Can my partner claim jobseekers? (I'm a student)

Kiada

Yeah basically we're on couples Income Support at the moment as I'm on disability. This will stop in a week or so because I'm starting university full time and will be getting student loans. My girlfriend is currently looking for work, but there isn't too much going at the moment. If I get the full loan I applied for, which includes Adult Dependants Allowance and Special Support Grant.. I should get around £10,944 a year. The Adult Dependants Allowance is around £2400, but obviously with a full time job my partner can make a lot more than that - so she'd rather be working and we not get it. Which would mean I would be getting around £8544 without the Adult Dependants Allowance. As a sidenote, the time spent on my course in a week will be 12 hours, if this matters.

My question is, will the income from my Student Loan stop my partner being able to claim JSA at all? If she is able to claim, will it be at a reduced amount? We have no savings or pensions or any other source of income.

Any info appreciated thanks

Oldernotwiser

Assuming that your girlfriend will be claiming means tested JSA then your student finance will affect this. However, even a part time job will bring in more than £48 per week!

BenefitMaster

The Student Loan and Grant (if available) will be counted as weelky notional income of 1/52 of the total sum, and your partner's (means-tested) benefit will be reduced, pound for pound, by the same amout. If she is on Contribution-Based JSA, it will not affect her benefit for her, but might if you are a joint claim.

You may still be entitled to some benefits yourself, due to your disabilities, and this will also impact on her income, but you may end up better off.

dmg24

BenefitMaster wrote: »

The Student Loan and Grant (if available) will be counted as weelky notional income of 1/52 of the total sum, and your partner's (means-tested) benefit will be reduced, pound for pound, by the same amout. If she is on Contribution-Based JSA, it will not affect her benefit for her, but might if you are a joint claim.

You may still be entitled to some benefits yourself, due to your disabilities, and this will also impact on her income, but you may end up better off.

The student finance is divided over the total number of term weeks, not 52.

BenefitMaster

dmg24 wrote: »

The student finance is divided over the total number of term weeks, not 52.

Are you deliberately stalking me. :eek:

The finance can only be counted over the term weeks if the student is in the final year or a course, otherwise as the funding is (legally) continuous, it is counted for the full 52 weeks. And it's only counted if the benefit is means-tested.

I'll find the regs if I must. :rolleyes2

Oldernotwiser

BenefitMaster wrote: »

Are you deliberately stalking me. :eek:

Pot and kettle?

dmg24

BenefitMaster wrote: »

Are you deliberately stalking me. :eek:

The finance can only be counted over the term weeks if the student is in the final year or a course, otherwise as the funding is (legally) continuous, it is counted for the full 52 weeks. And it's only counted if the benefit is means-tested.

I'll find the regs if I must. :rolleyes2

Are you on something?

Bamber19

He's right on this one, it's one of the reasons students can't claim JSA in their summer break from uni, the finance they are awarded is at a rate for the whole year but not paid in this way.

sugarlily

This doesn't seem logical though. So if a student gets a loan, they have to use it to support their partner? I thought they had to use it to buy books! Also, it's a loan - so HOW does this count as income??
If a student were living in halls of residence, and their boyfriend was on the dole, would the dole office tell him to go and move in with her at uni?!

Also, what motivation is there for a jobseeker to take a part time job if they won't have any more money in their pocket than they would have had on JSA?

Oldernotwiser

sugarlily wrote: »

This doesn't seem logical though. So if a student gets a loan, they have to use it to support their partner? I thought they had to use it to buy books! Also, it's a loan - so HOW does this count as income??
If a student were living in halls of residence, and their boyfriend was on the dole, would the dole office tell him to go and move in with her at uni?!

Also, what motivation is there for a jobseeker to take a part time job if they won't have any more money in their pocket than they would have had on JSA?

The Maintenance Loan is given to students to live on, not just to buy books. Many people never need to pay it back so it's not a loan in any normal sense.

A student living in hall with a boyfriend living elsewhere is unlikely to be considered as living together as man and wife so the situation wouldn't arise.

Why would you think that someone should receive JSA in addition to their earnings?

von

Go on then Benefit Master find it in the Regs - but I don't think you will.
In the first year the student loan is attributed from the first benefit week in September to the last benefit week in June, and taken into account in the JSA assessment from the benefit week in which the course actually starts to the last benefit week in June.
Any other year except the last the loan is taken into account from the first benefit week in September to the last benefit week in June.
In the final year the loan is taken into account from the first benefit week in September uo to and including the benefit week before the official leaving date. There is also a disregard for travelling and books, around £700.00 per year, plus there is a weekly disregard of £10.00 per week.
Don't give advice if you don't know the Regulations!