Discretionary Support Funds (DSFs) are available to help students aged 16 and over with the costs associated with further education. They are targeted at those in greatest need, with priority being given to students with disabilities or learning difficulties, those leaving care, probationers, and students reaching 19 and losing benefits during their courses.
Funds can be used to cover the likes of course fees, childcare, transport costs, trips and equipment.
Learners seeking further information should contact the student support officer at the college or school sixth form at which they study, or intend to study.
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2010/11 youth and adult dLS MI returns
IMPORTANT: This MI collection relates only to discretionary Learner Support for 2010/11 - it is NOT related to the 16-19 Bursary Fund.
The arrangements for the 16-19 Bursary Fund MI collections in 2011/12 will be communicated separately by the YPLA in the near future.
The YPLA will shortly be collecting the annual Management Information return for the spend of both youth and adult discretionary Learner Support (dLS) for the academic year 2010/11. The YPLA is collecting the management information for adult dLS on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency.
As was the case for last year (2009/10), the data will be collected via the online web portal which can be accessed at http://dls.ypla.gov.uk/data. This is a secure area which requires a user name and password.
Providers can submit their 2010/11 dLS data from 1st September 2011 and are asked to complete it by 31st October 2011 at the latest.
Providers should use the same user name and password as they did for 2009/10 to access the web portal. If you have forgotten your user name and password, you will be able to reset it from 1st September 2011 using a ‘Reset password’ link found on the sign-in page. If you are accessing the portal for the first time, please email dlsenquiries@ypla.gov.uk stating that you require access to the dLS MI Portal for 2010/11.
Clawback of 2009/10 Youth discretionary Learner Support Funds
If you are a provider who was allocated Youth (16-18) discretionary Learner Support Funds in the 2009/10 academic year and you declared an underspend of more than £1,000 on your 2009/10 MI Return, we will be recovering this against your overall allocation for youth funds.
the underspend calculation has been based on your return uploaded onto the YPLA MI Portal for 2009/10.
The underspend will be recovered from your May 2011 payment and will show on your remittance advice as 'DLS Youth 09/10 Clawback'. Please advise your finance department so they are aware of this adjustment.
Underspends of less than £1,000 can be carried forward to the 2010/11 academic year and should be recorded on the 2010/11 MI Return as an additional in-year allocation.
If you have any queries regarding this, contact dlsenquiries@ypla.gov.uk
Youth discretionary learner support 2010/11 in-year forecast
In order to find out the forecasted spend position for the 2010/11 year for adult discretionary Learner Support, we are asking you to complete a forecast template. The forecast template allows you to declare your predicted underspend or identify any pressures.
This information will be used for budget forecasting purposes and may allow re-distribution of existing funding to ease discretionary funding pressures. It does not, however, suggest that there are additional funds to ease the pressures identified.
If you are a provider who is allocated adult discretionary Learner Support and you have any underspend or more information that you wish to declare, please complete the forecasting template and send it to dlsenquiries@ypla.gov.uk by Friday 25th March 2011.
Adult discretionary learner support 2010/11 in-year forecast
In order to find out the forecasted spend position for the 2010/11 year for adult discretionary Learner Support, we are asking you to complete a forecast template. The forecast template allows you to declare your predicted underspend or identify any pressures.
This information will be used for budget forecasting purposes and may allow re-distribution of existing funding to ease discretionary funding pressures. It does not, however, suggest that there are additional funds to ease the pressures identified.
If you are a provider who is allocated adult discretionary Learner Support and you have any underspend or more information that you wish to declare, please complete the forecasting template and send it to dlsenquiries@ypla.gov.uk by Friday 18th February 2011.
Vireing of 19+ Hardship discretionary Learner Support to 20+ Childcare
The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills is aware of the demand for childcare support and the pressures on the 20+ Childcare Discretionary Learner Support budget. Therefore, for the remainder of the 2010/11 academic year providers may, on a case by case basis, assess an individual learner's need where childcare support is required and if necessary, vire the funds across from 19+ Hardship to 20+ Childcare, even if this exceeds 15% of the total 19+ Hardship allocation. Providers will be required to record the total amounts vired in this way on the 2010/11 MI return.
