London Met joins legal challenge against withdrawal of student maintenance funding

The institutions argue the shift in guidance contradicts years of consistent interpretation of the Student Support Regulations.

Date: 16 April 2026

London Metropolitan University, is part of a group of UK universities have formally indicated their intention to pursue legal action against the Department for Education and the Student Loans Company following the sudden withdrawal of maintenance funding from students studying on weekend-based courses.  

The nine universities warn that this abrupt decision stems from the failure of the Student Loans Company to provide clear and consistent guidance, or to meaningfully engage with the sector. Taken with minimal notice, the move has caused serious financial distress for affected students and placed many at risk of being unable to continue their studies. 

The withdrawal has particularly affected those balancing work, caring responsibilities, and education. For these students, maintenance loans are essential to cover basic living costs. 

Alongside this action, the National Union of Students (NUS) continue to petition the government as the severity of their decision is realised and a petition containing more than 13,000 signatures is set to be presented to the Department for Education today (Thursday 16 April). 

The institutions strongly reject the classification of in-person, timetabled weekend teaching as “distance learning” and argue that the policy not only defies common sense but is also inconsistent with the Student Support Regulations as interpreted and applied since 2011.  It makes no sense for face-to-face study delivered on Saturdays and Sundays to be “distance learning” while identical provision during the week is “in-person”.   

The group are appalled that the DfE and SLC are characterising this change in policy as an error by universities when classifying their courses.  Universities have followed and applied the SLC guidance on course classification for years and this recent shift in guidance from DFE and SLC has been implemented inconsistently and without meaningful engagement with the sector.  

The group of universities that have co-signed the formal legal letter understand that c22,000 students studying at more than 20 universities are affected.  

The group of universities stand firmly with their students and are actively communicating with those affected. The institutions are providing support where possible, but say urgent action is needed to prevent lasting harm and call upon the government to revoke this action immediately and work with the sector to deliver a fair and sustainable solution. 

Professor Julie Hall, Vice-Chancellor of London Metropolitan University, said: 

"We are seriously concerned that the Government is repeating the patterns seen in other high profile administrative issues where system failures have devastated individuals. Students have been stripped of support overnight and told to repay loans that were previously approved and processed. 

"This action by the Student Loans Company hits students from underrepresented and lower income backgrounds the hardest. These individuals rely on this funding to meet basic living costs in the capital. Removing it so abruptly mid-semester risks forcing many to abandon their studies, undermining years of progress in widening participation and fair access to higher education.  

"We call on the Department for Education to resolve the inconsistencies in their guidance regarding in person teaching. Students should not be forced into financial crisis because of technical reclassifications and a lack of joined up thinking between different government systems. They must not be penalised for regulatory shifts that are entirely outside of their control."