Your basic award will be re-assessed from the date of your separation or divorce. Your basic award would then be an aggregate amount based on the award prior to your change in circumstances (i.e. with spouse/partner contribution) and the new entitlement with no spouse/partner contribution from the date of separation or divorce to the end of the academic year.
You will need to provide a letter from a professional person, ideally this should be a solicitor. The letter should confirm that you are sharing a property due to financial reasons and that you and your former spouse or partner are living completely separate lives. If you cannot demonstrate that you are financially independent of your former spouse or partner then your bursary will still be income assessed using your spouse or partner's income.
If you are in receipt of Dependants and / or Childcare Allowance prior to your separation, these additional allowances will need to be re-assessed. You may be entitled to a higher amount if you are not already receiving the maximum rates.
You will need to provide evidence that you are the parent mainly responsible for the financial upkeep of any children as in effect they will still be residing with both parents. This would need to be in the form of a legal agreement stating that you are responsible for the children. Details of any maintenance payments you receive from your former spouse or partner would also need to be declared and taken into account in the reassessment of any entitlement.
If you were claiming Dependants Allowance for your spouse or partner only, this will be stopped from the date of separation.
If you were not receiving Dependants Allowances previously due to your partner's income, you may now qualify for this if you have children who are financially dependent on you. Dependents Allowance will be reassessed from the date of separation.
You will need to complete a change of circumstances and provide any relevant evidence.