§ Mr. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to ensure that students aged 18 years will not pay the full community charge 443W during the period between leaving school and entering higher or further education later in the year; and what effect this will have on student loans or grants.
Mr. JacksonSchool leavers aged 18 will, after leaving school, remain exempt from community charge for as long as they are the subject of continuing entitlement to child benefit. Once that entitlement has expired, a person aged 18, and between school and higher or further education, will be liable to the full community charge, but will be able to claim rebate on the charge, provided that his income or resources (or, in the case of a couple, their joint income or resources) do not disqualify him from the rebate. Once enrolled full-time in further or higher education, that person will become eligible to a rebate of 80 per cent. of the full charge, and his previous status will be irrelevant to eligibility for grant.