Universal Credit Eligibility For Students: What You Need To Know

Students are usually unable to claim Universal Credit, but there are exceptions. If you are a student, you may be able to claim Universal Credit if:

- You are under 21, taking a course leading to a qualification at or below A-level and you do not have parental support.

- You are responsible for a child.

- You are a single foster parent or part of a couple where one of you is a foster parent.

- You are disabled and have been assessed as having limited capability for work, and you receive certain benefits.

- You live with a partner who can claim Universal Credit.

- You have taken time out from your course due to illness or caring responsibilities and are waiting to return.

Full-time students and Universal Credit

Full-time students are usually excluded from claiming Universal Credit. However, there are some exceptions.

Who is considered a full-time student?

The education or training provider decides whether a course is full-time. If you attend a full-time course on a part-time basis, you will be treated as studying full-time.

Who can claim Universal Credit?

You can claim Universal Credit if you are a full-time student and any of the following apply:

• You are part of a couple, and your partner is eligible for Universal Credit.
• You are part of a couple responsible for a child, and one or both of you are students.
• You are single and responsible for a child.
• You are over the qualifying age for Pension Credit and live with a partner who is under that age.
• You have received a Migration Notice telling you to move to Universal Credit.
• You are already receiving Employment and Support Allowance and have moved to Universal Credit.
• You are disabled, have been assessed as having Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LWRA), and receive Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, or Armed Forces Independence Payment.
• You are studying in full-time non-advanced education, do not get a student loan or maintenance grant, and are available for work. This only applies if the course is more than 12 hours a week and started after your 19th birthday, as parents can claim benefits for you before that date.
• You are 21 or under, in full-time non-advanced education (e.g. studying for A-levels or a BTEC National Diploma), and do not have parental support (e.g. you do not have parents and are not under local authority care).
• You are under 20 and can still be treated as in relevant education.
• You have taken time out from your course for illness or caring responsibilities, are now recovered/your caring responsibilities have ended, and you are waiting to go back to your course.

Your student income, such as loans and grants, can affect how much Universal Credit you receive. Loans for maintenance (e.g. living costs and rent) are considered income and are taken into account when calculating your Universal Credit. However, loans for tuition fees and other costs of study are excluded.

For each assessment period that you attend your course, any maintenance loan you are eligible for will be deducted from your Universal Credit. This is calculated by dividing your student finance amount by the number of assessment periods in your course year.

No student income will be deducted from your Universal Credit if:

• The assessment period covers the first day of the summer holidays.
• You are on summer holiday for the entire assessment period.
• Your course ends during the assessment period.

Part-time students and Universal Credit

Part-time students can apply for Universal Credit if they are on a low income and meet certain conditions. You may be able to get Universal Credit if you are available for work and studying part-time. However, if your course is more than 12 hours a week, this only applies from 1 September following your 19th birthday, as your parents can claim benefits for you before that date.

You may be asked to provide evidence of the course you are doing. Attendance at some courses may be agreed upon with your work coach as part of your claimant commitment as they will increase the prospects of getting or staying in work.

Your student income, such as loans and grants, can affect how much Universal Credit you get. Loans for maintenance, such as living costs and rent, are regarded as income and are taken into account when calculating your Universal Credit. Loans for tuition fees and other costs of study are excluded.

The maximum student maintenance loan you are eligible for will be taken into account when working out your Universal Credit. This applies even if you have not applied for a loan, not accepted the loan, decided not to take the full amount, received a reduced loan because someone has contributed to your living costs, or received a reduced loan because you receive a grant.

Universal Credit is usually paid once a month and is based on your circumstances during that month. This is called your 'assessment period'. An amount for any maintenance you get will be taken off your Universal Credit for each assessment period that you attend the course.

The amount taken off your Universal Credit will be the actual student income you get that month less a set amount for expenses. However, no student income will be taken off your Universal Credit if:

• The assessment period covers the first day of the summer holidays
• You are on summer holiday for the whole of a subsequent assessment period
• Your course ends during the assessment period

Student income and Universal Credit

If you are a student, your student income, including loans and grants, can affect how much Universal Credit you get. Loans for maintenance, such as living costs and rent, are regarded as income and are taken into account when calculating your Universal Credit. However, loans for tuition fees and other study costs are excluded.

The maximum student maintenance loan you are eligible for will be considered when determining your Universal Credit amount, even if you have not applied for, accepted, or taken the full amount of the loan. If you receive a reduced loan because someone contributes to your living expenses or you receive a grant, this will also be factored in.

Universal Credit is typically paid once a month and is based on your circumstances during that month, known as your 'assessment period'. For each assessment period that you attend your course, an amount for any maintenance you receive will be deducted from your Universal Credit. The reduction is calculated by dividing the student finance you get (or are eligible for) by the number of assessment periods in your course year.

For every £1 you are entitled to receive from a maintenance loan, your Universal Credit will be reduced by £1. However, for each assessment period, the first £110 of income is disregarded.

There are certain situations in which no student income will be deducted from your Universal Credit:

• If the assessment period covers the first day of the summer holidays.
• If you are on summer holiday for the entire subsequent assessment period.
• If your course ends during the assessment period.

Additionally, if you receive a Special Support Loan or Grant to help with study costs such as books, equipment, and travel, this will not be deducted from your Universal Credit.

Students with disabilities and Universal Credit

Students with disabilities can claim Universal Credit if they are in full-time education and meet certain conditions. Firstly, they must have been assessed as having a limited capability for work by a Work Capability Assessment before starting their course. Secondly, they must be entitled to one of the following benefits: Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Child Disability Payment (CDP) in Scotland, Attendance Allowance, Armed Forces Independence Payment, Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in Scotland, or Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) in Scotland.

If a student with a disability meets these criteria, they can claim Universal Credit to support their living costs. It is important to note that Universal Credit is usually paid once a month, and the amount may be affected by any student loans or grants the claimant receives.

In addition to Universal Credit, students with disabilities may also be eligible for other benefits or support. For example, they may be entitled to extra money on top of their Universal Credit payment if their disability or health condition impacts their ability to work. They can also seek support from organisations like Citizens Advice, which offers a Help to Claim service to assist individuals in understanding their benefit options.

Furthermore, students with disabilities can access additional support through their educational institution. This may include disability services, accommodations, or grants to help with the costs of their education.

Overall, while students with disabilities may face challenges, there are financial support options available to help them manage their living costs and successfully navigate their studies.

Students with children and Universal Credit

Students with children can claim Universal Credit if they are in full-time education and meet any of the following criteria:

• They are part of a couple, and their partner is eligible for Universal Credit.
• They are part of a couple responsible for at least one child, and one or both partners are students.
• They are single and responsible for a child.
• They are over the qualifying age for Pension Credit, and their partner is under that age.
• They have received a Migration Notice telling them to move to Universal Credit and were participating in a course of education before claiming.
• They are already in full-time education and have moved from Employment and Support Allowance to Universal Credit.
• They are disabled, have been assessed as having Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA), and receive Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, or Armed Forces Independence Payment.
• They are studying in full-time non-advanced education, do not receive a student loan or maintenance grant, and are available for work. This only applies if the course is more than 12 hours a week and started after the student's 19th birthday, as parents can claim benefits for their children before that date.
• They are 21 or under, in full-time non-advanced education, and do not have parental support. This could mean they have no parents or that their parents cannot support them due to disability, imprisonment, or refusal of entry to the UK.

Students with children who meet the above criteria may be asked to provide evidence of their course. Their student income may also affect how much Universal Credit they receive.

Frequently asked questions