child’s application

Your household income is the combined income of:

you

your partner, if you live with them (even if you were not living with them during the previous tax year)

income your child gets from their own savings, investments or property, for example dividends or rent

If you’re supporting your partner’s application

Your household income is the combined income of you and your partner (even if you were not living with them during the previous tax year).

How to provide information about your income

Once your child or partner has applied, you’ll get an email within 24 hours with a link so you can provide your information.

You might need to create an account. You must use your own account - you cannot use the same account as your child or partner.

Household income your current income is lower

You can give your details for the current tax year if you think your household income will be at least 15% lower than the tax year you’ve been asked to provide details for.

What happens next

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will check that the information you’ve provided matches their records. This will usually take up to 2 weeks.

You might be asked to send evidence of your:

income - if the details you’ve given do not match HMRC’s records

marital status - if you’re separated or divorced

It can take up to 6 weeks to review your evidence.

Student Finance England will write to your child or partner when all your information has been confirmed.

If your information is still being processed when your child or partner starts their course, they’ll still get the Tuition Fee Loan and the basic Maintenance Loan (if they’re eligible).

Supporting a continuing student

Your child or partner needs to apply for student finance each year.

When they apply, you’ll get an email within 24 hours. The email will have a link to sign in to your account, where you must provide:

your marital status

any changes to the information you provided the previous year

your financial information for the previous tax year

If you provided income details for the current tax year

You can use the same income details that you provided last year.

If your income has dropped by at least 15% again, you can send in a new current tax year income assessment form.

If your income has gone down

You can apply for a current year income assessment if you think your household income this tax year will be at least 15% lower than the year you’ve been asked to give details about.

The current tax year is 6 April 2021 to 5 April 2022.

Check you’re eligible for a current year income assessment

To apply, the student must be on a course where their student finance is based on your household income.

Your total estimated household income for the full current tax year must be at least 15% lower than for a previous tax year.

The previous tax year will be:

You’ll qualify for an assessment if your expected household income after the 15% decrease is between £25,000 and £58,220 a year.

If your household income is more than £58,220 a year but less than £70,004 a year, you may still qualify depending on the student’s circumstances. Check how you’re assessed and paid.

If your total household income is likely to be less than £25,000 a year, you will not be able to get an assessment unless the student needs it to get:

a bursary or scholarship from a university or college

extra student finance for children or dependent adults

How to apply

To apply, you must have already created an online account and given information about a previous tax year.

You then need to complete these 3 steps.

Fill in a current year income assessment form and send it to Student Finance England.

Keep your income details up to date during the year.

Confirm your actual income at the end of the tax year.

Fill in a current year income assessment form

Fill in the form and send it to Student Finance England. You can do this through your online account, or print out the form and send it by post.

If you’re the parent of the student and your partner also lives in the household, you’ll both need to complete the form, even if only one income has changed.

This is because you’re assessed on household income from the same tax year.

When you’re estimating your income, include:

working overtime or extra hours

any maternity or paternity pay

any casual work, shift work or contract work

any pay rises, bonuses or redundancy pay

income changes from changing jobs or returning to work

income from self-employment

Academic year | Course type | Form

2021 to 2022 | Any | Current year income assessment form - 2021 to 2022

2020 to 2021 | Any | Current year income assessment form - 2020 to 2021

2019 to 2020 | Part-time | Current year income assessment form for part-time students - 2019 to 2020

Keep your income details up to date

If your income changes during the year, send a new current tax year income assessment form to Student Finance England as soon as possible.

You’ll be reassessed and the amount of money your student is entitled to might go up or down. Student Finance England will contact the student directly to let them know.

If you do not keep your income details up to date your student may be overpaid. They’ll have to pay back any overpayment straight away.

Confirm your income at the end of the tax year

After the tax year finishes you must send evidence of what your actual income was for the year. You’ll usually be sent a form to fill in at the start of May.

If you’re self-employed

If you have not completed your tax return yet, fill in the form to ask to delay providing evidence until after the Self Assessment deadline (January the following year).

You still need to return evidence for any other employment, for example if you had a salaried job earlier in the year.

If your household income is different from what you estimated

How much your student is entitled to will change. If your actual income was:

lower - your student might be entitled to more money

higher - your student will have to repay any extra money they received

If you do not send in evidence your student will only be entitled to basic student finance. They’ll have to repay any extra money they got based on your income straight away.

If you need to update your details

Fill in a PFF2 or PFF3 form if:

you made a mistake

your circumstances change, such as your marital status or you have another child

Academic year | Course type | Form

2021 to 2022 | Any | PFF2: income details form for full-time students - 2021 to 2022

2020 to 2021 | Any | PFF2: income details form - 2020 to 2021

2019 to 2020 | Part-time | PFF3: income details form for part-time students - 2019 to 2020

Use your online account to send the form to Student Finance England, or send it by post.


Check if your university or college can award a degree

Overview

If your degree is not officially recognised, it might not be accepted by employers, or universities if you’re planning further study.

Your degree will be officially recognised if it’s either:

awarded by an institution on the list of recognised bodies

on the list of recognised awards

If your institution or award is not listed

Your degree can be awarded by a different institution from the place you’re studying.

Your degree will still be officially recognised if the institution that awards your degree is on the list of recognised bodies.

If you’re not sure who awards your degree, ask your university or college, or check their website or prospectus. You can double check this with the institution you’re told awards your degree.

If you have any questions

If you’re not sure who awards your degree after speaking to your university or college, who you contact depends on where you study in the UK.

If you study in England

Email the Office for Students - providerverification@officeforstudents.org.uk.

If you study in Northern Ireland

Contact the Northern Ireland Executive higher education division.

If you study in Scotland

Contact the Scottish Government central enquiry unit.

If you study in Wales

Email the Welsh Government - customerhelp@gov.wales.

Recognised bodies

Recognised bodies are higher learning institutions that can award degrees.

A

University of Aberdeen

Abertay University (formerly University of Abertay Dundee)

Aberystwyth University (Prifysgol Aberystwyth)

Anglia Ruskin University

Anglo-European College of Chiropractic

Archbishop of Canterbury, The

Arden University (formerly known as Resource Development International)

Ashridge Business School

Aston University

B

Bangor University (Prifysgol Bangor)

University of Bath

Bath Spa University

University of Bedfordshire

BIMM Institute

Birkbeck, University of London

University of Birmingham

Birmingham City University

University College Birmingham

Bishop Grosseteste University

University of Bolton

Arts University Bournemouth

Bournemouth University

BPP University

University of Bradford

University of Brighton

University of Bristol

Brunel University London

University of Buckingham

Buckinghamshire New University

C

University of Cambridge

Canterbury Christ Church University

Cardiff Metropolitan University (Prifysgol Metropolitan Caerdydd)

Cardiff University (Prifysgol Caerdydd)

University of Chester

University of Chichester

City, University of London

Courtauld Institute of Art, The (degrees awarded by University of London)

Coventry University

Cranfield University

University for the Creative Arts

University of Cumbria

D

De Montfort University

University of Derby

University of Dundee

Durham University

E

University of East Anglia

University of East London

Edge Hill University

University of Edinburgh, The

Edinburgh Napier University

University of Essex

University of Exeter

F

Falmouth University

G

University of Glasgow

Glasgow Caledonian University

University of Gloucestershire

Glyndŵr University (Prifysgol Glyndŵr)

Goldsmiths, University of London

University of Greenwich

Guildhall School of Music and Drama

H

Harper Adams University

Hartpury University

Heriot-Watt University

University of Hertfordshire

Heythrop College (degrees awarded by University of London)

University of the Highlands and Islands

University of Huddersfield

University of Hull

I

Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (also known as Imperial College London)

Institute of Cancer Research, The (degrees awarded by University of London)

K

Keele University

University of Kent

King’s College London

Kingston University

L

University of Central Lancashire

Lancaster University

University of Leeds

Leeds Beckett University (formerly Leeds Metropolitan University)

Leeds Arts University

Leeds Trinity University

University of Leicester

University of Lincoln

University of Liverpool

Liverpool Hope University

Liverpool John Moores University

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

University of London

London Business School

London Institute of Banking and Finance, The

London Metropolitan University

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

London School of Economics and Political Science, The (LSE)

London South Bank University

University College London

Loughborough University

M

University of Manchester

Manchester Metropolitan University

Middlesex University

N

NCG

NCH at Northeastern

Newcastle University

Newman University, Birmingham

Norland College

University of Northampton, The

Northumbria University Newcastle

Norwich University of the Arts

University of Nottingham

Nottingham Trent University

O

Open University, The

University of Oxford

Oxford Brookes University

P

Plymouth College of Art

Plymouth University

University of Portsmouth

Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland (PTFI)

Q

Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh

Queen Mary, University of London

Queen’s University Belfast

R

Ravensbourne

University of Reading

Regent’s University London

Richmond, The American International University in London

Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

University of Roehampton

Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance

Royal Academy of Music

Royal Agricultural University

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (University of London)

Royal College of Art

Royal College of Music

Royal College of Nursing

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Royal Holloway, University of London

Royal Northern College of Music

Royal Veterinary College, The

S

University of Salford

School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London

University of Sheffield

Sheffield Hallam University

University of South Wales (Prifysgol De Cymru)

University of Southampton

Solent University

University of St Andrews

St George’s, University of London

University of St Mark and St John, Plymouth

St Mary’s University, Twickenham

Staffordshire University

University of Stirling

University of Strathclyde

University of Suffolk

University of Sunderland

University of Surrey

University of Sussex

Swansea University (Prifysgol Abertawe)

T

Teesside University

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

U

University of the Arts, London

University College of Estate Management

University College of Osteopathy

University of Law, The

Ulster University

W

University of Wales (Prifysgol Cymru)

University of Wales Trinity Saint David (Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant

University of Warwick

University of the West of England, Bristol

University of West London

University of the West of Scotland

University of Westminster

University of Winchester, The

University of Wolverhampton

University of Worcester

Writtle University College

Y

University of York

York St John University

Foundation degrees

Recognised bodies that can only award foundation degrees:

Blackpool and the Fylde College

Cornwall College Group

Grimsby Institute of Higher Education

Hull College

Leeds City College

New College Durham

Newcastle College

Warwickshire College

Recognised awards

Certain bodies or institutions can award their own unique degrees. These are known as ‘recognised awards’.

Recognised award | Institution or body

Mastership in Clinical Biochemistry | Awarded jointly by: Royal College of Physicians Royal Society of Chemistry Royal College of Pathologists Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine

Degree of Barrister-at-Law | Benchers of the Honourable Society of the Inn of Court of Northern Ireland

Degree of the Utter Bar | Inns of Court

Master of Horticulture | Royal Horticultural Society

Mastership in Chemical Analysis | Royal Society of Chemistry

Mastership in Food Control | Awarded jointly by:Royal Society of Chemistry Society of Biology Institute of Food Science and Technology


Telling an employer, university or college about your criminal record

When you need to tell an employer, university or college

When you apply for a role or placement, you might need to tell your potential employer, university or college about a:

conviction you got at court

caution you got from the police

You only need tell the employer, university or college about a conviction or caution:

if they ask you to, for example in an interview or on an application form

for a specific amount of time after you got it, or always for certain roles

There are different rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

What information you need to give

The information you need to give a potential employer, university or college about a conviction or caution depends on:

if the conviction or caution is on your basic criminal record

the role you’re applying for

What’s on your basic criminal record and what’s not

After you get a conviction or caution, it’s usually ‘unspent’ for a specific amount of time. The amount of time depends on the type of punishment or sentence you got.

An unspent conviction or caution means:

it’s on your basic criminal record

it will show up on any DBS check (criminal record check)

Most convictions or cautions then become ‘spent’ after a specific amount of time. This might be after a few months or years, or straight away.

A spent conviction or caution means:

it’s not on your basic criminal record anymore

it will only show up on a more detailed DBS check known as ‘standard’ or ‘enhanced’, unless it’s removed (‘filtered’) from the DBS certificate

You can check when a conviction or caution you got will become spent.

You can also read about different convictions or cautions, for example a court fine or a prison sentence.

If you have an unspent conviction or caution

You only need to tell a potential employer, university or college about an unspent conviction or caution if they ask you to.

If they ask you and you do not tell them about it, they might find out by using a DBS check. They could then reject your application or withdraw a job offer, or you might be charged with a crime.

If you have a spent conviction or caution

You only need to tell a potential employer, university or college about a spent conviction or caution if all of the following apply:

they ask you to

they tell you that the role needs a standard or enhanced DBS check

it’s not removed (‘filtered’) from DBS certificates

You can check if the employer, university or college is allowed to request the standard or enhanced DBS check. They can only do this for certain roles, for example if you’re working with children or in healthcare.

It’s against the law for an employer, university or college to refuse you a role because you’ve got a spent conviction or caution, unless it makes you unsuitable for the role. For example, a driving conviction might make you unsuitable for a job as a driving instructor.

Check if you need to tell someone about your conviction or caution

Use this tool to check whether:

a conviction or caution you got in England or Wales is ‘spent’ (not on your basic criminal record)

you need to tell a potential employer, university or college about it

You can also read more about what a spent conviction or caution is.

Check your conviction or caution

Check now

Before you check

For each conviction or caution you’ve had, you’ll need:

the type of conviction or caution you got

the date you got it

the date any conditions ended, or how long your sentence was

If you give approximate dates, the result you get will be approximate.

You will not need to give personal details such as your name. The information you give will not be saved and cannot identify you.

Cautions

A caution is an official warning from the police.

It could be a:

simple caution if you’re 18 or over

youth caution if you’re under 18

conditional caution

Whether a caution is ‘spent’ affects what information you need to give a potential employer, university or college.

When simple and youth cautions become spent

They become spent straight away.

When a conditional caution becomes spent

It becomes spent either:

on the date the conditions end

3 months after you got it, if the conditions have no end date

Fines and compensation

A court might order you to pay:

a fine

compensation to someone (‘compensation order’)

Whether a fine or compensation order is ‘spent’ affects what information you need to give a potential employer, university or college.

When a fine becomes spent

A fine becomes spent:

one year after you got it, if you were 18 or over

6 months after you got it, if you were under 18

There are different rules if a court gives you a fine for a driving offence.

When a compensation order becomes spent

A compensation order becomes spent after you’ve paid someone in full and sent proof of payment to DBS.

Driving convictions

A court might give you a conviction for a driving offence, for example speeding or drink driving.

The conviction could be:

a fine

a driving ban (‘disqualification’)

community service or a prison sentence

Fixed penalty notices (FPN) and penalty charge notices (PCN) are fines for minor driving offences. They will not appear on your criminal record unless a court gives you a conviction because of one.

Whether a driving conviction is ‘spent’ affects what information you need to give a potential employer, university or college.

‘Endorsements’ (penalty points)

A court will give a driving ban or fine with penalty points that appear on your driving record. This is known as an ‘endorsement’.

An endorsement can stay on your driving record for longer than your criminal record.

This means a potential employer, university or college might find out about a driving ban or fine after it’s spent, if they request to check your driving record.

When a fine with an endorsement becomes spent

The fine becomes spent either:

5 years after you got it, if you were 18 or over

2 years and 6 months after you got it, if you were under 18

When a driving ban with an endorsement becomes spent

When a driving ban becomes spent depends on how:

long the ban lasts

old you were when you got it

If you were 18 or over

If the ban lasts less than 5 years, it becomes spent 5 years after you got it.

If the ban lasts more than 5 years, it becomes spent on the date it ends.

If you were under 18

If the ban lasts less than 2 years and 6 months, it becomes spent 2 years and 6 months after you got it.

If the ban lasts more than 2 years and 6 months, it becomes spent on the date it ends.

Prison sentences

A court might:

give you a prison sentence if you’re 18 or over

give you a detention order (‘detention and training order’) if you’re under 18

order you to stay in hospital instead of prison (‘hospital order’) if there are concerns about your mental health

A court can decide to delay a prison sentence for up to 2 years as long as you meet certain conditions. This is known as ‘suspended’.

Whether a sentence is ‘spent’ affects what information you need to give a potential employer, university or college.

When a prison sentence becomes spent

The length of the prison sentence affects when it becomes spent.

Length of your sentence | When it becomes spent

Less than 6 months | 2 years after the sentence ends

6 months to 2 years and 6 months | 4 years after the sentence ends

2 years and 6 months to 4 years | 7 years after the sentence ends

Longer than 4 years | It never becomes spent

If your prison sentence was ‘suspended’ or you were released early

The full length of the prison sentence affects when it becomes spent - not the amount of the time it was suspended for or how long you were in prison.

When a detention order becomes spent

The length of the sentence affects when it becomes spent.

Less than 6 months | 1 year and 6 months after the sentence ends

6 months to 2 years and 6 months | 2 years after the sentence ends

2 years and 6 months to 4 years | 3 years and 6 months after the sentence ends

When a hospital order becomes spent

A hospital order becomes spent either:

on the date it ends

2 years after you got it, if there’s no end date.

Community service

A court might give you:

community service (‘community order’) if you’re 18 or over

a youth order (‘youth rehabilitation order’) or a referral order if you’re under 18

For example unpaid work, a curfew or alcohol treatment.

Whether a community, youth or referral order is ‘spent’ affects what information you need to give a potential employer, university or college.

When community service becomes spent

Community service becomes spent either:

one year after its end date

2 years after you got it, if there’s no end date

When a youth order becomes spent

A youth order becomes spent either:

6 months after its end date

When a referral order becomes spent

A referral order becomes spent on its end date.

Discharges

A discharge is a type of conviction where a court finds you guilty but does not give you a sentence because the offence is very minor.

The conviction could be:

an absolute discharge

a conditional discharge, where you could still get a sentence if you break the conditions

a ‘bind over’, where you could get a fine if you break the conditions

Whether a discharge or bind over is ‘spent’ affects what information you need to give a potential employer, university or college.

When an absolute discharge becomes spent

It becomes spent straight away.

When conditional discharges and bind overs become spent

They become spent either:

on the date they end

2 years after you got one, if there’s no end date

Military convictions

A court might give you a military conviction if they find you guilty of a crime while you served in the British armed forces.

The conviction might be:

a dismissal

a service detention

an overseas community order

a service community order

Whether a military conviction is ‘spent’ affects what information you need to give a potential employer, university or college.

When military convictions become spent

How long it takes for a conviction to become spent depends on how old you were when you were convicted. If you were:

18 or over it takes 12 months

under 18 it takes 6 months

The length of time is calculated from:

the date of your conviction for dismissals

the day on which the sentence is complete for service detentions

the end date for overseas and community service orders - if the order has no end date, it becomes spent after 2 years

If you were given both a dismissal and a service detention then the longer of the two spent dates applies.


Contract types and employer responsibilities

Overview

As an employer, the tax and employment responsibilities you have for your staff will depend on the type of contract you give them and their employment status.

Contract types include:

full-time and part-time contracts

fixed-term contracts

agency staff

freelancers, consultants, contractors

zero-hours contracts

There are also special rules for employing family members, young people and volunteers.

Full-time and part-time contracts

As an employer you must give employees:

a written statement of employment or contract

the statutory minimum level of paid holiday

a payslip showing all deductions, such as National Insurance contributions (NICs)

the statutory minimum length of rest breaks

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

maternity, paternity and adoption pay and leave

You must also:

make sure employees do not work longer than the maximum allowed

pay employees at least the minimum wage

have employer’s liability insurance

provide a safe and secure working environment

register with HM Revenue and Customs to deal with payroll, tax and NICs

consider flexible working requests

avoid discrimination in the workplace

make reasonable adjustments to your business premises if your employee is disabled

Fixed-term contracts

Fixed-term contracts:

last for a certain length of time

are set in advance

end when a specific task is completed

end when a specific event takes place

Fixed-term employees must receive the same treatment as full-time permanent staff.

Find out more about fixed-term employees’ rights, and what to do about renewing or ending a fixed-term contract.

Agency staff

As an employer, you can hire temporary staff through agencies. This means:

you pay the agency, including the employee’s National Insurance contributions (NICs) and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

it’s the agency’s responsibility to make sure workers get their rights under working time regulations

after 12 weeks’ continuous employment in the same role, agency workers get the same terms and conditions as permanent employees, including pay, working time, rest periods, night work, breaks and annual leave

you must provide the agency with information about the relevant terms and conditions in your business so that they can ensure the worker gets equal treatment after 12 weeks in the same job

you must allow agency workers to use any shared facilities (for example a staff canteen or childcare) and give them information about job vacancies from the first day they work there

you are still responsible for their health and safety

Freelancers, consultants and contractors

If you hire a freelancer, consultant or contractor it means that:

they are self-employed or are part of other companies

they often look after their own tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs)

they might not be entitled to the same rights as workers, such as minimum wage

you’re still responsible for their health and safety

Zero-hours contracts

Zero-hours contracts are also known as casual contracts. Zero-hours contracts are usually for ‘piece work’ or ‘on call’ work, for example for interpreters.

This means:

they are on call to work when you need them

you do not have to give them work

they do not have to do work when asked

Zero-hours workers are entitled to statutory annual leave and the National Minimum Wage in the same way as regular workers.

You cannot do anything to stop a zero-hours worker from getting work elsewhere. The law says they can ignore a clause in their contract if it bans them from:

looking for work

accepting work from another employer

You are still responsible for health and safety of staff on zero-hours contracts.

Employing family, young people and volunteers

Family

If you hire family members you must:

avoid special treatment in terms of pay, promotion and working conditions

make sure tax and National Insurance contributions are still paid

follow working time regulations for younger family members

have employer’s liability insurance that covers any young family members

check if you need to provide them with a workplace pension scheme

Volunteers and voluntary staff

When taking on volunteers or voluntary staff you:

are responsible for their health and safety

must give inductions and training in the tasks they’re going to do

Young people

You can employ young people if they are 13 or over but there are special rules about how long they can work and what jobs they can do. Once someone is 18 they’re classed as an ‘adult worker’ and different rules apply.

As well as following these rules you must do a risk assessment before taking on young workers.

Young people may also have certain employment rights like:

statutory maternity pay and ordinary statutory paternity pay if they qualify as a result of their continuous employment

paid time off for study and training

redundancy pay

Young workers and apprentices have different rates from adult workers for the National Minimum Wage.


Employers: preventing discrimination

Overview

It is against the law to treat someone less favourably than someone else because of a personal characteristic such as religion, sex, gender reassignment or age.

Discrimination can include:

not hiring someone

selecting a particular person for redundancy

paying someone less than another worker without good reason

You can discriminate against someone even if you do not intend to. For example, you can discriminate indirectly by offering working conditions or rules that disadvantage one group of people more than another.

Discrimination during recruitment

Discrimination in job adverts

You must not state or imply in a job advert that you’ll discriminate against anyone. This includes saying that you are not able to cater for workers with a disability.

Only use phrases like ‘recent graduate’ or ‘highly experienced’ when these are actual requirements of the job. Otherwise you could discriminate against younger or older people who might not have had the opportunity to get qualifications.

Where you advertise might cause indirect discrimination - for example, advertising only in men’s magazines.

Get help advertising a job without discriminating

Questions you cannot ask when recruiting

You must not ask candidates about ‘protected characteristics’ or whether they:

are married, single or in a civil partnership

have children or plan to have children

Asking about health or disability

You can only ask about health or disability if:

there are necessary requirements of the job that cannot be met with reasonable adjustments

you’re finding out if someone needs help to take part in a selection test or interview

you’re using ‘positive action’ to recruit a disabled person

You might be breaking the law if any discrimination happens during their recruitment process, even if you use a recruitment agency.

Asking for a date of birth

You can only ask for someone’s date of birth on an application form if they must be a certain age to do the job, for example selling alcohol.

You can ask someone their date of birth on a separate equality monitoring form. You should not let the person selecting or interviewing candidates see this form.

Spent criminal convictions

Applicants do not have to tell you about criminal convictions that are spent. You must treat the applicant as if the conviction has not happened, and cannot refuse to employ the person because of their conviction.

There are some areas of employment that are exempt from this rule, for example schools.

Trade union membership

You must not use membership of a trade union as a factor in deciding whether to employ someone. This includes:

not employing someone because they’re a member of a trade union

insisting someone joins a trade union before you’ll employ them

Employing people with protected characteristics

You can choose a candidate who has a protected characteristic over one who does not if they’re both suitable for the job and you think that people with that characteristic:

are underrepresented in the workforce, profession or industry

suffer a disadvantage connected to that characteristic (for example people from a certain ethnic group are not often given jobs in your sector)

You can only do this if you’re trying to address the under-representation or disadvantage for that particular characteristic. You must make decisions on a case by case basis and not because of a certain policy.

You cannot choose a candidate who is not as suitable for the job just because they have a protected characteristic.

Favouring disabled candidates

When a disabled person and a non-disabled person both meet the job requirements, you can treat the disabled person more favourably.

Discrimination during employment

You must not discriminate against your employees. This could be done by, for example:

introducing measures that discriminate between workers, for example a benefit for married
employees that’s not available for people in a civil partnership

paying men and women different amounts (this includes benefits, for example company cars) when they’re doing work of equal value

selecting someone for redundancy because they have a protected characteristic

failing to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled worker

firing someone for making an allegation of discrimination

firing someone because they’re a union member

unfairly rejecting a request for flexible working from a new parent

This includes self-employed people on a contract for you.

Training and promotion cannot just happen because of an employee’s age or the time they’ve worked for you.

You’re allowed to ask employees about their future career plans, including retirement. But you cannot just choose older workers for discussions about retirement. Such talks should be part of general discussions about each worker’s career development.

Employment tribunals

An employee who thinks they’ve been discriminated against may raise a grievance or take their case to an employment tribunal.

You’re responsible for discrimination carried out by your employees unless you can show you’ve done everything you reasonably could to prevent or stop it.

Employing family members

If you hire members of your family you must:

avoid special treatment in terms of pay, promotion and working conditions

make sure tax and National Insurance contributions are done correctly

Gender reassignment

The moment a worker tells their employer that they’re having gender reassignment, they’re protected from discrimination. Discrimination includes:

disadvantaging the worker because of the time they have to take off because of medical treatment

not enabling the worker to use facilities appropriate to their gender

To avoid discrimination, you must:

change your records (for example human resources records) when the worker has a Gender Reassignment Certificate and a new birth certificate

ensure complete confidentiality of all information the worker gives you about their gender history


Employment contracts

Overview

All employees have an employment contract with their employer. A contract is an agreement that sets out an employee’s:

employment conditions

rights

responsibilities

duties

These are called the ‘terms’ of the contract.

Employees and employers must stick to a contract until it ends (for example, by an employer or employee giving notice or an employee being dismissed) or until the terms are changed (usually by agreement between the employee and employer).

If a person has an agreement to do some work for someone (like paint their house), this isn’t an employment contract but a ‘contract to provide services’.

Accepting a contract

As soon as someone accepts a job offer they have a contract with their employer. An employment contract does not have to be written down.

Contract terms

The legal parts of a contract are known as ‘terms’. An employer should make clear which parts of a contract are legally binding.

Contract terms could be:

in a written contract, or similar document like a written statement of employment

verbally agreed

in an employee handbook or on a company notice board

in an offer letter from the employer

required by law (for example, an employer must pay employees at least the National Minimum Wage)

in collective agreements - negotiated agreements between employers and trade unions or staff associations

implied terms - automatically part of a contract even if they’re not written down

Implied terms

If there’s nothing clearly agreed between you and your employer about a particular issue, it may be covered by an implied term - for example:

employees not stealing from their employer

your employer providing a safe and secure working environment

a legal requirement like the right to a minimum of 5.6 weeks’ paid holidays

something necessary to do the job like a driver having a valid licence

something that’s been done regularly in a company over a long time like paying a Christmas bonus

Collective agreements

An employer may have an agreement with employees’ representatives (from trade unions or staff associations) that allows negotiations of terms and conditions like pay or working hours. This is called a collective agreement.

The terms of the agreement could include:

how negotiations will be organised

who will represent employees

which employees are covered by the agreement

which terms and conditions the agreement will cover

Written statement of employment particulars

An employer must give employees and workers a document stating the main conditions of employment when they start work. This is known as a ‘written statement of employment particulars’. It is not an employment contract.

The written statement is made up of:

the main document (known as a ‘principal statement’)

a wider written statement

The employer must provide the principal statement on the first day of employment and the wider written statement within 2 months of the start of employment.

Employers must tell employees or workers about any changes to the written statement. They must do this within one month of making the change.

There are special rules for agencies on documents that they need to provide to agency workers.

The principal statement

The principal statement must include at least:

the employer’s name

the employee’s or worker’s name, job title or a description of work and start date

how much and how often an employee or worker will get paid

hours and days of work and if and how they may vary (also if employees or workers will have to work Sundays, nights or overtime)

holiday entitlement (and if that includes public holidays)

where an employee or worker will be working and whether they might have to relocate

if an employee or worker works in different places, where these will be and what the employer’s address is

how long a job is expected to last (and what the end date is if it’s a fixed-term contract)

how long any probation period is and what its conditions are

any other benefits (for example, childcare vouchers and lunch)

obligatory training, whether or not this is paid for by the employer

For employees, it must also include the date that a previous job started if it counts towards a period of continuous employment.

Working abroad

If an employee or worker has to work outside the UK for more than a month, the principal statement must also include:

how long they’ll be abroad

what currency they’ll be paid in

what additional pay or benefits they’ll get

terms relating to their return to the UK

Other information the employer must give on day one

On the first day of employment the employer must also provide the employee or worker with information about:

sick pay and procedures

other paid leave (for example, maternity leave and paternity leave)

notice periods

The employer can choose whether to include this information in the principal statement or provide it in a separate document. If they provide it in a separate document, this must be something that the employee or worker has reasonable access to, such as on the employer’s intranet.

The wider written statement

Employers must give employees and workers a wider written statement within 2 months of the start of employment. This must include information about:

pensions and pension schemes

collective agreements

any other right to non-compulsory training provided by the employer

disciplinary and grievance procedures

Problems with a written statement

If an employee or worker has a problem receiving their written statement, they can:

Try to solve the problem with their employer informally.

If this does not work, take out a grievance against their employer (employers can also get advice about handling grievances).

Take a case to an employment tribunal as a last resort.

The tribunal will decide what the employment particulars in the statement should have been.

Compensation

If an employee or worker wins a case about another issue (for example, unauthorised deductions from their wage slip), the tribunal may award compensation if there’s been a problem with their written statement as well.

Compensation can be up to 4 weeks’ pay although there’s a limit on how much a tribunal will award for a week’s pay.