Students are being offered help from a record £1.7 million hardship fund to cope with costs of further education.

Bradford College has been given its largest-ever sum from the Government to help hard-up students from September.

Experts at the college can advise people what grants they may get. Most are targeted at the worst-off students.

Margaret Appleyard, of the college's student finance team, said: "Where we are unusual is in how much we give away, because we are such a large institution.

"The amount has gone up this year, which means we can give more money to more people."

For full-time higher-education students taking degree courses and HNDs, there are grants of up to £2,000 available to cover hardship, from a total fund of £445,714 - a rise of £20,000 from last year.

Art and design students can apply for a £250 grant, new this year, for materials required on their course.

An accommodation bursary of £500 is available to help students who find their cash swallowed up at the start of the year by paying rent and a bond.

The number of Opportunity Bursaries has doubled to 144 this year. This cash is for under-21s who are the first in their family to study a degree or higher diploma and whose parents earn less than £21,000.

Parents who want to study can now claim £1,300 in Parents' Learning Allowance in place of the old £1,000, for books and materials. In addition they can get up to 85 per cent of their child-care costs from Bradford Council.

For those who what to do further education courses, ranging from part-time hairdressing to GCSE maths at night school, anyone on means-tested benefits gets the classes free.

In addition, slightly more than £1 million has been earmarked to assist Bradford FE students with one-off grants for childcare costs, books and travel.

A new Government scheme, Care to Learn, will this year provide up to £5,000 to offset child care costs for 16-18-year-olds who want to return to full-time study.

Ms Appleyard warned that students opting for a higher education degree would probably still end up in debt, even after receiving help.

"But I hope people will be attracted to the college when they see help is available," she said.

To find out more about the funding available, call the college on (01274) 433042.