Since the disastrous scrapping of the education maintenance allowance, any additional money given to help the most disadvantaged students stay on in education is welcome. The charity Barnardo’s has uncovered evidence that, as a result of the new system, young people are having to choose between eating breakfast or paying their bus fare to college. The brightest young people must have the opportunity to study for A levels and go on to university, but it is also imperative that the government ensures financial support to help students on vocational courses stay in FE and improve their chances of gaining work.

Jonathan Rallings, Barnardo’s assistant director of policy.