Housing benefit & student loan?

vickyw

Hi all
Just wondering if anyone can help please. I am a full time student and my husband works 20 hours a week. We cannot make ends meet as it is. We have tried to live off this for a few months and can't. Does anybody know if we can claim housing benefit? (My student loan comes to just over £3,000 per year.)
Thanks in advance.

Indie_Kid

Do you have children? Are either of you disabled? How much does your partner earn?

AnxiousMum

What type of course are you doing? Your student loan should be just over £3000 for your tuition, and then just over £3000 for maintenance - giving you a total of over £6000 in student loans. The council will take your loans into account as 'income', and even if you have only taken the tuition loan and not the maintenance loan, they will include the maintenance loan as income, as it is available to you to take.

vickyw

Hi thanks for the quick responses.
No children/disabilities. Hubby works 20 hours/week and earns £120.
Just wondering what the situation is as he was unemployed last year and I was getting more student loan £6,000. He didnt get any JSA but we were entitled to about £400/month HB. This would be a massive help to us and would literally sort all of our money worries and debts out.

dmg24

Why are you only receiving £3,000 this year? Can you not work part time?

Indie_Kid

How much is your student grant? Do you receive any scholarships or bursaries?

vickyw

As this is my final year I don't want to get a part time job I need to focus on my studies. I'm not sure why I'm not getting so much this coming year but AnxiousMum says that it will take into account the full £6000. Hubby has tried to get more hours at work but they won't give him many more and they won't change his contract. I'm just wondering if anyone knows if HB will be affected much by him working 20 hours?

welshmoneylover

vickyw wrote: »

I don't want to get a part time job

As a tax payer, I don't want to subsidise people who feel under no obligation to work in order to finance their lifestyle choice.

smithyjules

welshmoneylover wrote: »

As a tax payer, I don't want to subsidise people who feel under no obligation to work in order to finance their lifestyle choice.

How helpful and non-judgemental.

OP - I'm sorry I don't know the answer to your question but will be watching to see if anyone can help as we are in a similar situation. My husband was made redundant when the company folded a few months back and I am on maternity leave with our second child so we currently recieve HB/CTB which is a huge help to us. My Hubby has just got a place at uni and we are still waiting on the SLC to assess our income etc.

Very best wishes for your final year!

TOBRUK

welshmoneylover wrote: »

As a tax payer, I don't want to subsidise people who feel under no obligation to work in order to finance their lifestyle choice.

This is most unhelpful, the op is studying to better herself and through her qualifications is hoping for a better job and will soon be contributing to society WITH a large loan to pay back! Her husband is working and supporting her as best he can while she studies. These people aren't scroungers!

smithyjules wrote: »

How helpful and non-judgemental.

Very best wishes for your final year!

Quite.

I'm sorry I also can't help sorry but wish you well. It's quite understandable you wanting to concentrate on your studies in your final year as the final result is important. However, it may help you a little if you managed to get a Saturday job or something for a few months until the time leading up to final exams, although I realise that the finals will be around May, so not long to go! Good luck.

Oldernotwiser

How have you been living off your current income for a few months when the term is only just starting?
Why aren't you getting the maintenance grant and university bursary?
Why is your husband only working part time?