I am sixteen and arrived here illegally a month ago. My family were left behind and I am desperate to hear from them. The country I am from is not safe for me to return to. As I am under the age of eighteen am I legally allowed to apply for refugee status as a child?

This information is for children applying on their own.

Claim asylum in the UK

Overview

You must apply for asylum if you want to stay in the UK as a refugee.

To be eligible you must have left your country and be unable to go back because you fear persecution.

Apply for a visa if you want to come to the UK for another reason (for example to work, study or remain with family). If you’re already in the UK and want to remain with family living here, apply for a family of a settled person visa.

You should apply when you arrive in the UK or as soon as you think it would be unsafe for you to return to your own country. Your application is more likely to be denied if you wait.

When you apply you’ll have a meeting with an immigration officer (known as a ‘screening’).

After your screening the Home Office will decide if your claim can be considered in the UK. If it can, you’ll have an asylum interview with a caseworker.

You’ll usually get a decision on your application within 6 months.

You can get up to 2 years in prison or have to leave the UK if you give false information on your application.

Waiting for your decision

You’ll be told after your screening what you must do while you’re waiting for your asylum decision, for example report to a caseworker regularly (known as ‘reporting meetings’).

You must tell the authorities if your situation changes.

You will not usually be allowed to work while your asylum claim is being considered.

Help you can get

You can get help with:

getting legal representation for your asylum claim

living in the UK while you wait for your decision

Children applying on their own

You can apply as a child on your own if you do not have an adult relative who is also claiming asylum.

Eligibility

To stay in the UK as a refugee you must be unable to live safely in any part of your own country because you fear persecution there.

If you’re stateless, your own country is the country you usually live in.

This persecution must be because of:

your race

your religion

your nationality

your political opinion

anything else that puts you at risk because of the social, cultural, religious or political situation in your country, for example, your gender, gender identity or sexual orientation

You must have failed to get protection from authorities in your own country.

When your claim might not be considered

Your claim might not be considered if you:

are from an EU country

travelled to the UK through a ‘safe third country’

have a connection to a safe third country where you could claim asylum

Generally, a safe third country is one that:

you’re not a citizen of

you would not be harmed in

would not send you on to another country where you would be harmed

Family members

You can include your partner and your children under 18 as ‘dependants’ in your application if they’re with you in the UK.

Your children under 18 and your partner can also make their own applications at the same time, but they will not be treated as your dependants.

Documents you must provide

You’ll need documents for yourself and your dependants (partner and children under 18) for your asylum screening.

Documents you should bring (if you have them) include:

passports and travel documents

police registration certificates

identification documents, for example identity cards, birth and marriage certificates or school records

anything you think will help your application

Documents to prove your UK address

If you’re already in the UK, you and your dependants must bring documents that prove your UK address.

You’ll need different documents depending on whether you’re living in your own accommodation or staying with someone else.

Living in your own accommodation

You’ll need to provide documents showing your full name and address. This could be a:

bank statement

housing benefit book

council tax notice

tenancy agreement

household bill

Staying with someone else

You’ll need to provide:

a recent letter (less than 3 months old) from the person you’re staying with to confirm you have their permission to stay

documents showing the full name and address of the person you’re staying with, like a council tax notice, tenancy agreement or household bill

Register your asylum claim

You register your asylum claim at a ‘screening’. This is a meeting with an immigration officer where you tell them about your case.

You’ll have your screening at the UK border if you claim asylum as soon as you arrive. You can also be screened once you’re in the UK if you become eligible for asylum.

At your screening you’ll:

be photographed

have your fingerprints taken

have an interview to check who you are and where you’re from

You’ll be asked why you want asylum. You can bring written evidence to support your claim if you want, as well as your identification documents.

You’ll need to say if you or your dependants are taking any medication and give any relevant medical information.

You can ask for a male or female interviewer, but your choice might not always be available.

Screening at the UK border

You must tell a Border Force officer that you want to claim asylum.

Your application will be registered and you’ll be screened - ask for an interpreter if you need one.

Screening in the UK

You must call the asylum intake unit if you’re already in the UK.

They’ll call you back and ask simple questions about you and your family. You will not be asked why you’re claiming asylum during this telephone call.

You’ll be asked if you need help with housing. You might also be asked questions relating to coronavirus (COVID-19).

The call may take up to 30 minutes.

You do not need to make an appointment if you have nowhere to live - call the asylum intake unit to find out what asylum registration location you should go to and its opening hours.

Tell the asylum intake unit if you need any other dependants on your claim to be present at any stage of your asylum registration, for example the welfare interview, or if you’re a child and need to be accompanied. You can ask to have an interpreter at your screening.

Your appointment might be in a temporary location.

Attending your appointment

Because of coronavirus, attend your appointment alone or with any dependants claiming asylum with you.

If you’re helping a child register their own asylum claim, only you can go with them to their appointment.

You must bring the documents you need for your application.

You must also bring any dependants (partner and children under 18) who are claiming asylum with you.

If you show up without an appointment, you may be asked to come back another day.

You cannot get financial help for travel to or from the asylum intake unit.

Tell the appointment service if your situation changes before your appointment date, for example if you can no longer stay where you are living.

After your screening

After your screening, the Home Office will review your case and decide whether it can be considered in the UK.

You’ll be sent an asylum registration card (ARC) to your UK address, unless you’ve been detained.

If the Home Office cannot send you an ARC immediately, they’ll send you an appointment letter telling you what to do next.

You might also be sent a ‘preliminary information questionnaire’. If you get one, fill it in and return it by the deadline - the address and deadline are written on the letter that comes with the questionnaire. If you cannot fill it in, call the Home Office asylum team. Their phone number is on the letter.

If your case can be considered in the UK, it will be given to a caseworker.

If your case cannot be considered in the UK

You may be sent to a safe country that will consider your asylum claim. This might happen if you’ve travelled to the UK through a safe third country or you have a connection with another country that you could claim asylum in.

Generally, a safe country is one that:

you’re not a citizen of

you would not be harmed in

would not send you on to another country where you would be harmed

The Home Office can decide to send you to a safe country after either your screening or your asylum interview.

If the Home Office cannot place you in another safe country, your case will be considered in the UK and given to a caseworker.

Caseworkers

You’ll have an asylum interview with your caseworker. They’ll make a decision about your application.

They’ll also explain the asylum process and tell you what to do while you wait for an asylum decision, such as go to regular reporting meetings.

You may be detained if you do not go to your reporting meetings.

Tell your caseworker if you have any special needs, for example if you have a disability or need medication.

Your ARC

The ARC shows you’ve applied for asylum. You can use it to:

show who you are

show whether you have permission to work

get health or education services

You must take your ARC with you when you go to your reporting meetings.

If you do not have your ARC

Contact the Home Office using the online form if you have any problems - for example:

you’ve not got your ARC through the post

you’ve lost it

it’s been stolen

it’s expired

You’ll be asked to give your Home Office or port reference number, and your ARC reference (if you know it).

Being detained

You may be detained at an immigration removal centre while you wait for a decision on your application.

You’ll either be:

released if you get permission to stay in the UK

held until you’re removed from the UK if you do not get permission to stay

You can also be detained and removed if it’s decided that another country is responsible for offering you asylum.

You may be able to appeal against the decision.

When you will not be detained

You will not usually be detained if:

you’re a child

you’re elderly

you’re a family with children

you’re pregnant

you’re accepted as being a victim of trafficking

you’re able to provide independent evidence of torture

you have a mental or physical condition that cannot be managed or would present a risk to others in an immigration removal centre

Asylum interview

Your asylum interview will take place soon after your screening.

Your application will usually be rejected if you do not go to your asylum interview.

You’ll get a letter telling you when and where to attend and if any of your dependants also need to be interviewed.

The interview

You’ll usually be interviewed alone, without your family members. An interpreter will be provided, if you need one.

The information you provide will be treated in confidence and will not be disclosed to the authorities in your own country.

Use this interview to explain:

how you were persecuted in your country

why you’re afraid to go back to your country

You may be asked questions about difficult topics but it’s important that you explain what has happened to you and your family.

You must tell the caseworker everything you want them to consider or it can count against you.

Bring all the evidence you have of your persecution. You may be asked to send further evidence to your caseworker after the interview, if they think it might help your application.

You should also bring your birth certificate, passport and medical records if you have them.

Your caseworker will make notes in a document called an ‘interview record’. You’ll get a copy of this at the end of the interview.

Legal representative

You can bring a legal representative to this interview, for example a lawyer or solicitor. Find out if you can get help paying for legal advice about asylum.

Your interview will take place even if your legal representative is not there. You cannot ask for more time to get a legal representative.

You can ask for this interview to be tape recorded if you do not have legal representation. Ask your caseworker at least one day before.

Get a decision

Your application will usually be decided within 6 months. It may take longer if it’s complicated, for example:

your supporting documents need to be verified

you need to attend more interviews

your personal circumstances need to be checked, for example because you have a criminal conviction or you’re currently being prosecuted

Ask your legal adviser if you want an update on your application.

You’ll be given or refused permission to stay in one of the following ways.

Permission to stay as a refugee

You and your dependants may be given permission to stay in the UK for 5 years if you qualify for asylum. This is known as ‘leave to remain’.

After 5 years, you can apply to settle in the UK.

Permission to stay for humanitarian reasons

You may get permission to stay for humanitarian reasons if you do not qualify for asylum. This means you need to stay in the UK for your protection.

You and your dependants may be given permission to stay in the UK for 5 years. This is known as ‘leave to enter’ or ‘leave to remain’.

Permission to stay for other reasons

You may get permission to stay for other reasons if you do not qualify for permission to stay as a refugee or for humanitarian reasons.

How long you can stay will depend on your situation.

You may be able to apply to extend your stay or settle in the UK towards the end of your stay.

No reason to stay

You’ll be asked to leave the UK if you do not qualify for asylum and your caseworker decides there’s no other reason for you to stay.

You may be able to appeal against the decision.

You’ll have to leave if you do not appeal in the time allowed, or if your appeal is unsuccessful. You can:

leave by yourself - you can get help with returning home

be forced to leave - you’ll get a letter before this happens, then you may be detained without warning at an immigration removal centre and then removed from the UK

Help you can get

You can get help from asylum helplines run by charities.

They can help with:

explaining your asylum claim, for example getting a solicitor or lawyer to represent you

living in the UK while your claim is being considered, for example getting asylum support, housing problems, dealing with agencies or finding English language classes and schools

Legal advice

You can get legal advice to help your asylum claim.

Housing and money

You may also be able to get housing and money (‘asylum support’) to support you and your family. This will only start from the day of your screening if you qualify.

Help returning home

You may be able to get help with returning home.

If you're under 18

This information is for children applying on their own.

If you have an adult relative who’s claiming asylum you should apply as part of that relative’s application instead.

You’re not in the care of social services

You should use the walk-in service at the asylum intake unit.

If you have an adult who is legally responsible for you

The adult who is taking responsibility for your care must attend the walk-in service at the asylum intake unit with you.

If you’re living with several relatives the closest blood relative willing to take responsibility for you must attend.

The adult must provide proof of address and photo ID (passport or driving licence).

If you do not have an adult who is legally responsible for you

You should go to the police or social services, or you can walk into the asylum intake unit.

You’re in the care of social services

You must book an appointment at the asylum intake unit by calling the appointment booking line.

You’ll need the following information when you book your appointment:

your name, date of birth and nationality

the number on your passport or national identity document, if you have one - or the number on your birth certificate if you do not

your foster carer’s name and contact details

details of any medical conditions you have

For more information read the guidance on processing asylum applications from children.


I have been working for a law firm (as a receptionist) for just over a year. I am fortunate to have been working near to my home but my boss has just announced that we are relocating to a town ten miles away. Can I protest this on the grounds that it will take me a long time to get to work now?

This may include:

Request an information and consultation agreement with your employer

Overview

You, together with other employees, can ask your employer to keep you informed and consult with you on issues related to your company or organisation.

This may include:

the company or organisation’s performance, for example financially and competitively

any changes to your working conditions and employment prospects

This is called an information and consultation agreement.

Your employer can start negotiating an agreement without a request from its employees.

How to make a request

Check that you’re eligible.

Write to your employer or the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) with your request.

Eligibility

To make a request, you need to be an employee of a company or organisation which has both:

at least 50 employees

its registered office, head office or main operation in England, Scotland or Wales

There’s a different process if you work for a company or organisation based in Northern Ireland, unless both of these apply:

its head office or registered office is in England, Scotland or Wales

the majority of its employees work in England, Scotland or Wales

Number of employees needed to take part

Employees can either individually request an arrangement or make a single request as a group.

For the request to be valid the following must apply:

at least 2% of all the employees in the company or organisation make a request

at least 15 employees must make the request

individual requests must be received within a 6 month period to be counted together

Find out the number of employees

You can write to your employer to ask how many people they employ.

You can complain to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) if:

your employer refuses to provide the number of employees

you think the number they’ve given you is wrong

Download and fill in the complaint form and send it to the address on the form.

Make a request

You can either write to:

your employer to request an arrangement

the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) - you can do this if you don’t want your employer to know you’re making a request

Request direct to your employer

Include the following:

the date you’re making the request

your name and the names of any other employees included in your request

Request through CAC

Email enquiries@cac.gov.uk with the following:

the date you’re making the request

your name and address

your employer’s name and address

the name of the manager who represents the employer

CAC will tell you and the employer how many requests have been made, without revealing the names of the employees.

What happens next

Your employer can start negotiating with you straight away if they choose to, regardless of how many employees have applied.

If more than 40% of employees have requested an agreement, your employer must start negotiating with you.

If less than 40% of employees have requested an agreement, your employer can:

say that there’s already a pre-existing agreement

hold an employee ballot to see if they should start negotiations

An employer can dispute the validity of any request.

Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) can be asked to decide if
requests are valid and if pre-existing agreements already exist.

Pre-existing agreements

Your employer may say there’s already an agreement about keeping you informed and consulting you.

A pre-existing agreement is a written explanation of how the employer informs and consults employees or representatives. It must:

cover all employees

have been agreed by those employees

You can complain to CAC if you do not agree there’s a pre-existing agreement.

If a ballot is held

Your employer may hold a ballot (a vote) to decide if they should start negotiating.

They must:

tell you no more than 1 month after they get your request that they’re going to hold a ballot

hold the ballot no sooner than 21 days after they tell you about it

Your employer might decide to hold a combined ballot of all employees if there is already an agreement (or more than one agreement) covering other parts of the business in addition to your own.

All employees must be allowed to vote in the ballot and the voting must be done in private.

Results of the ballot

Your employer must start negotiations with you if both these apply:

at least 40% of employees took part in the ballot

more than 50% of those voting supported the request for an information and consultation agreement

You cannot request a new agreement for 3 years if the results of the employee ballot do not meet both these requirements.

Complain about a ballot

Download and fill in the relevant complaint form and send it to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) if:

the employer has not told you that they’re holding a ballot within 1 month of getting your request - use form 8(7)

you think the employer is taking too long to hold a ballot after they’ve said they would and 21 days have passed - use form 8(8)

you believe the ballot was not fair - make the complaint within 21 days of the ballot using form 10(2)

Negotiate an agreement

You need to negotiate with your employer when they agree - or the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) instruct them - to set up an agreement.

The terms will need to be agreed and written down by your employer and the employee representatives.

If the negotiations are started by the employer without receiving a request, they must inform all employees in writing about what’s happening. You can complain to CAC if they do not.

Selection of employee representatives

Your employer must make sure that every employee is represented by at least one representative. They can choose whether this is done by appointing or electing the representatives but all employees have a right to be involved in this process.

Complain to CAC within 21 days of the selection of the representatives if you think your employer has not done this properly.

CAC may tell the employer to rerun the process for appointing or electing representatives.

If negotiations fail

If your employer does not enter negotiations or an agreement cannot be reached then they must give you the following information and consult with you on:

what the company or organisation is doing, its economic situation and its future prospects

any changes to employee numbers and organisation, employment prospects, and particularly any threats to jobs within the company or organisation

decisions that might lead to changes in work organisation or in employment contracts including TUPE transfers and collective redundancies

Complaints when an agreement is in place

Complain to CAC by filling in the relevant form if you believe:

your employer has not complied with the terms of an agreement

your employer has made an unreasonable request that you keep information confidential

that disclosing particular information would harm your business

any changes to your working conditions and employment prospects

Overview

This may include:

the company or organisation’s performance, for example financially and competitively

This is called an information and consultation agreement.

How to make a request

Check that you’re eligible.

Write to your employer or the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) with your request.

Eligibility

at least 50 employees

its registered office, head office or main operation in England, Scotland or Wales

its head office or registered office is in England, Scotland or Wales

the majority of its employees work in England, Scotland or Wales

Number of employees needed to take part

For the request to be valid the following must apply:

at least 2% of all the employees in the company or organisation make a request

at least 15 employees must make the request

individual requests must be received within a 6 month period to be counted together

Find out the number of employees

You can write to your employer to ask how many people they employ.

You can complain to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) if:

your employer refuses to provide the number of employees

you think the number they’ve given you is wrong

Download and fill in the complaint form and send it to the address on the form.

Make a request

You can either write to:

your employer to request an arrangement

Request direct to your employer

Include the following:

the date you’re making the request

your name and the names of any other employees included in your request

Request through CAC

Email enquiries@cac.gov.uk with the following:

the date you’re making the request

your name and address

your employer’s name and address

the name of the manager who represents the employer

What happens next

If less than 40% of employees have requested an agreement, your employer can:

say that there’s already a pre-existing agreement

hold an employee ballot to see if they should start negotiations

An employer can dispute the validity of any request.

Pre-existing agreements

cover all employees

have been agreed by those employees

You can complain to CAC if you do not agree there’s a pre-existing agreement.

If a ballot is held

Your employer may hold a ballot (a vote) to decide if they should start negotiating.

They must:

hold the ballot no sooner than 21 days after they tell you about it

Results of the ballot

Your employer must start negotiations with you if both these apply:

at least 40% of employees took part in the ballot

Complain about a ballot

Negotiate an agreement

Selection of employee representatives

If negotiations fail

Complaints when an agreement is in place

Complain to CAC by filling in the relevant form if you believe:

your employer has not complied with the terms of an agreement

that disclosing particular information would harm your business


I am 21 and work in a factory. Until recently we were allowed to listen to the radio as we worked but this right has been taken away from us. Over ten of us would like to make a complaint about this. How many people need to agree to complain before we would get a hearing?

For the request to be valid the following must apply:

Overview

You, together with other employees, can ask your employer to keep you informed and consult with you on issues related to your company or organisation.

This may include:

the company or organisation’s performance, for example financially and competitively

any changes to your working conditions and employment prospects

This is called an information and consultation agreement.

Your employer can start negotiating an agreement without a request from its employees.

How to make a request

Check that you’re eligible.

Write to your employer or the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) with your request.

Eligibility

To make a request, you need to be an employee of a company or organisation which has both:

at least 50 employees

its registered office, head office or main operation in England, Scotland or Wales

There’s a different process if you work for a company or organisation based in Northern Ireland, unless both of these apply:

its head office or registered office is in England, Scotland or Wales

the majority of its employees work in England, Scotland or Wales

Number of employees needed to take part

Employees can either individually request an arrangement or make a single request as a group.

at least 2% of all the employees in the company or organisation make a request

at least 15 employees must make the request

individual requests must be received within a 6 month period to be counted together

Find out the number of employees

You can write to your employer to ask how many people they employ.

You can complain to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) if:

your employer refuses to provide the number of employees

you think the number they’ve given you is wrong

Download and fill in the complaint form and send it to the address on the form.

Make a request

You can either write to:

your employer to request an arrangement

the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) - you can do this if you don’t want your employer to know you’re making a request

Request direct to your employer

Include the following:

the date you’re making the request

your name and the names of any other employees included in your request

Request through CAC

Email enquiries@cac.gov.uk with the following:

the date you’re making the request

your name and address

your employer’s name and address

the name of the manager who represents the employer

CAC will tell you and the employer how many requests have been made, without revealing the names of the employees.

What happens next

Your employer can start negotiating with you straight away if they choose to, regardless of how many employees have applied.

If more than 40% of employees have requested an agreement, your employer must start negotiating with you.

If less than 40% of employees have requested an agreement, your employer can:

say that there’s already a pre-existing agreement

hold an employee ballot to see if they should start negotiations

An employer can dispute the validity of any request.

Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) can be asked to decide if
requests are valid and if pre-existing agreements already exist.

Pre-existing agreements

Your employer may say there’s already an agreement about keeping you informed and consulting you.

A pre-existing agreement is a written explanation of how the employer informs and consults employees or representatives. It must:

cover all employees

have been agreed by those employees

You can complain to CAC if you do not agree there’s a pre-existing agreement.

If a ballot is held

Your employer may hold a ballot (a vote) to decide if they should start negotiating.

They must:

tell you no more than 1 month after they get your request that they’re going to hold a ballot

hold the ballot no sooner than 21 days after they tell you about it

Your employer might decide to hold a combined ballot of all employees if there is already an agreement (or more than one agreement) covering other parts of the business in addition to your own.

All employees must be allowed to vote in the ballot and the voting must be done in private.

Results of the ballot

Your employer must start negotiations with you if both these apply:

at least 40% of employees took part in the ballot

more than 50% of those voting supported the request for an information and consultation agreement

You cannot request a new agreement for 3 years if the results of the employee ballot do not meet both these requirements.

Complain about a ballot

Download and fill in the relevant complaint form and send it to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) if:

the employer has not told you that they’re holding a ballot within 1 month of getting your request - use form 8(7)

you think the employer is taking too long to hold a ballot after they’ve said they would and 21 days have passed - use form 8(8)

you believe the ballot was not fair - make the complaint within 21 days of the ballot using form 10(2)

Negotiate an agreement

You need to negotiate with your employer when they agree - or the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) instruct them - to set up an agreement.

The terms will need to be agreed and written down by your employer and the employee representatives.

If the negotiations are started by the employer without receiving a request, they must inform all employees in writing about what’s happening. You can complain to CAC if they do not.

Selection of employee representatives

Your employer must make sure that every employee is represented by at least one representative. They can choose whether this is done by appointing or electing the representatives but all employees have a right to be involved in this process.

Complain to CAC within 21 days of the selection of the representatives if you think your employer has not done this properly.

CAC may tell the employer to rerun the process for appointing or electing representatives.

If negotiations fail

If your employer does not enter negotiations or an agreement cannot be reached then they must give you the following information and consult with you on:

what the company or organisation is doing, its economic situation and its future prospects

any changes to employee numbers and organisation, employment prospects, and particularly any threats to jobs within the company or organisation

decisions that might lead to changes in work organisation or in employment contracts including TUPE transfers and collective redundancies

Complaints when an agreement is in place

Complain to CAC by filling in the relevant form if you believe:

your employer has not complied with the terms of an agreement

your employer has made an unreasonable request that you keep information confidential

that disclosing particular information would harm your business

at least 2% of all the employees in the company or organisation make a request

Overview

This may include:

the company or organisation’s performance, for example financially and competitively

any changes to your working conditions and employment prospects

This is called an information and consultation agreement.

Your employer can start negotiating an agreement without a request from its employees.

How to make a request

Check that you’re eligible.

Write to your employer or the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) with your request.

Eligibility

To make a request, you need to be an employee of a company or organisation which has both:

at least 50 employees

its registered office, head office or main operation in England, Scotland or Wales

its head office or registered office is in England, Scotland or Wales

the majority of its employees work in England, Scotland or Wales

Number of employees needed to take part

Employees can either individually request an arrangement or make a single request as a group.

For the request to be valid the following must apply:

at least 15 employees must make the request

individual requests must be received within a 6 month period to be counted together

Find out the number of employees

You can write to your employer to ask how many people they employ.

You can complain to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) if:

your employer refuses to provide the number of employees

you think the number they’ve given you is wrong

Download and fill in the complaint form and send it to the address on the form.

Make a request

You can either write to:

your employer to request an arrangement

Request direct to your employer

Include the following:

the date you’re making the request

your name and the names of any other employees included in your request

Request through CAC

Email enquiries@cac.gov.uk with the following:

the date you’re making the request

your name and address

your employer’s name and address

the name of the manager who represents the employer

What happens next

If less than 40% of employees have requested an agreement, your employer can:

say that there’s already a pre-existing agreement

hold an employee ballot to see if they should start negotiations

An employer can dispute the validity of any request.

Pre-existing agreements

Your employer may say there’s already an agreement about keeping you informed and consulting you.

cover all employees

have been agreed by those employees

You can complain to CAC if you do not agree there’s a pre-existing agreement.

If a ballot is held

Your employer may hold a ballot (a vote) to decide if they should start negotiating.

They must:

tell you no more than 1 month after they get your request that they’re going to hold a ballot

hold the ballot no sooner than 21 days after they tell you about it

All employees must be allowed to vote in the ballot and the voting must be done in private.

Results of the ballot

Your employer must start negotiations with you if both these apply:

at least 40% of employees took part in the ballot

more than 50% of those voting supported the request for an information and consultation agreement

Complain about a ballot

Negotiate an agreement

The terms will need to be agreed and written down by your employer and the employee representatives.

Selection of employee representatives

CAC may tell the employer to rerun the process for appointing or electing representatives.

If negotiations fail

what the company or organisation is doing, its economic situation and its future prospects

Complaints when an agreement is in place

Complain to CAC by filling in the relevant form if you believe:

your employer has not complied with the terms of an agreement

your employer has made an unreasonable request that you keep information confidential

that disclosing particular information would harm your business

at least 15 employees must make the request

Overview

This may include:

the company or organisation’s performance, for example financially and competitively

any changes to your working conditions and employment prospects

This is called an information and consultation agreement.

Your employer can start negotiating an agreement without a request from its employees.

How to make a request

Check that you’re eligible.

Write to your employer or the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) with your request.

Eligibility

To make a request, you need to be an employee of a company or organisation which has both:

at least 50 employees

its registered office, head office or main operation in England, Scotland or Wales

its head office or registered office is in England, Scotland or Wales

the majority of its employees work in England, Scotland or Wales

Number of employees needed to take part

Employees can either individually request an arrangement or make a single request as a group.

For the request to be valid the following must apply:

at least 2% of all the employees in the company or organisation make a request

individual requests must be received within a 6 month period to be counted together

Find out the number of employees

You can write to your employer to ask how many people they employ.

You can complain to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) if:

your employer refuses to provide the number of employees

you think the number they’ve given you is wrong

Download and fill in the complaint form and send it to the address on the form.

Make a request

You can either write to:

your employer to request an arrangement

Request direct to your employer

Include the following:

the date you’re making the request

your name and the names of any other employees included in your request

Request through CAC

Email enquiries@cac.gov.uk with the following:

the date you’re making the request

your name and address

your employer’s name and address

the name of the manager who represents the employer

What happens next

If less than 40% of employees have requested an agreement, your employer can:

say that there’s already a pre-existing agreement

hold an employee ballot to see if they should start negotiations

An employer can dispute the validity of any request.

Pre-existing agreements

Your employer may say there’s already an agreement about keeping you informed and consulting you.

cover all employees

have been agreed by those employees

You can complain to CAC if you do not agree there’s a pre-existing agreement.

If a ballot is held

Your employer may hold a ballot (a vote) to decide if they should start negotiating.

They must:

tell you no more than 1 month after they get your request that they’re going to hold a ballot

hold the ballot no sooner than 21 days after they tell you about it

All employees must be allowed to vote in the ballot and the voting must be done in private.

Results of the ballot

Your employer must start negotiations with you if both these apply:

at least 40% of employees took part in the ballot

more than 50% of those voting supported the request for an information and consultation agreement

Complain about a ballot

Negotiate an agreement

The terms will need to be agreed and written down by your employer and the employee representatives.

Selection of employee representatives

CAC may tell the employer to rerun the process for appointing or electing representatives.

If negotiations fail

what the company or organisation is doing, its economic situation and its future prospects

Complaints when an agreement is in place

Complain to CAC by filling in the relevant form if you believe:

your employer has not complied with the terms of an agreement

your employer has made an unreasonable request that you keep information confidential

that disclosing particular information would harm your business


My uncle has developed a serious blood clot after getting his first dose of covid vaccine which has left him severed paralysed and disabled. My uncle is considered to be severely disabled. Is there a way he can be compensated for the damages  after this unfortunate episode?

Disablement is worked out as a percentage, and ‘severe disablement’ means at least 60% disabled.

Vaccine Damage Payment

Overview

If you’re severely disabled as a result of a vaccination against certain diseases, you could get a one-off tax-free payment of £120,000. This is called a Vaccine Damage Payment.

Effect on benefits you receive

A Vaccine Damage Payment can affect benefits and entitlements like:

Income Support

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

Working Tax Credit

Child Tax Credit

Universal Credit

Pension Credit

Housing Benefit

Council Tax Reduction

Employment and Support Allowance

The effect the payment will have depends on a number of things. This includes the payment being put into a trust and the payments being made from it.

You should let the office that deals with your benefit or tax credit claim know if you’ve got a Vaccine Damage Payment. You can get contact details from letters they have sent you.

What you'll get

A Vaccine Damage Payment is a tax free one-off payment of £120,000.

How you’re paid

You’ll get payment direct to you or, if you’re under 18 or cannot manage your own affairs, payment will be made to trustees.

If you live with your family, your parents may be appointed as trustees.

All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into an account, for example your bank account.

Eligibility

You could get a payment if you’re severely disabled and your disability was caused by vaccination against any of the following diseases:

coronavirus (COVID-19)

diphtheria

haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

human papillomavirus

influenza, except for influenza caused by a pandemic influenza virus

measles

meningococcal group B (meningitis B)

meningococcal group C (meningitis C)

meningococcal group W (meningitis W)

mumps

pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 (swine flu) - up to 31 August 2010

pertussis (whooping cough)

pneumococcal infection

poliomyelitis

rotavirus

rubella (German measles)

smallpox - up to 1 August 1971

tetanus

tuberculosis (TB)

You may have had a combined vaccination against a number of the diseases listed. For example, you might have been vaccinated against DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) or MMR (measles, mumps and rubella).

You may also be able to get a payment if you’re severely disabled because either:

your mother was vaccinated against one of the diseases in the list while she was pregnant

you’ve been in close physical contact with someone who’s had an oral vaccine against poliomyelitis

What counts as ‘severely disabled’

This could be a mental or physical disablement and will be based on medical evidence from the doctors or hospitals involved in your treatment.

When and where the vaccination must have taken place

You must normally have been vaccinated before your 18th birthday, unless the vaccination was during an outbreak of disease in the UK or the Isle of Man, or it was against:

coronavirus (COVID-19)

poliomyelitis

rubella

meningococcal group C

human papillomavirus

meningococcal group W before your 26th birthday

influenza

The vaccination must have been given in the UK or the Isle of Man, unless you were vaccinated as part of your armed forces medical treatment.

How to claim

Apply by filling out a claim form. If you’re under 16, your parent or guardian should claim on your behalf.

Send it to:

You can also contact the Vaccine Damage Payments Unit to ask for a claim form:

Time limits on making a claim

You can only claim for a child once they are 2 years old.

To claim for an adult, apply by whichever is the latest of the following dates:

on or before their 21st birthday (or if they’ve died, the date they would have reached 21)

within 6 years of the vaccination

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for ‘mandatory reversal’

If the decision was made after 27 October 2013

Write to the Vaccine Damage Payments Unit. You must:

explain why you think the decision is wrong

include any new evidence to support your application - only include evidence you have not already sent

You need to include:

the date of the original payment decision

your name and address

your date of birth

your National Insurance number

If the decision was made on or before 27 October 2013

Contact the Vaccine Damage Payments Unit for advice on challenging the decision.

What happens next

The original decision will be reviewed. The Department for Work and Pensions will send you a new decision if they think it should be changed.

If they do not think the decision should be changed, you’ll get a ‘mandatory reversal notice’ that will explain the reasons why. This will include the information you need to be able to appeal.

If you disagree with the outcome

You can ask for mandatory reversal again - there’s no limit on the number of times you can make this request, and no time limit.

You can also appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal. The tribunal is impartial and independent of government.

There is no time limit for requesting an appeal.

Download and fill in form SSCS1 and send it to the address on the form.

You’ll need to choose whether you want to go to the tribunal hearing to explain your case. If you do not attend, your appeal will be decided on your appeal form and any supporting evidence.

After you submit your appeal, you can provide evidence. Your appeal and the evidence will be discussed at a hearing by a judge and one or two experts, for example a doctor. The judge will then make a decision.

It usually takes around 6 months for for your appeal to be heard by the tribunal.


I work as a full-time employee at a company in the UK, and am currently expecting my second child. Complications with my first pregnancy resulted in my son being born three weeks premature, and I am concerned that the problem may recur. I am going to be off due to pregnancy sickness three weeks before my maternity leave. How long before my due date can I start my Statutory Maternity Leave?

Leave will also start:

Maternity pay and leave

Overview

When you take time off to have a baby you might be eligible for:

Statutory Maternity Leave

Statutory Maternity Pay

paid time off for antenatal care

extra help from the government

There are rules on when and how to claim your paid leave and if you want to change your dates.

You can work out your maternity pay and leave online.

You may also be eligible to get Shared Parental Leave and Pay.

Employment rights when on leave

Your employment rights are protected while on Statutory Maternity Leave. This includes your right to:

pay rises

build up (accrue) holiday

return to work

Leave

Statutory Maternity Leave is 52 weeks. It’s made up of:

Ordinary Maternity Leave - first 26 weeks

Additional Maternity Leave - last 26 weeks

You do not have to take 52 weeks but you must take 2 weeks’ leave after your baby is born (or 4 weeks if you work in a factory).

Use the maternity planner to work out the dates for your ordinary and additional leave.

You may be entitled to take some of your leave as Shared Parental Leave.

Start date and early births

Usually, the earliest you can start your leave is 11 weeks before the expected week of childbirth.

Leave will also start:

the day after the birth if the baby is early

Use the maternity planner to work out the earliest date your maternity leave can start.

Change your date for returning to work

You must give your employer at least 8 weeks’ notice if you want to change your return to work date.

Pay

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for up to 39 weeks. You get:

90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks

£151.97or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks

SMP is paid in the same way as your wages (for example monthly or weekly). Tax and National Insurance will be deducted.

Use the maternity pay calculator to work out how much you could get.

If you take Shared Parental Leave you’ll get Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP). ShPP is £151.97 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.

Start date

SMP usually starts when you take your maternity leave.

It starts automatically if you’re off work for a pregnancy-related illness in the 4 weeks before the week (Sunday to Saturday) that your baby is due.

Problems and disputes

Ask your employer to explain your SMP if you think it’s not right. If you disagree about the amount or your employer cannot pay (for example because they’re insolvent), contact the Statutory Payment Disputes Team.

Eligibility

Statutory Maternity Leave

You qualify for Statutory Maternity Leave if:

you’re an employee not a ‘worker’

you give your employer the correct notice

It does not matter how long you’ve been with your employer, how many hours you work or how much you get paid.

You cannot get Statutory Maternity Leave if you have a child through surrogacy - you could get Statutory Adoption Leave and Pay instead.

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

To qualify for SMP you must:

earn on average at least £120 a week

give the correct notice

give proof you’re pregnant

have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks continuing into the ‘qualifying week’ - the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth

If you usually earn an average of £120 or more a week, and you only earned less in some weeks because you were paid but not working (‘on furlough’) under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, you may still be eligible.

You cannot get SMP if you go into police custody during your maternity pay period. It will not restart when you’re discharged.

Early births or you lose your baby

You can still get Statutory Maternity Leave and SMP if your baby:

is born early

is stillborn after the start of your 24th week of pregnancy

dies after being born

If you’re not eligible for SMP

Your employer must give you form SMP1 explaining why you cannot get SMP within 7 days of making their decision. You may be eligible for Maternity Allowance instead.

How to claim

Statutory Maternity Leave

At least 15 weeks before your due date, tell your employer when the baby is due and when you want to start your maternity leave. Your employer can ask for this in writing.

Your employer must write to you within 28 days confirming your start and end dates.

Use the maternity planner to work out when you must claim your maternity leave.

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

Tell your employer you want to stop work to have a baby and the day you want your SMP to start. You must give them at least 28 days’ notice (in writing if they ask for it) and proof that you’re pregnant.

Your employer must confirm within 28 days how much SMP you’ll get and when it will start and stop.

If they decide you’re not eligible, they must give you form SMP1 within 7 days of making their decision and explain why.

Proof you’re pregnant

You need to give your employer proof of the pregnancy to get SMP. You do not need it for maternity leave.

Within 21 days of your SMP start date (or as soon as possible if the baby’s born early) give your employer either:

a letter from your doctor or midwife

your MATB1 certificate - doctors and midwives will give you this no more than 20 weeks before the due date

You will not get SMP if you do not give your employer proof that the baby is due.

Extra help

Maternity benefits

Use a benefits calculator to see what help you can get from:

Universal Credit

Child Benefit

Child Tax Credit

Working Tax Credit - this can continue for 39 weeks after you go on maternity leave

Income Support - you may get this while you’re not working

You could get a £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant (usually if it’s your first child).

If you’re not eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay, you could get Maternity Allowance from the government.

Company maternity schemes

You might get more than the statutory amount of leave and pay if your employer has a company maternity scheme. They cannot offer you less than the statutory amount.

Extra leave

You could get 18 weeks’ unpaid parental leave after the birth - this may be restricted to 4 weeks per year.

Maternity pay and leave

Overview

When you take time off to have a baby you might be eligible for:

Statutory Maternity Leave

Statutory Maternity Pay

paid time off for antenatal care

extra help from the government

You can work out your maternity pay and leave online.

You may also be eligible to get Shared Parental Leave and Pay.

Employment rights when on leave

pay rises

build up (accrue) holiday

return to work

Leave

Statutory Maternity Leave is 52 weeks. It’s made up of:

Ordinary Maternity Leave - first 26 weeks

Additional Maternity Leave - last 26 weeks

You may be entitled to take some of your leave as Shared Parental Leave.

Start date and early births

Leave will also start:

the day after the birth if the baby is early

Change your date for returning to work

Pay

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for up to 39 weeks. You get:

90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks

Use the maternity pay calculator to work out how much you could get.

Start date

SMP usually starts when you take your maternity leave.

Problems and disputes

Eligibility

Statutory Maternity Leave

You qualify for Statutory Maternity Leave if:

you’re an employee not a ‘worker’

you give your employer the correct notice

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

To qualify for SMP you must:

earn on average at least £120 a week

give the correct notice

give proof you’re pregnant

Early births or you lose your baby

You can still get Statutory Maternity Leave and SMP if your baby:

is born early

is stillborn after the start of your 24th week of pregnancy

dies after being born

If you’re not eligible for SMP

How to claim

Statutory Maternity Leave

Use the maternity planner to work out when you must claim your maternity leave.

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

Proof you’re pregnant

a letter from your doctor or midwife

You will not get SMP if you do not give your employer proof that the baby is due.

Extra help

Maternity benefits

Use a benefits calculator to see what help you can get from:

Universal Credit

Child Benefit

Child Tax Credit

Income Support - you may get this while you’re not working

Company maternity schemes

Extra leave


I am currently doing my masters on computer science. I was told that I am eligible to apply for Postgraduate master's Loan. I am an Italian citizen. What are the documents required to prove my identity?

If you’re an EU national, send your passport or national identity card.

Master's Loan

Overview

A Postgraduate Master’s Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master’s course.

Funding for postgraduate loans is different if:

you normally live in Scotland

you normally live in Wales

you normally live in Northern Ireland.

Moving somewhere to study does not count as normally living there.

You can also get extra support if you have a disability.

You will not be eligible for an Adult Dependants’ Grant, a Childcare Grant or Parents’ Learning Allowance from Student Finance England if you’re studying a master’s course.

When you can apply

You’ll be able to apply for funding for the 2021 to 2022 academic year from summer 2021. Applications are not yet open - this guide will be updated as soon as they are.

When you repay your loan

You’ll have to start repaying your loan when your income is over a certain amount (the ‘threshold’ amount).

You’ll be charged interest from the day you get the first payment.

What you'll get

You can get up to:

£11,570 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2021

£11,222 if your course started between 1 August 2020 and 31 July 2021

£10,906 if your course started between 1 August 2019 and 31 July 2020

The amount you’ll get is not based on your income or your family’s.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) may take account of the loan when working out any benefits you receive.

The loan is paid directly to you. You can use it for your course fees and living costs.

If your course lasts for more than a year, the loan will be divided equally across each year of your course.

When you’re paid

You get the first payment after your course start date, once your university or college confirms that you’ve registered.

The loan will be paid in 3 instalments of 33%, 33% and 34% each year. After your application has been approved, you’ll be sent a letter with your payment dates. You can also check them in your online account.

If you change university or college

Your new university or college has to confirm the change with Student Finance England before you receive any more payments.

Eligibility

Whether you qualify depends on:

your course

your age

your nationality or residency status

You will not be able to get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if:

you’re already getting payments from Student Finance England for another course that you’re studying

you’ve received a loan or grant for a master’s course before - unless you got a Disabled Students’ Allowance or you left your course for a serious personal reason like illness or bereavement

you already have a master’s degree, or a qualification that’s equivalent or higher

you’re behind in repayments for any previous loans from the Student Loans Company

You’ll still be eligible if you have a PGCE or a postgraduate diploma or certificate.

You will not get extra money if you repeat a year of your course.

Your course

It must:

be a full, standalone master’s course (not a top-up course)

be worth at least 180 credits - check the course provider’s website if you’re not sure

have started on or after 1 August 2016

Your course must be provided by an eligible university or college in the UK (including the Open University). Check with the university or college that your course is registered.

Your course can be taught or research-based.

It can be:

full-time, lasting 1 or 2 academic years

part-time, lasting 2 to 4 academic years - no more than twice the length of the equivalent full-time course

part-time for up to 3 years, where no equivalent full-time course exists

Examples of postgraduate master’s qualifications include:

MSc (master of science)

MA (master of arts)

MPhil (master of philosophy)

MRes (master of research)

LLM (master of law)

MLitt (master of letters)

MFA (master of fine art)

MEd (master of education)

MBA (master of business administration)

You cannot get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan for a postgraduate certificate or diploma.

Distance learning

To qualify for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan for distance learning, you’ll need to be living in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course. You’ll also need to live in:

England for the whole of your course, if you’re an EU national

the UK for the whole of your course, if you’re not an EU national

This usually does not apply if you’re:

serving in the armed forces

a spouse or civil partner of a serving member of the armed forces

a dependent parent living with a serving member of the armed forces

Integrated courses

You will not be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if your course is:

integrated with an undergraduate degree - apply for undergraduate funding instead

integrated with a doctoral degree - apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan instead

Intercalated year

You might be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if you’re taking a year out of an undergraduate course to study for a master’s.

This will generally mean you’re not entitled to undergraduate funding anymore because you’ll hold a higher level qualification.

You are still eligible for undergraduate funding if your course leads to a qualification in:

architecture

dentistry

medicine

social work

undergraduate Initial Teacher Training

veterinary science

Master of architecture

If you plan to study for a master of architecture (MArch Part 2) qualification full-time, apply for undergraduate funding support. Your course must be accredited by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) to be eligible.

You can only apply for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan to support your MArch course if one of the following applies:

you’re taking a part-time course

you’re not eligible for undergraduate funding support

the course does not lead to an accredited qualification as an architect

Healthcare and social work

You cannot get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if you:

are eligible for an NHS bursary

get a Social Work Bursary - unless you only get a Placement Travel Allowance

This also applies for health and social work bursaries in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

You also cannot get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if you’re starting a postgraduate pre-registration healthcare course on or after 1 August 2018. You may be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan instead.

Your age

You must be under 60 on the first day of the first academic year of your course.

The academic year is a period of 12 months starting on:

1 September, if your course starts between 1 August and 31 December

1 January, if your course starts between 1 January and 31 March

1 April, if your course starts between 1 April and 30 June

1 July, if your course starts between 1 July and 31 July

Your nationality or residency status

You can apply for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan if all of the following are true:

you’re a UK or Irish national or have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme or indefinite leave to remain so there are no restrictions on how long you can stay

you normally live in England

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

You may also be eligible if you’re a UK national (or family member of a UK national) who either:

returned to the UK on or after 1 January 2018 and by 31 December 2020 after living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

was living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein on 31 December 2020 and has been living in the UK, the EU, Gibraltar, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein for the past 3 years

If you’re an EU national or a family member of an EU national

You may be eligible if you’re an EU national, or a family member of an EU national, and all the following apply:

you have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

you’ve normally lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein for the past 3 years (this is also known as being ‘ordinarily resident’)

you’ll be studying at a university or college in England

You could also be eligible if you’re:

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

a migrant worker from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with pre-settled status, or a family member of a migrant worker where both have pre-settled status

a resident of Gibraltar who is a UK or EU national, or their family member

Student finance for EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic or Liechtenstein nationals 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.

You need to have started living in the UK before 31 December 2020 to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. If you’re coming to the UK from 1 January 2021, you may need to apply for a visa to study in the UK.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme. They can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if they wish to, for example, to apply on behalf of a child.

If you have a different residency status

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

refugee (including family members)

humanitarian protection (including family members)

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 but not under the EU Settlement Scheme

you’ve been given 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’re the family member of a person of Northern Ireland and you have pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

If you’re a non-UK national and have lived in the UK for a certain number of years

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.

How to apply

You can apply now for courses that start or started in the following academic years:

2020 to 2021

2019 to 2020

2018 to 2019

You can apply in summer 2021 for courses that start in the academic year 2021 to 2022. Applications are not yet open - this guide will be updated as soon as they are.

Check whether you’re eligible before you apply.

You only need to apply once for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan, even if your course is longer than one year. Student Finance England will write to you in the summer to tell you how much you’ll get in the next academic year.

You’ll not be eligible for an Adult Dependants’ Grant, a Childcare Grant or Parents’ Learning Allowance from Student Finance England if you’re studying a master’s course.

Apply online

If you’ve taken out a loan with Student Finance England before, use your account to apply.

If you do not already have one, set up an account.

Apply by post

If you cannot apply online, apply by post - the address is on the form.

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

Courses that start in the 2020 to 2021 academic year

Courses that started in the 2019 to 2020 academic year

Courses that started before 1 August 2019

Contact Student Finance England Postgraduate Loan Team if you cannot apply online.

When to apply by

The deadline for applying depends on when you start your course.

If you started on or after 1 August 2017

You need to apply within 9 months of the first day of the last academic year of the course.

The academic year

The academic year is a period of 12 months.

The first day of your academic year depends when your course starts.

Course start date between | First day of academic year

1 August and 31 December | 1 September

1 January and 31 March | 1 January

1 April and 30 June | 1 April

1 July and 31 July | 1 July

Proof of identity

Include valid UK passport details in your application. Use the ‘UK passport details’ form if you need to send the details after your application. Do not send the passport itself.

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.

If you’re an EU national, send your passport or national identity card.

Supporting information

You should use the evidence return form for extra information to support your application, for example evidence of your residency status.

You may also be asked to complete the UK employment status form.

Change an application

Use your online account to change your personal details, for example bank or contact details. Contact Student Finance England directly if you do not have an account.

Change the amount you’ve asked for

Use the loan request form to change the amount you’ve applied for - you cannot do this online.

If your course starts in the 2020 to 2021 academic year:

If your course started in the 2019 to 2020 academic year:

If your course started before the 2018 to 2019 academic year, contact Student Finance England Postgraduate Loan Team.

Other changes

Use the change of circumstances form if you need to change any other details, for example your university or course. You cannot do this online.

Taking a break or withdrawing from your course

Tell Student Finance England Postgraduate Loan Team and your institution straight away if you need to withdraw from your course. It may affect your future payments and eligibility for funding.

Extra help

You may qualify for other funding, for example grants from charities or trusts.

Student Finance England also has more information about other kinds of student finance.

Disabled students

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

Disabled Students’ Allowance

extra help if you’re experiencing financial hardship

You may also qualify for disability related benefits.

Further information

You can learn more about the Postgraduate Master’s Loan on the Student Room website.

Contact Student Finance England if you have further questions.

Student Finance England Postgraduate Loan team


I live in England and studying a Postgraduate Master course. I applied for Postgraduate Master's loan and was approved. Thinking how I receive the payment. The course will last for three years. Will I receive as one-off payment or on instalments ?

If your course lasts for more than a year, the loan will be divided equally across each year of your course.

Master's Loan

Overview

A Postgraduate Master’s Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master’s course.

Funding for postgraduate loans is different if:

you normally live in Scotland

you normally live in Wales

you normally live in Northern Ireland.

Moving somewhere to study does not count as normally living there.

You can also get extra support if you have a disability.

When you can apply

You’ll be able to apply for funding for the 2021 to 2022 academic year from summer 2021. Applications are not yet open - this guide will be updated as soon as they are.

When you repay your loan

You’ll have to start repaying your loan when your income is over a certain amount (the ‘threshold’ amount).

You’ll be charged interest from the day you get the first payment.

What you'll get

You can get up to:

£11,570 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2021

£11,222 if your course started between 1 August 2020 and 31 July 2021

£10,906 if your course started between 1 August 2019 and 31 July 2020

The amount you’ll get is not based on your income or your family’s.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) may take account of the loan when working out any benefits you receive.

The loan is paid directly to you. You can use it for your course fees and living costs.

When you’re paid

You get the first payment after your course start date, once your university or college confirms that you’ve registered.

The loan will be paid in 3 instalments of 33%, 33% and 34% each year. After your application has been approved, you’ll be sent a letter with your payment dates. You can also check them in your online account.

If you change university or college

Your new university or college has to confirm the change with Student Finance England before you receive any more payments.

Eligibility

Whether you qualify depends on:

your course

your age

your nationality or residency status

You will not be able to get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if:

you’re already getting payments from Student Finance England for another course that you’re studying

you’ve received a loan or grant for a master’s course before - unless you got a Disabled Students’ Allowance or you left your course for a serious personal reason like illness or bereavement

you already have a master’s degree, or a qualification that’s equivalent or higher

you’re behind in repayments for any previous loans from the Student Loans Company

You’ll still be eligible if you have a PGCE or a postgraduate diploma or certificate.

You will not get extra money if you repeat a year of your course.

Your course

It must:

be a full, standalone master’s course (not a top-up course)

be worth at least 180 credits - check the course provider’s website if you’re not sure

have started on or after 1 August 2016

Your course must be provided by an eligible university or college in the UK (including the Open University). Check with the university or college that your course is registered.

Your course can be taught or research-based.

It can be:

full-time, lasting 1 or 2 academic years

part-time, lasting 2 to 4 academic years - no more than twice the length of the equivalent full-time course

part-time for up to 3 years, where no equivalent full-time course exists

Examples of postgraduate master’s qualifications include:

MSc (master of science)

MA (master of arts)

MPhil (master of philosophy)

MRes (master of research)

LLM (master of law)

MLitt (master of letters)

MFA (master of fine art)

MEd (master of education)

MBA (master of business administration)

You cannot get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan for a postgraduate certificate or diploma.

Distance learning

To qualify for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan for distance learning, you’ll need to be living in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course. You’ll also need to live in:

England for the whole of your course, if you’re an EU national

the UK for the whole of your course, if you’re not an EU national

This usually does not apply if you’re:

serving in the armed forces

a spouse or civil partner of a serving member of the armed forces

a dependent parent living with a serving member of the armed forces

Integrated courses

You will not be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if your course is:

integrated with an undergraduate degree - apply for undergraduate funding instead

integrated with a doctoral degree - apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan instead

Intercalated year

You might be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if you’re taking a year out of an undergraduate course to study for a master’s.

This will generally mean you’re not entitled to undergraduate funding anymore because you’ll hold a higher level qualification.

You are still eligible for undergraduate funding if your course leads to a qualification in:

architecture

dentistry

medicine

social work

undergraduate Initial Teacher Training

veterinary science

Master of architecture

If you plan to study for a master of architecture (MArch Part 2) qualification full-time, apply for undergraduate funding support. Your course must be accredited by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) to be eligible.

You can only apply for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan to support your MArch course if one of the following applies:

you’re taking a part-time course

you’re not eligible for undergraduate funding support

the course does not lead to an accredited qualification as an architect

Healthcare and social work

You cannot get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if you:

are eligible for an NHS bursary

get a Social Work Bursary - unless you only get a Placement Travel Allowance

This also applies for health and social work bursaries in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

You also cannot get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if you’re starting a postgraduate pre-registration healthcare course on or after 1 August 2018. You may be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan instead.

Your age

You must be under 60 on the first day of the first academic year of your course.

The academic year is a period of 12 months starting on:

1 September, if your course starts between 1 August and 31 December

1 January, if your course starts between 1 January and 31 March

1 April, if your course starts between 1 April and 30 June

1 July, if your course starts between 1 July and 31 July

Your nationality or residency status

You can apply for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan if all of the following are true:

you’re a UK or Irish national or have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme or indefinite leave to remain so there are no restrictions on how long you can stay

you normally live in England

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

You may also be eligible if you’re a UK national (or family member of a UK national) who either:

returned to the UK on or after 1 January 2018 and by 31 December 2020 after living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

was living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein on 31 December 2020 and has been living in the UK, the EU, Gibraltar, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein for the past 3 years

If you’re an EU national or a family member of an EU national

You may be eligible if you’re an EU national, or a family member of an EU national, and all the following apply:

you have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

you’ve normally lived in the UK, Gibraltar, EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein for the past 3 years (this is also known as being ‘ordinarily resident’)

you’ll be studying at a university or college in England

You could also be eligible if you’re:

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

a migrant worker from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with pre-settled status, or a family member of a migrant worker where both have pre-settled status

a resident of Gibraltar who is a UK or EU national, or their family member

Student finance for EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic or Liechtenstein nationals 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.

You need to have started living in the UK before 31 December 2020 to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. If you’re coming to the UK from 1 January 2021, you may need to apply for a visa to study in the UK.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme. They can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if they wish to, for example, to apply on behalf of a child.

If you have a different residency status

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

refugee (including family members)

humanitarian protection (including family members)

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 but not under the EU Settlement Scheme

you’ve been given 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’re the family member of a person of Northern Ireland and you have pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

If you’re a non-UK national and have lived in the UK for a certain number of years

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.

How to apply

You can apply now for courses that start or started in the following academic years:

2020 to 2021

2019 to 2020

2018 to 2019

You can apply in summer 2021 for courses that start in the academic year 2021 to 2022. Applications are not yet open - this guide will be updated as soon as they are.

Check whether you’re eligible before you apply.

You only need to apply once for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan, even if your course is longer than one year. Student Finance England will write to you in the summer to tell you how much you’ll get in the next academic year.

You’ll not be eligible for an Adult Dependants’ Grant, a Childcare Grant or Parents’ Learning Allowance from Student Finance England if you’re studying a master’s course.

Apply online

If you’ve taken out a loan with Student Finance England before, use your account to apply.

If you do not already have one, set up an account.

Apply by post

If you cannot apply online, apply by post - the address is on the form.

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

Courses that start in the 2020 to 2021 academic year

Courses that started in the 2019 to 2020 academic year

Courses that started before 1 August 2019

Contact Student Finance England Postgraduate Loan Team if you cannot apply online.

When to apply by

The deadline for applying depends on when you start your course.

If you started on or after 1 August 2017

You need to apply within 9 months of the first day of the last academic year of the course.

The academic year

The academic year is a period of 12 months.

The first day of your academic year depends when your course starts.

Course start date between | First day of academic year

1 August and 31 December | 1 September

1 January and 31 March | 1 January

1 April and 30 June | 1 April

1 July and 31 July | 1 July

Proof of identity

Include valid UK passport details in your application. Use the ‘UK passport details’ form if you need to send the details after your application. Do not send the passport itself.

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.

If you’re an EU national, send your passport or national identity card.

Supporting information

You should use the evidence return form for extra information to support your application, for example evidence of your residency status.

You may also be asked to complete the UK employment status form.

Change an application

Use your online account to change your personal details, for example bank or contact details. Contact Student Finance England directly if you do not have an account.

Change the amount you’ve asked for

Use the loan request form to change the amount you’ve applied for - you cannot do this online.

If your course starts in the 2020 to 2021 academic year:

If your course started in the 2019 to 2020 academic year:

If your course started before the 2018 to 2019 academic year, contact Student Finance England Postgraduate Loan Team.

Other changes

Use the change of circumstances form if you need to change any other details, for example your university or course. You cannot do this online.

Taking a break or withdrawing from your course

Tell Student Finance England Postgraduate Loan Team and your institution straight away if you need to withdraw from your course. It may affect your future payments and eligibility for funding.

Extra help

You may qualify for other funding, for example grants from charities or trusts.

Student Finance England also has more information about other kinds of student finance.

You will not be eligible for an Adult Dependants’ Grant, a Childcare Grant or Parents’ Learning Allowance from Student Finance England if you’re studying a master’s course.

Disabled students

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

Disabled Students’ Allowance

extra help if you’re experiencing financial hardship

You may also qualify for disability related benefits.

Further information

You can learn more about the Postgraduate Master’s Loan on the Student Room website.

Contact Student Finance England if you have further questions.

Student Finance England Postgraduate Loan team

Master's Loan

Overview

A Postgraduate Master’s Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master’s course.

Funding for postgraduate loans is different if:

you normally live in Scotland

you normally live in Wales

you normally live in Northern Ireland.

Moving somewhere to study does not count as normally living there.

You can also get extra support if you have a disability.

When you can apply

When you repay your loan

You’ll have to start repaying your loan when your income is over a certain amount (the ‘threshold’ amount).

You’ll be charged interest from the day you get the first payment.

What you'll get

You can get up to:

£11,570 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2021

£11,222 if your course started between 1 August 2020 and 31 July 2021

£10,906 if your course started between 1 August 2019 and 31 July 2020

The amount you’ll get is not based on your income or your family’s.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) may take account of the loan when working out any benefits you receive.

The loan is paid directly to you. You can use it for your course fees and living costs.

If your course lasts for more than a year, the loan will be divided equally across each year of your course.

When you’re paid

You get the first payment after your course start date, once your university or college confirms that you’ve registered.

If you change university or college

Your new university or college has to confirm the change with Student Finance England before you receive any more payments.

Eligibility

Whether you qualify depends on:

your course

your age

your nationality or residency status

You will not be able to get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if:

you’re already getting payments from Student Finance England for another course that you’re studying

you already have a master’s degree, or a qualification that’s equivalent or higher

you’re behind in repayments for any previous loans from the Student Loans Company

You’ll still be eligible if you have a PGCE or a postgraduate diploma or certificate.

You will not get extra money if you repeat a year of your course.

Your course

It must:

be a full, standalone master’s course (not a top-up course)

be worth at least 180 credits - check the course provider’s website if you’re not sure

have started on or after 1 August 2016

Your course can be taught or research-based.

It can be:

full-time, lasting 1 or 2 academic years

part-time, lasting 2 to 4 academic years - no more than twice the length of the equivalent full-time course

part-time for up to 3 years, where no equivalent full-time course exists

Examples of postgraduate master’s qualifications include:

MSc (master of science)

MA (master of arts)

MPhil (master of philosophy)

MRes (master of research)

LLM (master of law)

MLitt (master of letters)

MFA (master of fine art)

MEd (master of education)

MBA (master of business administration)

You cannot get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan for a postgraduate certificate or diploma.

Distance learning

England for the whole of your course, if you’re an EU national

the UK for the whole of your course, if you’re not an EU national

This usually does not apply if you’re:

serving in the armed forces

a spouse or civil partner of a serving member of the armed forces

a dependent parent living with a serving member of the armed forces

Integrated courses

You will not be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if your course is:

integrated with an undergraduate degree - apply for undergraduate funding instead

integrated with a doctoral degree - apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan instead

Intercalated year

This will generally mean you’re not entitled to undergraduate funding anymore because you’ll hold a higher level qualification.

You are still eligible for undergraduate funding if your course leads to a qualification in:

architecture

dentistry

medicine

social work

undergraduate Initial Teacher Training

veterinary science

Master of architecture

You can only apply for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan to support your MArch course if one of the following applies:

you’re taking a part-time course

you’re not eligible for undergraduate funding support

the course does not lead to an accredited qualification as an architect

Healthcare and social work

You cannot get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan if you:

are eligible for an NHS bursary

get a Social Work Bursary - unless you only get a Placement Travel Allowance

This also applies for health and social work bursaries in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Your age

You must be under 60 on the first day of the first academic year of your course.

The academic year is a period of 12 months starting on:

1 September, if your course starts between 1 August and 31 December

1 January, if your course starts between 1 January and 31 March

1 April, if your course starts between 1 April and 30 June

1 July, if your course starts between 1 July and 31 July

Your nationality or residency status

You can apply for the Postgraduate Master’s Loan if all of the following are true:

you normally live in England

You may also be eligible if you’re a UK national (or family member of a UK national) who either:

If you’re an EU national or a family member of an EU national

You may be eligible if you’re an EU national, or a family member of an EU national, and all the following apply:

you have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

you’ll be studying at a university or college in England

You could also be eligible if you’re:

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

a resident of Gibraltar who is a UK or EU national, or their family member

Student finance for EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic or Liechtenstein nationals from August 2021

If you have a different residency status

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

refugee (including family members)

humanitarian protection (including family members)

a stateless person (including family members)

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

granted ‘Calais leave’ to remain

you’ve been given settled status but not under the EU Settlement Scheme

you’ve been given 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’re the family member of a person of Northern Ireland and you have pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

If you’re a non-UK national and have lived in the UK for a certain number of years

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)

How to apply

You can apply now for courses that start or started in the following academic years:

2020 to 2021

2019 to 2020

2018 to 2019

Check whether you’re eligible before you apply.

Apply online

If you’ve taken out a loan with Student Finance England before, use your account to apply.

If you do not already have one, set up an account.

Apply by post

If you cannot apply online, apply by post - the address is on the form.

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

Courses that start in the 2020 to 2021 academic year

Courses that started in the 2019 to 2020 academic year

Courses that started before 1 August 2019

Contact Student Finance England Postgraduate Loan Team if you cannot apply online.

When to apply by

The deadline for applying depends on when you start your course.

If you started on or after 1 August 2017

You need to apply within 9 months of the first day of the last academic year of the course.

The academic year

The academic year is a period of 12 months.

The first day of your academic year depends when your course starts.

Course start date between | First day of academic year

1 August and 31 December | 1 September

1 January and 31 March | 1 January

1 April and 30 June | 1 April

1 July and 31 July | 1 July

Proof of identity

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

If you’re an EU national, send your passport or national identity card.

Supporting information

You may also be asked to complete the UK employment status form.

Change an application

Change the amount you’ve asked for

Use the loan request form to change the amount you’ve applied for - you cannot do this online.

If your course starts in the 2020 to 2021 academic year:

If your course started in the 2019 to 2020 academic year:

If your course started before the 2018 to 2019 academic year, contact Student Finance England Postgraduate Loan Team.

Other changes

Taking a break or withdrawing from your course

Extra help

You may qualify for other funding, for example grants from charities or trusts.

Student Finance England also has more information about other kinds of student finance.

Disabled students

Disabled Students’ Allowance

extra help if you’re experiencing financial hardship

You may also qualify for disability related benefits.

Further information

You can learn more about the Postgraduate Master’s Loan on the Student Room website.

Contact Student Finance England if you have further questions.

Student Finance England Postgraduate Loan team