Unearned Income
Dear Student Awards Agency for Scotland,
I would be grateful if you could provide the following:
> Confirmation of which statute, sections or regulations relate to the deduction of the unearned income of students from Student Loan payments for living expenses,
> Details of any exemptions to the normal practice of deducting unearned income from Student Loan payments for living expenses,
> Details of any impact assessment carried out into how the blanket practice of deducting unearned income unduly affects and penalises Disabled Students who qualify to receive Employment and Support Allowance while studying due to having a limited capability to work.
A point of clarification on the above - Disabled Students (depending on their disability and personal circumstances) could qualify for ESA while attending college or university, however, SAAS deduct unearned income of over a set limit from student loan payments regardless of that student's ability to work at all. A fairer system, surely, would be to accept that those who qualify for and receive ESA are ill or disabled and cannot work or have a limited capability for work and are therefore unduly affected by this unfair practice through no fault of their own.
I look forward to receiving this information.
Yours faithfully
Rob M McDowall
Thank you for your email requesting information under the Freedom of
Information (Scotland) Act. A response will be issued within the next 20
working days.
Please note that if your email is not a FOI request it will be forwarded
to our General Enquiry Unit to deal with appropriately.
SAAS Chief Executive's Office,
Gyleview House
3 Redheughs Rigg
Edinburgh
EH12 9HH
Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.
Please find attached an acknowledgement of your request.
Kind regards
Sarah
<<rag 3402 FOI Request acknowledgement letter R McDowall.doc>>
Sarah Duncan
Chief Executive's Office
Student Awards Agency for Scotland
0131 244 5890
Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.
To Rob McDowall,
Please see attached reply following your request under the Freedom of
Information (Scotland) Act.
Rgds,
Alan Scott
Operational Policy Manager
Rm 010
SAAS
Edinburgh
EH12 9HH
The information in this e-mail offers general guidance only and is not
legally binding, nor does it constitute any right of eligibility for, or
entitlement to, funding. SAAS will assess each applicant on his or her
individual circumstances in accordance with the information provided
with his or her completed application.
Dear Student Awards Agency for Scotland
I would be grateful if you could provide details, as requested, of any impact assessment carried out specifically relating to disabled students.
Your reply has failed to respond to my request in whole. As a public body you have a duty to carry out Equality Impact Assessments on policies, I would therefore be obliged if you could provide details of the EIA carried out on this policy.
Disabled students are on the whole severely financially impacted due to them having a limited capability for work and therefore have little or no means to earn income from work.
Yours faithfully
Rob M McDowall
Dear Mr McDowall
Thank you for your recent email.
I should explain that the Student Awards Agency for Scotland is
responsible for the management of higher education student support but
does not determine policy. Higher Education student support policy is
set by Scottish Government.
I have contacted colleagues at Scottish Government and understand that
there was no specific impact assessment conducted in relation to this
policy change and ESA. I suggest that you contact Scottish Government if
you require any further information.
I hope the above is helpful.
Thank you
Tracey Slaven
Chief Executive - Student Awards Agency for Scotland.
t: 0131 2445866 m: 07825 356011
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