Maximus UK has been awarded the contract to administer the Student Bursary Support Service (SBSS).
Planned to operate for three academic years from 2019, it has a total contract value of £5.2 million There is also a potential two-year extension.
The SBSS administers the Care to Learn and 16 to 19 Bursary Fund for vulnerable groups on behalf of the UK Department for Education.
These schemes are designed to help young people with the costs of participating in post-16 education.
Care to Learn provides help with childcare costs for young parents in education. The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund provides help with costs such as travel, course books and equipment.
Maximus UK will administer applications for financial support.
Delivery will be supported by a contact centre and digital platform, processing an estimated 25,000 applications and handling 30,000 enquiries annually. The contract will go live in May 2019.
Maximus brings global expertise in delivering effective eligibility programmes on behalf of government. We also have a strong track record of supporting a diverse range of customer groups in the UK.
As the contract is implemented, we will continue to develop our contact centre and digital capabilities in the UK, utilising technology to enhance user experience.
Maximus operates more than 100 contact centres internationally, delivering a diverse range of eligibility and enrolment contracts for governments. These use industry-leading management practices and technology.
Maximus contact centres handled more than 26 million calls in 2017.
