Overview
- The Student Loans Company told about 22,000 students their maintenance funding was awarded in error and paused further payments while it reassesses eligibility.
- Officials say some providers wrongly registered weekend‑only or franchised courses as in‑person, which opened access to living‑cost loans that distance learners usually cannot get.
- Courses at around 15 institutions, including London Metropolitan, Bath Spa, Leeds Trinity, Southampton Solent and Oxford Brookes, are under review, with incorrect payments this year estimated at about £190 million.
- Students report sudden demands to return maintenance loans and childcare grants worth many thousands of pounds, leaving some fearing they cannot cover rent or childcare.
- Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said students are not at fault and blamed provider failings, Universities UK said members are taking legal advice, and a small acupuncture cohort had support reinstated late Wednesday as SLC offers reassessment, hardship help and affordable repayment plans.