Any single parent students claiming housing benefit?

Morgan_Ree

I just need a bit of advice regarding housing benefit, I've never claimed before so I'm a bit clueless!

As of next Thursday I'll offically be a student nurse :j
I've got my bursary all sorted and I've been awarded the maximum amount available to diploma students

Basic Award £6,701.00
Dependants Allowance £2,238.00
Parental Learning Allowance £1,104.00
Childcare Allowance £4,488.00

Total £14,531.00

Does anyone one know which part of the bursary, if any is disregarded when calculating HB?
I'm assuming the childcare allowance is seeing as all of that goes to my my sons nursery but I'm not sure about the rest of it

I'm just trying to get a rough idea if I'll be entitled to anything at all
I know no-one can give me a definative answer, just after any personal experience

Thanks loads

[Deleted User]

welcome to MSE,i cant help,other than to suggest you apply and see what happens,at worst the answer will be no,on the other hand you may get some help.
Good luck with the nursing.

hippy-chicy

Argh !! Now you are asking.
Students are always an area I need to brush up on but off the top of my head the PLA (Parents Learning Allowance) and Childcare Allowance are disregarded.

There is then another approx £290 for travel and approx £300 ish ?? for books etc from the main bursary per year.

Thats just a rough guide i'd need to check the regs to give exact figures ( and unfortunately ...or thankfully...i dont bring them home with me )

hippy-chicy

You'll be exempt from Council Tax ..provide the CTAX dept with your student cert asap. With regard to if you will qualify can't really advise as there isn't enough info in your post. You would be best contacting your LA they can do a quick calc with you .

Morgan_Ree

hippy-chicy wrote: »

You'll be exempt from Council Tax ..provide the CTAX dept with your student cert asap. With regard to if you will qualify can't really advise as there isn't enough info in your post. You would be best contacting your LA they can do a quick calc with you .

Yeah Im aware I'll be exempt from council tax (happy days!!!:T)

When you say a quick calc do you mean they may be able to give me a rough idea over the phone?

It's just that i phoned them today and the women wasn't the most helpful person I've come across so I didn't want to push my luck too much

hippy-chicy

That has got to be one of the main perks of being a student ha-ha !

Yes they should be able to give you an estimate of your entitlement over the phone.

Gather together all your income details....tax credits, CB , any other income you have in addition to your grants/ bursarys etc and along with details of your rent liability etc

They might be reluctant to do it because students are not the easiest claims to work out so they might take all details from you and give you a call back.

Try again tomorrow you might get hold of someone a little bit more helpful

Morgan_Ree

Thanks hippy-chicy

I'll give them a call tomorrow
Knowing my luck I'll get the same woman and end up waking the beast

Morgan_Ree

Well I did end up getting the same woman (I phoned once realised it was her then hung up, tried again 10 minutes later and it was her again!! grrrrrrrrrr)

Anyway she wouldn't give me a estimate over the phone
She said she refuses to do that now because some people forget it's an estimate then complain when they don't get what they thought they were gonna get

Does anyone know how they actually calculate HB?
I'm actually going to be on LHA so I don't know if that makes a difference

Maybe I could attempt to work out an estimate for myself?

Zara33

https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/Secure/Default.aspx

Morgan_Ree

Thanks Zara

I know what my LHA would be for my house I'm just trying to get a rough estimate as to whether I'd be entitled to anything at all with my bursary

Zara33

Morgan_Ree wrote: »

Thanks Zara

I know what my LHA would be for my house I'm just trying to get a rough estimate as to whether I'd be entitled to anything at all with my bursary

I knew I hadn't read it properly.