Explanatory note

These Regulations further amend the Education (Assisted Places) (Incidental Expenses) Regulations 1997 (“the 1997 Regulations”) in respect of the school year beginning on or after 1st September 2004. The 1997 Regulations provide for the payment of grants as regards incidental expenses, and for the remission of incidental expenses, in respect of pupils eligible to continue to hold assisted places by virtue of section 2 of the Education (Schools) Act 1997, notwithstanding the abolition of the assisted places scheme by section 1 of that Act.

These Regulations amend the means test (set out in regulation 2 of the 1997 Regulations) for determining eligibility to uniform grant and increase the amount of such grant payable in respect of clothing expenditure incurred in relation to the 2004/2005 and subsequent school years. £79 (instead of £77 as previously) is payable where the relevant income does not exceed £11,935 (instead of £11,626) and £41 (instead of £40) is payable where the relevant income exceeds that figure but does not exceed £12,846 (instead of £12,508).

These Regulations also amend the means test (set out in regulation 4 of the 1997 Regulations) for determining eligibility to travel grant and increase the amount of grant payable in respect of school travel expenditure in relation to the 2004/2005 and subsequent school years. Where the relevant income does not exceed £11,948 (instead of £11,639), travel grant shall be of an amount equal to the school travel expenditure to which it relates. Where the relevant income exceeds that sum, travel grant will be of the amount, if any, by which the school travel expenditure to which it relates exceeds an amount (rounded down to the nearest multiple of £3) equal to one-twelfth of that part of the relevant income which exceeds £11,769 (instead of £11,460).