Lori Meadows
Part-time students can claim Universal Credit, a benefit for those with low incomes or who are out of work, to help with living costs. However, part-time students must meet the usual benefit eligibility rules and be available for work-related activities. The amount of Universal Credit received could be affected by the number of study hours, as well as student income from loans and grants.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Part-time students can claim Universal Credit if their course does not prevent them from fulfilling work-related requirements. |
| Work-related requirements | Part-time students claiming Universal Credit are expected to look for work and be available for work. |
| Impact of student income | Student income, such as loans and grants, can affect the amount of Universal Credit received. Loans for maintenance (e.g., living costs and rent) are considered income and are taken into account. |
| Impact of study hours | Study hours that restrict availability for work or work-related activities may reduce the amount of Universal Credit received. |
| Impact on other benefits | Part-time students claiming Universal Credit may have their Housing Benefit reduced or discontinued. |
| Exceptions | Part-time students with limited capability for work or work-related activity can claim Income-related ESA. |
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What You'll Learn
- Part-time students can claim Universal Credit if they are available for work
- Student income, such as loans and grants, affects Universal Credit
- Part-time students can claim Income Support
- Part-time students can claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Part-time students can claim Jobseeker’s Allowance
Part-time students can claim Universal Credit if they are available for work
Part-time students can claim Universal Credit, but their eligibility depends on several factors. Universal Credit is a benefit for those with low incomes or who are out of work, designed to help with living costs. To be eligible, part-time students must be available for work and actively seeking work. This means that their course should not prevent them from doing work-related activities, such as searching for jobs. If a part-time student is expected to look for work, they must show that their course will not hinder this, and they may have to agree to give up their course if they receive a job offer. However, they can argue that their course will help them get a job or a better-paid job, which may reduce the number of hours they need to spend looking for work. This should be agreed upon with their work coach.
Part-time students can claim most benefits, but some may be affected by their student status. For example, if a part-time student lives with a partner who is not a student and receives legacy benefits for both of them, the partner's benefit amount may be reduced if the student cannot fulfil their work-related requirements. Additionally, student support, such as maintenance loans, grants, and loans for living costs and rent, is usually treated as income and may reduce the amount of Universal Credit received. However, loans for tuition fees and other study costs are excluded.
Part-time students can also claim Income Support, but this may be reduced if they receive student finance. They may also be eligible for Jobseeker's Allowance if they work less than 16 hours per week but are capable of work and actively seeking it. If they receive a job offer, they may be expected to give up their course. Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) may be claimed by part-time students with a disability or health condition that affects their ability to work.
Overall, while part-time students can claim Universal Credit, their eligibility depends on their availability for work and other factors, such as their income and benefits received by their partner. It is important for part-time students to understand their eligibility and any potential impact on their benefits before making a claim.
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Student income, such as loans and grants, affects Universal Credit
Part-time students can claim Universal Credit, but they must meet the benefit eligibility rules and be available for work. Their claim could be affected if their studies restrict their availability for work.
Student income, such as loans and grants, can affect how much Universal Credit a person receives. Loans for tuition fees are excluded, but loans for maintenance, such as living costs and rent, are regarded as income and are taken into account when calculating Universal Credit. For every £1 a person is entitled to get from a maintenance loan, their Universal Credit will be reduced by £1. The maximum student maintenance loan a person is eligible for will be taken into account when working out their Universal Credit.
Postgraduate Master's Loans in England and Wales include maintenance and tuition fees in one payment. When working out Universal Credit, 30% of the loan is taken into account as student income, and the rest is ignored. Funding for postgraduate loans differs if the recipient usually lives in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Special Support Loans or Grants, which help with study equipment and travel, are deducted from Universal Credit payments. However, they will not be taken off if the assessment period covers the first day of the summer holidays or if the claimant is on summer holiday for the entire subsequent assessment period.
Student income is taken into account in each Universal Credit assessment period that the claimant is required to attend their course. A set amount will be disregarded in each assessment period to cover expenses.
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Part-time students can claim Income Support
Part-time students can claim benefits, including Universal Credit, but they must meet the usual eligibility rules and be available for work. If you are a part-time student, you can only claim Universal Credit if your course does not prevent you from fulfilling your work-related requirements. This includes being available for work and actively seeking work. If you are expected to look for work, you will have to show that your course will not hinder your ability to do so, and you may have to agree to give up your course if you receive a job offer.
If you are already claiming Income Support and start studying part-time, you may be able to continue claiming it, as long as you are in one of the groups of people who can claim this benefit and fit the other eligibility criteria. However, if you receive student support in the form of a grant or loan, this will likely reduce the amount of Income Support you can claim.
It is no longer possible to make new claims for Income Support. Instead, you need to make a Universal Credit claim. Studying part-time will not usually affect your means-tested benefits, and you can still be entitled to most benefits while pursuing a part-time course.
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Part-time students can claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Studying part-time doesn't exclude you from claiming benefits, but you must meet the usual benefit eligibility rules to qualify and be "available for and actively seeking work". Part-time students can claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if they are unable to work due to illness or disability. If you are already receiving income-related ESA, you might be able to continue claiming it as a part-time student if you are studying 16 hours or less per week. However, receiving student support in the form of a grant or loan may reduce the amount of income-related ESA you can get.
There are two types of ESA: contributory/New Style ESA and income-related ESA. If you are already on income-related ESA, you can continue to get it as a part-time student. If you are getting contribution-based ESA and your claim started before you could claim Universal Credit in your area, you can continue to get contribution-based ESA at the same time as Universal Credit. If you qualify for both, contributory/New Style ESA can be paid with income-related ESA.
If you have previously worked and paid national insurance contributions, you may be entitled to contributory/New Style ESA. You are only entitled to ESA if you satisfy the Work Capability Assessment. The results of the Work Capability Assessment decide whether you go into the "Work-Related Activity Group" or the "Support Group". If you are placed in the Work-Related Activity Group, you will have to attend work-focused interviews and possibly mandatory work-related activities, such as attending a training course. If you are placed in the Support Group, you do not have to take part in work-related activities due to your severely limiting disabilities.
If you are getting income-related ESA and are also getting Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Child Disability Payment (CDP), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP), or Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP), you will be able to continue getting income-related ESA once you start studying. If you are getting DLA, CDP, PIP, ADP, or AFIP, you count as having limited capability for work without having to have a Work Capability Assessment.
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Part-time students can claim Jobseeker’s Allowance
Part-time students can claim Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) if they are unemployed and looking for work. JSA is a benefit for people who are not in full-time employment and work less than 16 hours per week but are capable of working. It is paid every two weeks into the recipient's chosen bank account.
If you are already receiving JSA and start studying part-time, you may be able to continue receiving it. However, you must show that you are still available for work around your study hours and actively seeking employment. You may be expected to give up your course if suitable full-time work becomes available.
If you are starting to claim JSA as a part-time student, you will need to meet the usual benefit eligibility rules and show that you are available for work and actively seeking it. Your study hours must not restrict your availability for work or work-related activities.
There are three types of JSA claims: contribution-based JSA, income-based JSA, and New Style JSA. The kind of JSA you receive depends on your age, income, savings, and circumstances. Contribution-based JSA is available only if you have a severe disability premium, have worked as an employee and paid Class 1 National Insurance in the last three years. Income-based JSA is very similar, as both require you to have a severe disability allowance.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, part-time students can claim Universal Credit, but only if their course does not interfere with their work-related activities.
If you are a part-time student and you’re already getting Income Support, you might be able to continue claiming it.
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.
If you have a child, you may be eligible for tax credits for studying parents. You don’t need to be working to get Child Tax Credit.
Part-time students with a disability may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
