STUDENTS who depend on welfare can be worse off if they opt to enrol in further education because of the way the devolution arrangements work, according to the Association of Scotland's Colleges (ASC).
This week, the organisation called on the Calman Commission, currently examining devolution, to review a system that the ASC says is failing Scotland's poorest students.
The association claims that, because welfare payments are co-ordinated by We
stminster and student support is run by Holyrood, the system is too complex and can leave students relying on up to nine separate sources of income to complete their studies.
And because welfare is often reduced if a student is eligible for a loan – whether the loan is taken or not – the ASC says many are put off entering further education for fear of being worse off.
Howard McKenzie, the associaton's acting chief executive, said: "Choosing to come to college is a brave move for many of the poorest and most vulnerable people in our society.
"For many, just being eligible for a student loan will actually have an adverse effect on the amount of welfare they receive, regardless of whether they choose to accept this debt."
Mr McKenzie also warned that the way welfare was assessed might hit older students re- entering education.
"Many students also face difficult decisions when it comes to living arrangements with partners, as household income is taken into consideration in the calculation of benefits," he said.
"A couple who choose to live together may find themselves considerably less well off."
He added: "At the moment, the average HNC or HND student in Scotland, who is 31 years old, is forced to juggle up to nine separate income streams and survive on a household income of less than £18,000.
"We are deeply concerned that this level of complexity, alongside the threat of actually being worse off, is a huge deterrent to studying for society's poorest people – in other words, those who need education the most. This absolutely has to change."
The ASC said students at its member institutions were more susceptible to this problem than those at Scotland's universities, because in general they come from a poorer background. According to the organisation, nearly one-fifth of Scotland's college students receive some form of benefits.
The organisation called for the introduction of student bursaries to simplify the education funding system.
In its submission to the forthcoming Scottish Government consultation on student funding, the ASC will propose the introduction of a locally administered bursary system to replace the current system of student loan funding arranged by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.
Mr McKenzie said this would help poorer students enter further education.
He said: "Introducing bursaries would allow students to progress seamlessly across the different levels of college provision, through further education and on to higher education, without having to worry about how the change of course might impact on their family income, or whether their course will force them into thousands of pounds of debt.
"This proposal will also help the huge problem that students claiming welfare currently experience, when their benefits are cut according to the loan entitlement – whether they take it or not."
The full article contains 545 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
