PLA is part of the additional dependant's allowances and is means tested.
It may be available to you if you have one or more children who are wholly or mainly financially dependent on you while you are studying.
The rates cover a 52 week period during the academic year.
A full time student will receive up to £1,573.
A part time student will receive a pro rata amount, based on the length of your course.
If your spouse, partner or civil partner is also a student you can both claim for PLA as part of your bursary.
If you're both Social Work Bursary students, any PLA awarded will be paid at half rate to each of you.
To be eligible for PLA all the following must apply:
- you're receiving the Postgraduate Social Work Bursary
- you have one or more children wholly or mainly financially dependent on you
- your children must be under the age of 19 and in full time education. This includes further education, such as college, but does not include higher education, such as university
You cannot claim PLA if either:
- you're an undergraduate student
- you're only receiving the Placement Travel Allowance (PTA) because you have not been included in your college or university's allocated bursary places
- your child is 19 years of age or over at the beginning of the academic year
- your child is a foster child