Anger at lone parent grant fall off

THE number of single parent students receiving financial support from the government has dropped by 10 per cent this year.

It is the second successive fall, with a 3.5 per cent drop last year.

Last year, 290 fewer people received the lone parent grant, compared with 105 fewer the year before.

Claire Baker, Labour's higher education spokeswoman, said: "For the SNP to let this fall almost treble in one year is very concerning. Childcare is a significant barrier – either putting people off going to university, affecting student parents' ability to get the most out of their study or, in a number of cases, leading to them dropping out."

Kainde Manji, women's officer at the National Union of Students Scotland, feared student parents were unable to access the money they needed.

"Either fewer lone parents are entering further study, or those that are there are unable to get the support they need. This is not welcome news either way," she said.

"The current childcare system is not working for student parents in Scotland."

A spokesman for education secretary Michael Russell accused Labour of cynically using lone parents for political purposes.

He said: "The lone parent grant and the lone parent childcare grant are both available to everyone who is eligible."