I thank the hon. Gentleman for his words welcoming me to my post. The point I would make is that the 2023 cycle shows numbers rebalancing and returning to a trend of normal growth in applications following the pandemic. He should also look at the big impact nursing apprenticeships and nursing degree apprenticeships are having on the system. I am always happy to meet him to discuss these issues, but we do think it is a fairer and more affordable system for both students and taxpayers, and will result in more people being able to access a world-class higher education in our country.

The maximum maintenance loan for an undergraduate student living away from parents outside London in the 2023/24 academic year is £9,978. The equivalent maximum maintenance loan was £8,430 in the 2017/18 academic year. This is a 13.9% reduction in the real-terms value of the maximum loan. This figure has been derived by using the Retail Price Index (RPIX) measure of inflation, applied at Quarter 1 in each academic year throughout this time period, as published by the Office for Budget Responsibility in November 2023, which can be found here: https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-november-2023/.

The government has continued to increase maximum loans and grants for living and other costs each year. Maximum support has been increased by 2.8% for the 2023/24 academic year with a further 2.5% increase announced for 2024/25.

The government recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen this year and that are impacting students. The department has already made £276 million of student premium and mental health funding available for the 2023/24 academic year to support successful outcomes for students including disadvantaged students.

The department is now making a further £10 million of one off support available to support student mental health and hardship funding. This funding will complement the help universities are providing through their own bursary, scholarship and hardship support schemes.

Over the period between 2022/23 to 2024/25, the government will have provided support worth £104 billion to help families throughout the UK with the cost of living including to meet increased household energy costs. This is an average of £3,700 per household. This will have eased some of the pressure on family budgets and so will in turn enable many families to provide additional support to their children in higher education to help them meet increased living costs.

The department has also frozen maximum tuition fees for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years to deliver better value for students and to keep the cost of higher education under control. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years.

This data is not routinely held by the Department, the Student Loans Company (SLC) have provided the figures below. The data supplied outlines the number and proportion of students who received the minimum or maximum student maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year, and the average maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year.

The proportion of all students in London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for each year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students outside London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students in London who received the maximum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The number of and what proportion of students received the maximum student maintenance loan outside of London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students in London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students outside of London in each year since 2012:

The data in the tables above only includes full-time undergraduate students, as the minimum or maximum maintenance loan amounts differ for part-time undergraduate students.

The above figures are for students who are living elsewhere from their parental home only. For students living at their parental home, the amount of loan awarded is the same, whether in London or outside London.

For students starting study in 2016/17, an enhanced Maintenance Loan replaced the Maintenance Grant. If a customer is in receipt of a Maintenance Grant (pre 2016/17), the loan is reduced by 50p for every £1 of grant. When calculating the Level of Award, 50% of any Maintenance Grant was added to the remaining loan amount for the purposes of this report.

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.

This data is not routinely held by the Department, the Student Loans Company (SLC) have provided the figures below. The data supplied outlines the number and proportion of students who received the minimum or maximum student maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year, and the average maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year.

The proportion of all students in London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for each year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students outside London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students in London who received the maximum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The number of and what proportion of students received the maximum student maintenance loan outside of London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students in London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students outside of London in each year since 2012:

The data in the tables above only includes full-time undergraduate students, as the minimum or maximum maintenance loan amounts differ for part-time undergraduate students.

The above figures are for students who are living elsewhere from their parental home only. For students living at their parental home, the amount of loan awarded is the same, whether in London or outside London.

For students starting study in 2016/17, an enhanced Maintenance Loan replaced the Maintenance Grant. If a customer is in receipt of a Maintenance Grant (pre 2016/17), the loan is reduced by 50p for every £1 of grant. When calculating the Level of Award, 50% of any Maintenance Grant was added to the remaining loan amount for the purposes of this report.

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.

This data is not routinely held by the Department, the Student Loans Company (SLC) have provided the figures below. The data supplied outlines the number and proportion of students who received the minimum or maximum student maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year, and the average maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year.

The proportion of all students in London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for each year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students outside London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students in London who received the maximum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The number of and what proportion of students received the maximum student maintenance loan outside of London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students in London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students outside of London in each year since 2012:

The data in the tables above only includes full-time undergraduate students, as the minimum or maximum maintenance loan amounts differ for part-time undergraduate students.

The above figures are for students who are living elsewhere from their parental home only. For students living at their parental home, the amount of loan awarded is the same, whether in London or outside London.

For students starting study in 2016/17, an enhanced Maintenance Loan replaced the Maintenance Grant. If a customer is in receipt of a Maintenance Grant (pre 2016/17), the loan is reduced by 50p for every £1 of grant. When calculating the Level of Award, 50% of any Maintenance Grant was added to the remaining loan amount for the purposes of this report.

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.

This data is not routinely held by the Department, the Student Loans Company (SLC) have provided the figures below. The data supplied outlines the number and proportion of students who received the minimum or maximum student maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year, and the average maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year.

The proportion of all students in London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for each year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students outside London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students in London who received the maximum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The number of and what proportion of students received the maximum student maintenance loan outside of London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students in London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students outside of London in each year since 2012:

The data in the tables above only includes full-time undergraduate students, as the minimum or maximum maintenance loan amounts differ for part-time undergraduate students.

The above figures are for students who are living elsewhere from their parental home only. For students living at their parental home, the amount of loan awarded is the same, whether in London or outside London.

For students starting study in 2016/17, an enhanced Maintenance Loan replaced the Maintenance Grant. If a customer is in receipt of a Maintenance Grant (pre 2016/17), the loan is reduced by 50p for every £1 of grant. When calculating the Level of Award, 50% of any Maintenance Grant was added to the remaining loan amount for the purposes of this report.

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.

This data is not routinely held by the Department, the Student Loans Company (SLC) have provided the figures below. The data supplied outlines the number and proportion of students who received the minimum or maximum student maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year, and the average maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year.

The proportion of all students in London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for each year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students outside London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students in London who received the maximum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The number of and what proportion of students received the maximum student maintenance loan outside of London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students in London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students outside of London in each year since 2012:

The data in the tables above only includes full-time undergraduate students, as the minimum or maximum maintenance loan amounts differ for part-time undergraduate students.

The above figures are for students who are living elsewhere from their parental home only. For students living at their parental home, the amount of loan awarded is the same, whether in London or outside London.

For students starting study in 2016/17, an enhanced Maintenance Loan replaced the Maintenance Grant. If a customer is in receipt of a Maintenance Grant (pre 2016/17), the loan is reduced by 50p for every £1 of grant. When calculating the Level of Award, 50% of any Maintenance Grant was added to the remaining loan amount for the purposes of this report.

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.

This data is not routinely held by the Department, the Student Loans Company (SLC) have provided the figures below. The data supplied outlines the number and proportion of students who received the minimum or maximum student maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year, and the average maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London by academic year.

The proportion of all students in London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for each year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students outside London who received the minimum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The proportion of all students in London who received the maximum student maintenance loan for every year since 2012 for which figures are available:

The number of and what proportion of students received the maximum student maintenance loan outside of London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students in London in each year since 2012:

The average student maintenance loan granted to students outside of London in each year since 2012:

The data in the tables above only includes full-time undergraduate students, as the minimum or maximum maintenance loan amounts differ for part-time undergraduate students.

The above figures are for students who are living elsewhere from their parental home only. For students living at their parental home, the amount of loan awarded is the same, whether in London or outside London.

For students starting study in 2016/17, an enhanced Maintenance Loan replaced the Maintenance Grant. If a customer is in receipt of a Maintenance Grant (pre 2016/17), the loan is reduced by 50p for every £1 of grant. When calculating the Level of Award, 50% of any Maintenance Grant was added to the remaining loan amount for the purposes of this report.

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.

The Student Loans Company (SLC) has provided the figures below, which outlines the proportion of students who received the minimum and maximum student maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London in the 2012/13, 2015/16 and 2021/22 academic years.

The proportion of all students that received the minimum student maintenance loan in London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of students that received the minimum student maintenance loan outside of London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of all students that received the full student maintenance loan in London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of all students that received the full student maintenance loan outside of London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

This data is not routinely held by the Department, so has been supplied by SLC for this request.

The data above only include full-time undergraduate students, as the minimum and maximum maintenance loan amounts differ for part-time undergraduate students.

The above figures are for students who are living elsewhere from their parental home. For students living at their parental home, the amount of loan awarded is the same, whether in London or outside London.

The Student Loans Company (SLC) has provided the figures below, which outlines the proportion of students who received the minimum and maximum student maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London in the 2012/13, 2015/16 and 2021/22 academic years.

The proportion of all students that received the minimum student maintenance loan in London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of students that received the minimum student maintenance loan outside of London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of all students that received the full student maintenance loan in London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of all students that received the full student maintenance loan outside of London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

This data is not routinely held by the Department, so has been supplied by SLC for this request.

The data above only include full-time undergraduate students, as the minimum and maximum maintenance loan amounts differ for part-time undergraduate students.

The above figures are for students who are living elsewhere from their parental home. For students living at their parental home, the amount of loan awarded is the same, whether in London or outside London.

The Student Loans Company (SLC) has provided the figures below, which outlines the proportion of students who received the minimum and maximum student maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London in the 2012/13, 2015/16 and 2021/22 academic years.

The proportion of all students that received the minimum student maintenance loan in London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of students that received the minimum student maintenance loan outside of London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of all students that received the full student maintenance loan in London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of all students that received the full student maintenance loan outside of London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

This data is not routinely held by the Department, so has been supplied by SLC for this request.

The data above only include full-time undergraduate students, as the minimum and maximum maintenance loan amounts differ for part-time undergraduate students.

The above figures are for students who are living elsewhere from their parental home. For students living at their parental home, the amount of loan awarded is the same, whether in London or outside London.

The Student Loans Company (SLC) has provided the figures below, which outlines the proportion of students who received the minimum and maximum student maintenance loan whilst studying in or outside London in the 2012/13, 2015/16 and 2021/22 academic years.

The proportion of all students that received the minimum student maintenance loan in London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of students that received the minimum student maintenance loan outside of London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of all students that received the full student maintenance loan in London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

The proportion of all students that received the full student maintenance loan outside of London in (a) 2012, (b) 2015 and (c) 2021:

This data is not routinely held by the Department, so has been supplied by SLC for this request.

The data above only include full-time undergraduate students, as the minimum and maximum maintenance loan amounts differ for part-time undergraduate students.

The above figures are for students who are living elsewhere from their parental home. For students living at their parental home, the amount of loan awarded is the same, whether in London or outside London.

To support the design and delivery of the Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) from 2025, the department will continue to engage with sector bodies across both further education and higher education, as well as the Student Loans Company and regulatory bodies.

On admissions, the department is continuing to work with UCAS and sector bodies to improve transparency, reduce the use of unconditional offers, and reform the personal statement to improve fairness for applicants of all backgrounds.

The LLE consultation and other ongoing engagements are an important part of delivering a transformation of student finance. The department is carefully considering the contributions and will publish a response in due course.

To support the design and delivery of the Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) from 2025, the department will continue to engage with sector bodies across both further education and higher education, as well as the Student Loans Company and regulatory bodies.

On admissions, the department is continuing to work with UCAS and sector bodies to improve transparency, reduce the use of unconditional offers, and reform the personal statement to improve fairness for applicants of all backgrounds.

The LLE consultation and other ongoing engagements are an important part of delivering a transformation of student finance. The department is carefully considering the contributions and will publish a response in due course.

We are freezing maximum tuition fees for the 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years.

Students from the lowest-income households have access to the largest ever amounts of support for their living costs in cash terms. Maximum grants and loans for living costs were increased by 3.1% this academic year, and we have announced that they will increase by a further 2.3% next year.

Many providers have hardship funds that students can apply to for assistance should individuals’ finances be affected in academic year 2021/22. The government is also making available discretionary funding of £144 million to be provided to support vulnerable people and individuals on low incomes.

Grant funding to the Office for Students (OfS) for the 2021/22 financial year included an allocation of £5 million to higher education providers in England in order to provide additional support for student hardship.

In our guidance to the OfS on funding for the 2021/22 financial year we made clear that the OfS should protect the £256 million allocation for the student premiums to support disadvantaged students and those that need additional help. The 2022/23 financial year guidance to the OfS confirms universities will continue to be able to support students in hardship through the student premium. Ministers’ Strategic Priorities Grant guidance letter to the OfS asks that the OfS looks to protect the student premium in cash terms for financial year 2022/23.

Advice is available from providers and from other sources online to help students manage their money while they are attending their courses.

The Office for National Statistics is reforming the Retail Price Index (RPI) measure of inflation in February 2030, bringing the methods and data of the Consumer Prices Index Including Owner Occupiers' Housing Costs (CPIH) into RPI. From that point the historic wedge between RPI and CPIH will fall to zero.

We have used RPI as the inflation measure in our reformed student loan plan type, which will apply to new borrowers entering higher education from September 2023 onwards, to ensure consistency with existing student loan plan types, all of which include links to RPI. Annual RPI inflation has historically been around 1 percentage point higher than CPIH.

The Student Loans Company (SLC) performs daily checks to assess for impacted customers against the sanctions list provided by the Office of Financial Sanctions Compliance (OFSI). SLC also works with payment service providers, including Government Banking, who are responsible for SWIFT repayments, to provide assurance that all OFSI sanction guidelines are met.

In the event of an impacted customer being identified, SLC would attach a ‘flag’ to the individual in question. This would both prevent movement of funds and trigger close monitoring of the account for the sanctioned period.

Once again, this shows the Opposition’s obsession with targets and numbers. We want an education system that delivers for the individual, whether that means going into further education, an apprenticeship or university. We want to ensure that every young person knows that whichever option they pick, it is a high-quality option.

The financial value of the 136 cases of full or partial loss to fraud relating to Student Finance England loans in the 2020-21 financial year is £963,806. The percentage of the 136 loans given out fraudulently out of the total number of loans provided by Student Finance England in the 2020-21 financial year is around 0.01%.

The financial value of the 136 cases of full or partial loss to fraud relating to Student Finance England loans in the 2020-21 financial year is £963,806. The percentage of the 136 loans given out fraudulently out of the total number of loans provided by Student Finance England in the 2020-21 financial year is around 0.01%.