Benefits & Tax Credits

If you are a single, full-time student with no disability or dependents you cannot usually claim Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance or Housing Benefit throughout your course, including the vacation period. 

Which benefits can you claim?

Benefits are affected by study in different ways. Listed below is an outline of the main benefits that some students may be able to claim.

 

Pension Credit

If you or your partner are aged 60 or over you may be entitled to Pension Credit.

Pension Credit provides a contribution to a guaranteed minimum income and rewards people aged 65 and over who have made modest provision for their retirement.

Pension Credit is dealt with by The Pension Service. To find out more about Pension Credit visit The Pension Service Website.

 

Child Benefit

You qualify for Child Benefit for a child if:

• you have a child under 16; or
• have a child under 20 and receiving full-time non-advanced education
• you are responsible for the child because the child lives with you; or
• you contribute to the cost of supporting the child at a rate of at least the
     amount of child benefit for that child: and
• you have priority over other potential claimants; and
• you and the child satisfy the residency conditions; and
• you are not subject to immigration control

Income Support

Normally full-time students cannot claim Income Support. There are some exceptions to this and if you satisfy one of the following criteria you may claim Income Support if:

• you are a lone parent, including a lone foster parent, of a child under 16; or
• a disabled student and you satisfy one of the following conditions;
• • you qualify for the disability premium or severe disability premium
  • you have been incapable of work for 28 weeks. Two or more periods
       when you are incapable of work are joined to form a ingle period if they
       are separated by less than 8 weeks;
  • you qualify for the Disabled Students Allowance because you are deaf; or
• you are one of a couple who are both full-time students and either one or both
     of you are responsible for a child, and it is the summer vacation

Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)

 JSA is paid to those who are unemployed or who work for less than 16 hours a week and who are actively seeking full time work.

Eligible students must meet the 'labour market conditions' of being available and actively seeking work so the times when you can claim Jobseekers Allowance are limited but include:

• if you are one of a couple who are both full-time students and responsible for
     a child you may apply during the summer vacation
• if you were absent from your course - intermitting - due to illness or
     caring responsibilities, you can claim from when the reason for your absence
     has ceased until the day before you rejoin your course or the start of the
     next academic year, whichever is the earlier.
• if you are a part-time student who is actively seeking employment and willing
     to rearrange your course around employment.

Housing Benefit & Council Tax Benefit

• you are one of a couple who are both full-time students and either one or both
     of you are responsible for a child;
• you are a lone parent with a dependent child aged under 20;
• you are a lone foster parent where the child has been formally placed with you
     by a local authority or voluntary agency;
• you meet the conditions for the disability premium or would do if you were
     not disqualified form incapacity benefit;
• you have been incapable of work for 28 weeks. Two or more periods when you
     are incapable of work are joined to form a ingle period if they are separated
     by less than 8 weeks;
• you meet the conditions for the severe disability premium;
• you qualify for the Disabled Students Allowance because you are deaf;
• you are waiting to go back to your course after taking approved time out
     because of an illness or caring responsibility that has now come to an end.

Incapacity Benefit

Incapacity Benefit is paid to those who are Incapable of work and have been for at least 28 weeks without a break. Depending on your individual circumstances, Incapacity Benefit can remain unaffected if you become a student. You will not automatically be treated as capable of work simply because you are studying. However, potential problems may arise where a course includes practical placements where it may be difficult to justify incapacity for work.

 

Disability Living Allowance

Remains unaffected. Please see the Disabilities Service Section for information regarding further support.

Maternity benefits

You may claim Statutory Maternity Pay if you are in continuous employment with the same employer for 26 weeks or Maternity Allowance if in employment for 26 weeks but not with the same employer (national insurance contributions allowing). Please note student nurses who become pregnant during their studies are currently not eligible to apply to the NHS for Statutory Maternity Pay.

Please note: following a recent industrial tribunal ruling (June 2005) NHS students who become pregnant during their studies may be entitled to continue bursary payments during their maternity leave.

You may be eligible for a £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant. The Sure Start Maternity Grant is a fixed amount made towards the cost of providing clothing and equipment for a baby and can be spent as the client wishes. A grant is made for each child. For example, if a woman has twins she will receive two grants. Contact Department of Work and Pensions for further information.