Special Support
Special Support (SS) is for students who claim certain income-related benefits and is intended to help with costs such as books, course equipment and travel.
If you’re eligible for Special Support, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) will disregard your part-time grant entitlement up to a maximum amount of £4,500 when calculating any benefits you’re entitled to.
For free advice and information about welfare benefits and other services contact Citizens Advice Cymru.
If you started your course on or after 1 September 2018
How much maintenance grant and loan you get depends on your household income and course intensity. Please note that Maintenance Grant is also known as Welsh Government Learning Grant.
Special Support may also be referred to as Special Support Payment.
These tables show how much maintenance grant and loan you could get based on examples of household income and course intensity:
2023 to 2024
| 25% course intensity | ||
|---|---|---|
| Household income | Loan | Grant |
| £25,000 or less | £663 | £1,500 |
| £35,000 | £1,028 | £1,135 |
| £45,000 | £1,393 | £769 |
| £59,200 or more | £1,913 | £250 |
| Total | £2,163 | |
| 50% course intensity | ||
|---|---|---|
| Household income | Loan | Grant |
| £25,000 or less | £1,325 | £3,000 |
| £35,000 | £2,056 | £2,270 |
| £45,000 | £2,787 | £1,539 |
| £59,200 or more | £3,825 | £500 |
| Total | £4,325 | |
| 75% course intensity | ||
|---|---|---|
| Household income | Loan | Grant |
| £25,000 or less | £1,988 | £4,500 |
| £35,000 | £3,083 | £3,404 |
| £45,000 | £4,180 | £2,308 |
| £59,200 or more | £5,738 | £750 |
| Total | £6,488 | |
2022 to 2023
| 25% course intensity | ||
|---|---|---|
| Household income | Loan | Grant |
| £25,000 or less | £476 | £1,500 |
| £35,000 | £841 | £1,135 |
| £45,000 | £1,207 | £769 |
| £59,200 or more | £1,726 | £250 |
| Total | £1,976 | |
| 50% course intensity | ||
|---|---|---|
| Household income | Loan | Grant |
| £25,000 or less | £953 | £3,000 |
| £35,000 | £1,683 | £2,270 |
| £45,000 | £2,414 | £1,539 |
| £59,200 or more | £3,453 | £500 |
| Total | £3,953 | |
| 75% course intensity | ||
|---|---|---|
| Household income | Loan | Grant |
| £25,000 or less | £1,429 | £4,500 |
| £35,000 | £2,525 | £3,404 |
| £45,000 | £3,621 | £2,308 |
| £59,200 or more | £5,179 | £750 |
| Total | £5,929 | |
The figures in the tables are for illustrative purposes only.
You’ll need to let us know if your circumstances change during your course to ensure you’re receiving the support you are entitled to.
You have to pay your Maintenance Loan back, including interest once you’ve finished or left your course. Your grant does not need to be paid back.
If you’re aged 60 or older at the start of your course, you won’t be eligible for a Maintenance Loan.
Who qualifies
You may be eligible for Special Support if any of the following applies to you:
- you’re a single parent or a single foster parent, with a child or young person aged under 20 who is in full-time education below higher education level
- your partner is also a student and one or both of you are responsible for a child, or a young person under 20 who is in full-time education below higher education level
- you have a disability and qualify for the Disability Premium or Severe Disability Premium
- you’re deaf and qualify for Disabled Students' Allowance
- you have been treated as incapable of work for at least 28 weeks
- you have a disability and qualify for income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- you’re eligible for Housing Benefit
- you’re eligible for Housing element of Universal Credit
- you’re entitled to Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- you’re entitled to Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)
- you’re entitled to Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- you’re waiting to go back to a course having taken agreed time out from that course due to an illness or caring responsibility that has now ended
- you’re aged 60 or older
How to apply
You can apply online for your part-time student finance.
You’ll receive a notification of entitlement letter which will confirm how much support you’re entitled to during the academic year. However, if you meet any of the criteria in the ‘Who qualifies’ section above, the full amount of part-time Maintenance Grant (also known as Welsh Government Learning Grant) you’re entitled to will be treated as Special Support by DWP and will be disregarded by them when they’re calculating any benefits you’re entitled to. DWP will be responsible for confirming your entitlement to benefits.
If you’re aged 60 or older at the start of your course, you’ll be assessed for Maintenance Grant only as you’re not entitled to apply for a Maintenance Loan.
Getting paid
We’ll pay your money into your bank account, usually 3 times a year at the start of each term.
For more information on getting paid, check out our dedicated payment guidance page.