Previously care leavers returning to education to study qualifications such as GCSEs or A-levels as so-called "second chance learners" were only entitled to claim income support and housing benefit if the course started before their 19th birthday.
From this month the government has changed the legislation, so that any care leaver aged up to 21 will now be eligible for welfare support.
NCAS has welcomed the move, but believes that ending welfare support for care leavers at the age of 21 is still too soon a cut off point. The service would instead like to see the entitlement extended to all care leavers up to the age of 25.
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