Questions regarding Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) funding lifetime bans: FOI release

Information requested

1. How many people have received a permanent lifetime ban from applying and receiving student funding from SAAS in Scotland?

2. Who is responsible for deciding who gets a lifetime ban and is there any grounds for appeal?

Response

1. On the Not Fit for Support register there were 99 students given a “lifetime ban” under the NFFS policy.

2. Head of Counter Fraud and Head of Policy and Engagement would meet to discuss the cases and come to a decision. They then notified the student following the decision. If a student wishes to appeal the decision then they should follow the normal appeals process.
(https://www.saas.gov.uk/files/69/appeals-guide.pdf).

In January 2019 the ‘Not fit for Support’ policy was updated to the Restricted Funding Policy. If a decision is made to add a student to the Restricted Funding register they will not be able to apply for and receive funding for up to six years, instead of receiving a lifetime ban. All the students on the NFFS register were reviewed in line with the new policy and added to the new register if they had been on the NFFS register for less than six years. This register is routinely reviewed to establish if the students should remain on the register or be removed.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.