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<p>The department recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen
and impacted students this year. Many higher education (HE) providers have hardship
funds that students can apply to for assistance.</p><p>To support disadvantaged students
and those in need of additional help, the department has confirmed in our guidance
to the Office for Students (OfS) on funding for the 2022/23 financial year that universities
will continue to be able to support students in hardship through their own hardship
funds and the student premium, for which up to £261 million is available for the 2022/23
academic year.</p><p>We have also worked closely with the OfS to clarify that English
providers can draw upon this funding now, to provide hardship funds and support disadvantaged
students impacted by cost-of-living pressures.</p><p>Maximum grants and loans for
living costs have also been increased by 2.3% this 2022/23 academic year. Students
who have been awarded a loan for living costs for the 2022/23 academic year that is
lower than the maximum, and whose household income for the tax year 2022/23 has dropped
by at least 15% compared to the income provided for their original assessment, can
apply for their entitlement to be reassessed.</p><p>In addition, maximum tuition fees,
and the subsidised loans available from the department to pay them remain at £9,250
for the 2022/23 academic year, in respect of standard full-time courses. The department
is also freezing maximum tuition fees for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years.
By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years. As well as reducing
debt levels for students, the continued fee freeze will help to ensure that the HE
system remains sustainable while also promoting greater efficiency at providers.</p><p>The
Energy Price Guarantee announced on 8 September will save the average household at
least £1,000 a year based on current energy prices from October. This is in addition
to the £400 energy bills discount for all households. Students who buy their energy
from a domestic supplier are eligible for the energy bills discount.</p><p>As part
of the package of support for rising energy bills, the government is also giving a
council tax rebate payment of £150 to households that were living in a property in
council tax bands A to D as their main home on 1 April 2022. This includes full-time
students that do not live in student halls or in property that is not considered a
House in Multiple Occupation for council tax purposes.</p>
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