On 23 March 2026, universities received a letter from Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education (DfE), identifying that universities had incorrectly classified programmes delivered predominantly at weekends, as eligible for student finance. The letter directed universities to take responsibility for the misclassification of such programmes, and to inform students that they would no longer be eligible for a maintenance loan.
Furthermore, the DfE revealed plans for recovery of all maintenance loan funding that had been incorrectly paid to students, who are, or were, attending weekend only programmes.
An announcement on 25 March 2026, issued directly to students by the Student Loans Company (SLC), has revealed the DfE’s intention to rapidly resolve these funding issues, and has resulted in the SLC blocking maintenance loan payments for students registered on these misclassified programmes.
Regrettably these funding issues are impacting heavily on students registered with LD Training, a dedicated and trusted franchise partner, with an excellent reputation for the delivery of undergraduate degree programmes. LD Training has always been proud to deliver quality academic provision both at the weekends and during the week, offering ‘non-traditional’ students the opportunity to engage in higher education learning, and to improve both their own lives and those of their families and communities.
Glen Johnson, the Chief Operating Officer at LD Training said
‘As an education provider, we are deeply committed to widening access to higher education by delivering flexible and inclusive learning models that genuinely reflect the realities of our students’ lives. We work closely with our university partners, employers and students to shape provision that removes barriers to participation, while maintaining the highest academic standards’.
‘Quality and student experience sit at the heart of everything we do, and this is reflected in our outcomes, including a 94% student satisfaction rating in the 2024–25 National Student Survey, alongside consistently high Student Experience Survey results averaging 97% over the past three years. We take great pride in the support, dedication and opportunities we provide to our students, and remain fully committed to ensuring they receive the best possible experience throughout their studies. During this period of uncertainty, we will continue to do everything we can to support our students and help them progress successfully’.
Linda Johnson, CEO and Managing Director at LD Training said
“We are deeply disappointed and concerned that recent changes to government policy and student funding risk negatively impacting students who have worked exceptionally hard to succeed despite significant challenges.
We are equally disheartened that our collaborative efforts with higher education partners to strengthen the social and economic wellbeing of communities across England have been undermined in such an insensitive manner.”
We continue to liaise with relevant stakeholders to ensure our information remains accurate and up to date.”
LD Training remains committed to working in franchise partnerships with UK universities, and to delivering continued value and opportunity, for all students.
Further Information:
LD Training FAQs for Students:
Press Contact: Emma Heathcote, Director of Global Business Development
Email: eheathcote@ldtraining.ac.uk
Tel: 0207 998 3655
LD Training: www.ldtraining.ac.uk
