Quick answer
From the 2026 to 2027 academic year, if you are a care leaver your household income is not used to calculate your Maintenance Loan, and you can choose to borrow the maximum amount (GOV.UK: new full-time students). GOV.UK says this applies to anyone who can show they meet, or previously met, the statutory definition of a care leaver, including those aged 25 or over, on full-time and part-time undergraduate courses (GOV.UK: support 2026 to 2027). For new full-time students that means up to £9,118 living with parents, £10,830 away from home outside London, or £14,135 away from home in London. SFE still uses your household income to check what other funding, such as grants, you can get.
General information for UK home students living in England, based on GOV.UK guidance checked on 19 October 2026. Rules and figures change each year. AF Education is not Student Finance England (SFE); your SFE assessment decides what you receive.
This is one of the biggest changes to student finance for 2026/27, and it matters to adults as much as school leavers. Until 2026/27, a care leaver aged 25 or over who lived with a partner would usually have had their partner’s income counted. Now the Maintenance Loan is not means-tested for care leavers. This guide explains what changed, who it applies to and what to do when you apply. For the wider picture, see our student finance hub.
What changed in 2026/27
GOV.UK’s 2026 to 2027 student support rates say that any individual who can evidence that they meet or previously met the statutory definition of a care leaver in the Student Support Regulations is entitled to the maximum loan for living costs automatically on application, and is exempt from means testing (GOV.UK: support with living and other costs 2026 to 2027). The same rule appears for new and continuing full-time students (GOV.UK: new full-time students) and on the household income page (GOV.UK: household income).
In practice:
- Your parents’ or partner’s income is not used to work out your Maintenance Loan.
- You can choose to borrow the maximum amount, or less if you prefer.
- The Student Loans Company still uses your household income to check what other funding you can get.
Who counts as a care leaver?
The test is the statutory definition in the Student Support Regulations. SFE’s 2026 to 2027 guide describes students who, subject to certain exceptions, were looked after by a local authority throughout any 3-month period ending on or after their 16th birthday and before the first day of the first academic year of their course (GOV.UK: how you’re assessed and paid 2026 to 2027). If you are not sure whether your time in care meets the definition, ask SFE before you apply. Your local authority’s leaving care team may be able to help you confirm your care history.
Care leavers aged 25 or over
GOV.UK makes clear the rule includes care leavers aged 25 or over (GOV.UK: support 2026 to 2027). This is important for mature students. Normally, if you are 25 or over and live with a partner, SFE counts your partner’s income, which can reduce your Maintenance Loan (see Partner’s Income and Student Finance 2026/27). As a care leaver, your household income is not used for the Maintenance Loan, so you can borrow the maximum whatever your partner earns.
How much you could borrow in 2026/27
| Where you live while studying | Maximum Maintenance Loan, 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Living with your parents | Up to £9,118 |
| Living away from your parents, outside London | Up to £10,830 |
| Living away from your parents, in London | Up to £14,135 |
Source: GOV.UK: new full-time students. These are the maximums for new full-time students. Part-time students on eligible courses get an amount based on their intensity of study (GOV.UK: support 2026 to 2027). Your Tuition Fee Loan is separate: up to £9,790, or up to £11,750 on an accelerated degree, paid straight to your university or college. It does not depend on household income.
What household income is still used for
GOV.UK says SLC will still use your household income to check what other funding you can get (GOV.UK: household income). Income-assessed extras such as the Adult Dependants’ Grant, the Childcare Grant and the Parents’ Learning Allowance are still means-tested. So you should still give your household income when you apply, even though it will not reduce your Maintenance Loan. Our guide to household income and student finance explains how it is assessed.
How to apply as a care leaver
- Apply for student finance online in the usual way. Our mature student application guide walks through each step.
- Make sure SFE knows you are a care leaver when you apply.
- Be ready to evidence your care leaver status, because GOV.UK says the rule applies to people who can evidence they meet or met the definition.
- Choose how much Maintenance Loan you want to borrow.
Apply as early as you can, so that any evidence request does not delay your first payment. See Student Finance Documents Checklist 2026/27 for the other paperwork you need.
Care leaver, independent or estranged?
Being looked after by a local authority is also one of the routes to being classed as an independent student, so your parents’ income is not counted (GOV.UK: assessed and paid 2026 to 2027). The automatic maximum Maintenance Loan described here is for care leavers. If you are estranged from your parents but were not in care, you may still be independent, but your household income can still affect your loan. See Independent Student Status: SFE 2026/27.
Other help you can ask about
GOV.UK says you may be able to get extra money from your university or college, such as a bursary, scholarship or hardship fund, and you do not usually need to pay this back (GOV.UK: extra financial help). Ask your university’s student support team and your local authority’s leaving care team what extra help they offer to care leavers starting higher education.
Remember: it is still a loan
Borrowing the maximum is your choice. The Maintenance Loan is repaid in the same way as any other student loan, only once you earn over the threshold. Read When Do Student Loan Repayments Start? before deciding how much to take.
Studying around work and family
Many of the funded courses AF Education helps with are timetabled for typically 1–2 campus days a week, about 2–4 hours a day, so students can work while studying. Browse courses or read our guide to university for mature students.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Maintenance Loan means-tested for care leavers in 2026/27?
No. From 2026/27, GOV.UK says care leavers are entitled to the maximum loan for living costs on application and are exempt from means testing. You can choose to borrow less.
I left care years ago and I am now over 25. Does this apply to me?
GOV.UK says it applies to anyone who can evidence that they meet or previously met the statutory definition of a care leaver, including those aged 25 or over.
Does my partner’s income count if I am a care leaver?
Not for your Maintenance Loan. GOV.UK says your household income is not used to calculate it, although SLC still uses household income to check other funding such as grants.
Does this change my Tuition Fee Loan?
No. The Tuition Fee Loan does not depend on household income. In 2026/27 it is up to £9,790, or up to £11,750 on an accelerated degree.
Does it apply to part-time students?
GOV.UK’s 2026/27 rates cover full-time and part-time undergraduate students who are care leavers. Part-time loans for living costs depend on your intensity of study.
Next steps
Gather anything that confirms your time in care, apply for student finance as early as you can and tell SFE you are a care leaver. Then decide how much of the Maintenance Loan you actually need.
Prefer to talk? Call AF Education on 020 7377 8844, email info@afeducation.co.uk or visit us at 47 Cavell Street, London E1 2BP. Our help is free for UK home students living in England.
