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Alison Robinson

Eligibility Query

Edited

None

I queried this again with the DFE and have just had the following response:

Dear Alison

Thank you for your enquiry.

We will be updating the funding rules to clarify that dependants of all individuals with sponsorship visa status, with the exception of seasonal workers, are eligible for ASF funding.

I trust this of assistance. 

Kind regards

Kim

Hope this is the definitive answer........

 

Hi,

I am looking for guidance.....

We have a lady with an e-Visa whose Status is Partner. She explained that her husband is on a sponsorship visa, she is his dependent. I know those in the UK on a Sponsorship Visa are ineligible for funding but the funding rules don't mention partner of as far as I can see. Her e-visa also says they can study subject to Academic Technology Approval.

Regards,

Alison

Replies

No one has replied to this post.

Steve Hewitt

Yeah, this is definitely something that needs to be clearer... It's very annoying that they've left the phrase "Please note this list is not exhaustive" in the list of people who aren't fundable...

I guess we should probably ask, although I'm not sure I want to know the answer...

Nichola Bury Davies

I submitted this same query to the helpdesk this week and the response was the below so it's a no to dependents of Skilled worker/Sponsorship visa's being eligble.

Learners on skilled worker sponsorship visas are not eligible for ASF funding, as these visas cannot be extended, individuals on such visas can only remain in the UK for a limited period (typically 2 to 3 years), which means the skills acquired are unlikely to be utilised within the UK labour market.

This includes their dependants 

Steve Hewitt

Hi Nichola

Thanks for doing this, hadn't had a chance to get round to it myself! Not overly surprising, but interesting to see the reasoning (which hasn't been formally published anywhere, as far as I'm aware...)

Karen Simmons

This is worrying, if we saw an e-Visa for someone and the status showed as 'Partner' we would consider them eligible. 
You only knew the husband was here on a sponsorship visa because the learner told you, if the learner doesn't say anything then surely we can only take what is shown on the e-Visa.

Nichola Bury Davies

Thanks for the update Alison - we'll wait for the updated funding rules to be published. Good that they've done a U-turn but means we'll have to check the e-Visas of partners/dependents still to check they're not a seasonal worker. 

Karen Simmons

Really hope they release an update soon - it's so unclear and we don't know what to tell our learners :-(

Aqib

Hi everyone,

I just received this reply from DfE this morning 

Dear Aqib

 

Thank you for your enquiry.

 

We are aware that this has caused some confusion, and we will be updating the funding rules to clarify that dependants of all individuals with sponsorship visa status, with the exception of seasonal workers, are eligible for ASF funding.

 

I hope this clarifies.

 

Kind regards
 

Tom
Customer Service

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