The aims of the Lifelong Loan Entitlement to open-up opportunities for lifelong learning to a wider group of people, rightly, has broad support from across all areas of HE. Higher education institutions (HEIs) across London are some of the most successful institutions in the country in delivering great outcomes for individuals, regardless of their background, and for businesses and growth of the economy. This provision has the potential to allow London HEIs to build on this success and offer more opportunities to an even wider group of people.
The publication of the Does the Lifelong Loan Entitlement meet its own objectives? paper by HEPI, which explores some of the limitations within the bill is very welcome. The points raised in the paper align with the concerns raised by our own members. We agree that decisions taken on distance learning and the high credit minimum risk undermining the effectiveness of this draft legislation.
As the most diverse and densely populated region of the UK, London provides the ideal testbed for the effectiveness of future policy. For the LLE to work for the widest group of students, it is imperative the Government works to remove barriers in the legislation that will reduce its accessibility to London’s many prospective mature learners and those needing to fit their studies around pre-existing work and caring commitments, among others.
