The Department for Education and the Student Loans Company (SLC) are demanding repayment of maintenance loans and childcare grants taken out by around 22,000 students who have studied weekend courses.
In response, National Union of Students (NUS), has launched a campaign to oppose these measures, which would have a massive financial impact on students that have done nothing wrong at all.
Amira Campbell, NUS President, said: "Students take on a massive debt to invest in their futures. They trust the government, the Student Loans Company and their universities to handle everything correctly: now that trust has been broken, mistakes have been made, and once again students are made to face the brunt of it.
“These are working class students, many of whom are parents, who are using their weekends to gain a degree and invest in their futures. They should not be facing a funding cliff edge because of a mistake or being mis-sold their course. The Department of Education and Student Finance England could be plunging 22,000 students, and their families, into poverty.
“A Government that are priding themselves on supporting parents through funded childcare, are now taking away childcare grants from students who are trying to better themselves and their families.
“From retroactively and regressively changing the terms of plan 2 loans, to mis-selling students weekend courses, our trust on the student finance system is at an all time low."
