We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Will OU grant affect my benefits?

Jo4
Jo4 Posts: 6,843 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
in Benefits & tax credits
Today I noticed £250 had been lodged into my bank account and I thought it was a mistake by the bank. I phoned them and they said the OU had lodged the money into my account. I understand the £250 is a course grant but when I looked at the OU site it did not state whether this would affect my benefits or not.

What I want to know is do I have to tell the benefits agency and will it affect my benefits?
«1

Comments

  • jobbingmusician
    jobbingmusician Posts: 20,347 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If I were you I would ring the OU and ask them - they are bound to know! :D

    Congrats on your grant, btw... :p
    Ex board guide. Signature now changed (if you know, you know).
  • Jo4
    Jo4 Posts: 6,843 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    jobbingmusician wrote:
    If I were you I would ring the OU and ask them - they are bound to know! :D

    Congrats on your grant, btw... :p

    THANKS! Just thought someone here might know the answer!
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The OU Grant is not incoem for tax credits (I checked when I got teh grant awarded)
    Student Income disregarded
    The Tax Credit (Definition and Calculation of Income) Regulations 2002,Regs. 8 and 9

    When calculating student income disregard in full:

    * student loans
    * all other grants (for example, to meet the cost of tuition fees, child care, school meals etc)
    * payments from Hardship Funds
    * access and opportunity bursaries
    * disabled student allowances
    * in Northern Ireland, low income bursaries for Further and Higher Education Students
    * in Scotland, income related bursaries; and
    * in Wales, when introduced, income related grants
    * scholarship income exempt from income tax by virtue of section 331 ICTA
    * interest on reimbursement of student loan repayments exempt from income tax by virtue of section 331A ICTA

    I dont know about other benefits though
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • kbarty
    kbarty Posts: 634 Forumite
    Thanks for bringing this up - it's good to know the answer especially as I'd never thought about it before.

    Now just have to wait for my OU grant to turn up in my account!!! Soon please!
    Debts - [STRIKE]£9925.64[/STRIKE] £8841.88 :T Aiming to get below £9k by the end of Oct. :D:D:D November aim - sub £7.5k! :cool:
    Just Say No November - Challenger 19 ~ Groceries £0/£160 ~ NSD's 1/25 ~ Money made £6/£80
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Iam still waiting on my grant too ...
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • Jo4
    Jo4 Posts: 6,843 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    They never told me I was entitled to it, it just appeared in my account this morning!!
  • Penny-Pincher!!
    Penny-Pincher!! Posts: 8,325 Forumite
    Hi

    Its not counted as income for Income Support either!

    PP
    xx
    To repeat what others have said, requires education, to challenge it,
    requires brains!
    FEB GC/DIESEL £200/4 WEEKS
  • Jo4
    Jo4 Posts: 6,843 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Penny-Pincher!! wrote:
    Hi

    Its not counted as income for Income Support either!

    PP
    xx

    Did you see this on the OU site or how do you know? I cannot find the response on the OU site that is why I ask
  • iwanttosave_2
    iwanttosave_2 Posts: 34,292 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Jo4 wrote:
    They never told me I was entitled to it, it just appeared in my account this morning!!


    If you had funding for your couse, a full award means you will get the grant, I got it because my income wasn't high enough.
    Work like you don't need money,
    Love like you've never been hurt,
    And dance like no one's watching
    Save the cheerleader, save the world!
  • Penny-Pincher!!
    Penny-Pincher!! Posts: 8,325 Forumite
    Hi

    I had an OU assessor here at my home last week and asked her about the £250 grant. She said that its not taken into account towards any benefits including Income Support.

    PP
    xx
    To repeat what others have said, requires education, to challenge it,
    requires brains!
    FEB GC/DIESEL £200/4 WEEKS
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 352.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 454.3K Spending & Discounts
  • 245.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 600.9K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.5K Life & Family
  • 259K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.7K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.
Update Your Picture