SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS

That this House recognises that students who develop serious illness are deemed to have drawn down their student loans when they have to suspend their studies to receive treatment for life-threatening illnesses like cancer; understands that students are denied benefits for 28 weeks because of this; further understands that after that period their student loans are taken into account in assessing the amount of benefit paid; believes that it is distressing enough for young people to have to fight serious illness without being denied benefits available to others; further recognises that the current rules mean that students may be burdened by four years of student loans for a three-year degree course; further believes that students who have to suspend their courses because of serious ill health are treated unfairly in comparison with students who abandon or are dismissed from their course; and calls on the Government to rectify this unfair and unjust situation.