Tynwald has approved the Education Student Awards Regulations 2025, intended to make the system “simpler, fairer and more accessible,” but not before significant criticism over potential loopholes for the wealthy.
Education Minister Daphne Caine outlined the changes, including higher income thresholds for maintenance grants, increased disability allowances, and support for distance learners.
She stated the aim was to ensure “financial barriers do not stand in the way of opportunity for island students”.
However, MHK Lawrie Hooper highlighted many severe issues, arguing the regulations were “fundamentally broken” on policy grounds.
The Liberal Vannin leader told members: “I had some helpful advice from the Attorney General’s chambers the other day confirming that they are still full of errors.”
Wealthy
He highlighted that donations from any trust or charity are excluded from student income calculations.
“So if you happen to be very wealthy, you happen to have a trust fund for your kids, actually, any income they get from that trust is excluded from the calculation,” Mr Hooper said.
He asserted this meant “the wealthiest people who have trust structures… are perfectly entitled to a full maintenance grant”.
He further criticised the shift to using taxable income for assessments, saying it “opens the door to people fiddling around the edges”.
Despite acknowledging good elements, he concluded: “I don’t think I can find myself supporting them today.”
Support
In her reply, Mrs Caine defended the policy saying it was intended to avoid penalising students who “receive genuine educational support”, she said, such as university scholarships.
She argued that exploiting the system via a family trust was “highly unlikely, given the complexity and costs involved”.
Other members raised concerns.
Kirstie Morphet MCL highlighted that the rules could exclude vocational arts courses and fail students with acute living costs while Tanya August-Phillips MLC agreed the wording around trusts needed “a little bit more thought”.
Paul Craine MLC urged support, acknowledging the complex work within a “fixed envelope” of funding.
The regulations passed with 19 votes for and 2 against in the Keys, and 6 for and 1 against in the Legislative Council.
As a result of the changes, the tuition fee grant reduces to £6,000, placing more debt on students.