Student and housing benefit rules??

astraea

Hi
I am a full time student and i recieve student finance. my husband is a full-time student but on a higher education course so recieves no finance.

I also work part-time earning around £500 a month and we recieve working tax and children's tax credits.

I have finished uni for the year a couple of weeks ago. and we are really struggling.

would we be entitled to housing benefit over the summer?? my rent is £600 a month and we are really struggling to pay it, i rang the council who told me i could apply and see, but the girl i spoke to did not have a definitive answer as to weather i was entitled or not.

The uni term ended on June 14th and we wont be back until sept 23rd.

any help would be appreciated, as i cant figure out for definate if we would get help.

thanks
vikki

Oldernotwiser

Can you explain why your husband gets no finance, despite being in HE?

AnxiousMum

Is your husband post grad so no student finance?

astraea

Hi
sorry too hot and my brain is frazzled!! husband is in further education not higher so no entitlement to finance.

will i be able to claim? we are desperate. i know that student finance is for the full year in theory, but with four children it is just not doable, and we are really struggling.
thanks

MrsManda

I don't think you're likely to get a definitive answer as it's going to depend on your joint income and circumstances. If you haven't already you should apply and see what happens as the longer you leave it to apply the longer it'll take to sort out so waiting to get a definitive answer before applying seems silly.
It may help you to read the document on help for student parents found HERE

Person_one

Can one of you not get more hours at work over the summer while you're not studying? I know that might have childcare implications but it might help.

welshmoneylover

Can your husband not find work to help out?

Must be tough with 4 kids and bills to pay but to be honest you can't expect the tax payer to keep 6 of you if he isn't working.

astraea

i currently am working as many hours as i can get, but the hours have been cut back at work so i can only get what is available which usually only tops 20hrs per week. i have 2 other jobs which are both sessional but are waiting for crb's so could be a month or so before i can start, and my hubby does not finish college until end of april and he is there mon-fri

silvercar

Could you or he get a week end job. Also could you get another job now that uni has finished and continue with the term time child care arrangements.

TBH it may be that supporting 4 children whilst both of you studying may be too much.

einalem

hi there the income from for student with kids the student loans etc for the purposes of working out housing benefit is taken from sept to june meaning the in the summer july and august they won't take it into account only other income such as your part time job......i am a uni student with husband who was out of work last summer and we claimed hb over july and august there is some info on the nus site that explains this as I know people assumer the student loan is supposed to cover the whole twelve months which is right for most students but not with dependents it covers from sept to june

http://www.nus.org.uk/Student-Life/Money-And-Funding/Students-and-social-security-benefits/