If you have an adult who depends on your income (a partner, an older parent, someone you care for) there is a part of Student Finance most adult applicants never realise they qualify for.

It is called the Adult Dependants Grant. For 2026/27 it is worth up to £3,545 per year, paid in three instalments alongside your Maintenance Loan, and it does not normally have to be paid back. You apply for it through your standard Student Finance England application. There is no extra cost to find out if you qualify.

The eligibility rule that matters most: if your household income is over £15,835.98, you are not eligible. Below that, Student Finance England calculates the exact award against your specific income.

The most common reason adult learners miss it is they did not know it existed. The second most common reason is they assumed they earned too much for any non-repayable support, without checking the actual rules.

Full plain-English guide for 2026/27, with who qualifies, the means test, and how to apply: link in the first comment.