SAMS June 2015

Agenda Operational updates – NHS Student Bursaries and Social Work Bursaries Invite schedule - Autumn 2015 (NHS Bursary students) Policy changes 2015 (NHS Student Bursaries) Childcare reconciliation (NHS Student Bursaries) SWB relocation Digitisation/customer improvements Twitter

Operational update – NHS Student Bursaries

Operational update – Social Work Bursaries

Invite schedule (NHS Bursary students)

NHS Student Bursary Scheme Changes 2015/16

Rate changes There has been an uplift of 1% to the following rates: New rules Means tested bursary Extra Weeks Allowance Dependants Allowance Parent Learning Allowance Childcare Allowance Old rules All of those listed under new rules and: Single Parents Allowance Older Students Allowance The motor vehicle rate for PPE claims has changed from 33p to 27p per mile.

Tuition fees The tuition fee rate for medical/dental students studying in Northern Ireland has been increased to £3,805 (from £3,686).

Eligibility criteria – residency requirements

1. Clarity of responsibilities regarding assessing students’ eligibility. An extra bullet has been added to clarify that a student’s eligibility for an NHS Bursary is determined by the NHSBSA, whereas a student’s eligibility to be accepted onto a course is determined by the higher education provider. 2. Students from British Overseas Territories (BOTs). Minor amendments have been made to definitions of an EU national and UK national in the glossary to include British Overseas Territories citizens. Eligibility

Family members of EU Nationals 3. Amendment to the definition of ‘family member’ to provide ‘tuition fee only’ funding to non UK, non EU/EEA Nationals who are family members of EU Nationals. This now includes family members of UK Nationals. Family members of UK Nationals must be one of the following: 1.spouse/civil partner 2.direct decendant of the person or the person’s spouse or civil partner who are: under the age of 21 or dependants of the person or person’s spouse or civil partner. The family member must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA for the 3 years prior to starting the course.

Examples of family member of an EU National Example 1 1.Student is a non UK non-EU/EEA National. 2.Married to a UK National for 2 years. 3.The student has Discretionary Leave to remain in the UK. 4.Student has been resident in the UK for 2 years and prior to this resident in Germany for 3 years. Under the new regulations for family members of UK nationals the student will be eligible for a ‘fees only’ bursary.

Examples of family member of a EU National Example 2 1.Student is a non UK non EU/EEA National. 2.Married to a UK National for 1 year. 3.The student has Discretionary Leave to remain in the UK. 4.Student has been resident in the UK for 2 years and prior to this was resident in the USA for 2 years. Under the new regulations for family members of EU nationals the student will not be eligible for a ‘fees only’ bursary as they have not met the residency requirements within the EEA.

Higher Education Institutions

Access to Learning Fund (ALF) The reference to Access to Learning Fund has been amended to the higher education provider’s own hardship funds, to reflect that ALF has been discontinued.

60 day absence rules for illness or injury When a student informs the HEI that they will not be returning to the course, then the NHS Bursary is withdrawn from the day it becomes known that the student is not returning to the course.

Income Assessment Changes

For 2014/15 it was agreed that voluntary/informal maintenance payments should be treated in the same way (disregarded) as those made by a Court Order for the purposes of calculating the net dependant’s income and the wording in the scheme rules was amended to reflect this. For 2015/16, it has been amended further by adding in a reference to ‘voluntary payments’. Voluntary/informal maintenance payments

Tax Free Childcare (TFC) TFC has been added to the list of circumstances in the Childcare Allowance section, where no Childcare Allowance is payable.

Independent status

Independent status: care of a child It currently states that a student can be independent if he/she: “Is responsible for the care of a person under the age of 18 who was dependent on the student such that the student could not reasonably have been expected to support themselves out of their earnings.” This has been amended to: “Is responsible or has joint custody for the care of a person under the age of 18 who is dependent on the student.”

Childcare reconciliation Quarter 3 of reconciliation commenced at the end of May. Higher numbers of students still outstanding information from Q1 and Q2 - students have all been given deadlines for submission of information. £1.5m saved in Q1 - project expected save between £3-5m as outlined in initial plan.

Social Work Bursaries relocation Social Work Bursaries is currently based at Bridge House in Newcastle. A project plan is in place to transfer the service to Hesketh House in Fleetwood. Phase 1 complete - Education Support Grant transferred in March Phase 2 - transferring assessments and support work will be complete by the end of November 2015, achieving full integration. Robust plans in place to ensure there is no impact to service delivery over the summer months.

Digitisation/customer improvements Programme of digitisation and sourcing across multiple NHSBSA services. Strategic objectives will be delivered mainly through the Pacific Programme. Around 30 projects included, where potential savings of around £1 billion of financial benefit will be achieved in 2015/16 and beyond. 80% of customer and supplier interactions will be digitised over the next 5 years.

Student Services Change Plan and Service Improvement Road Map Relocation of Social Work Bursaries from Bridge House, Newcastle to Hesketh House, Fleetwood. Revising our Customer Charter to set out clear service measures for our customers. Implementing additional Special Interest Groups and regional HEI events to enhance our engagement with customers. Customer care training to develop our skills base in our interactions with customers. Introduction of a range of communication products and tools to raise awareness for current and prospective customers. Disabled Student Allowance guidance for customers and suppliers. Management restructure to align the service with delivering the strategic goals and service ambitions.

Student Services Twitter page Soft launch December 2014 Hard launch 31 January 2015 Follow Updated all our communication products Monitoring hashtags, mentions, retweets, favourites, key words Retweeting and favouriting appropriate tweets from the industry 513 followers (at 10 June 2015)