student finance calculated over 43 weeks-why?

divastrop

Hi,
I am in my first year of a foundation degree. Because of family circumstances we are entitled to housing benefit, however, having tried to figure out why my income on the HB calculation was much higher than my personal calculation, I have just got a letter saying that student loans, grants and bursaries are calculated over 43 weeks and that my income will be reviewed at the end of year one...in June.

I don't understand this as I was under the impression student loans etc are meant to cover 52 weeks in the first year? I've read many threads on here about students not being able to claim JSA in the summer as student finance is meant to cover the whole year, so why, if the jobcentre class student finance as income for the whole year, do housing benefit calculate it over 43 weeks??

If anybody can shed some light on this I would be most grateful.

[Deleted User]

its probably because some student accom (halls especially)are rented for 40-43 weeks and not 52

ThinkingOfLinking

It's because they assume you'll be going home to your family during the holidays and/or getting holiday work. They forget that not everyone has that option...

Fiddlestick

Flickering_Ember wrote: »

It's because they assume you'll be going home to your family during the holidays and/or getting holiday work. They forget that not everyone has that option...

Why do people not have the option of going home or working during the holiday?

I lived in a private let when I was at University and if I wanted to stay there, I had to get a job.

Why should that be different for anyone else?

ThinkingOfLinking

Well, I'm 25 and estranged from my single parent, so I have nowhere else to go. I do, however, try and get overtime in my term time job so I am fine. But I am sure there are people who can't get a job and/or have no "home" to go to. I mean, I was on jobseekers' allowance on and off for a long time before going to university and actually didn't get a job til I had my place offered

divastrop

I still don't understand why, for housing benefit purposes, the money from student finance is calculated over 43 weeks when it is 52 weeks for Jobseekers?
I will be making up my placement hours during the summer as I started late. It would be nice to get a summer job but unfortunately the children are off school for 6 weeks...

alyth

I'm a mature student but I don't claim housing benefit or anything like that. I suppose it's because most students live in halls and don't claim housing benefit as such -historically students studied, then worked during the summer.

I don't pay council tax as a student during the academic year, but I do start to pay it once I cease being a student each June.

MrsManda

alyth wrote: »

I don't pay council tax as a student during the academic year, but I do start to pay it once I cease being a student each June.

Why do you cease to be a student each june? If you're doing a fixed length degree i.e. a 3yr BSc starting 2009 expecting to end 2012 then you are classed as a student for the length of the degree. Doesn't your certificate of student status from your university say you are a FT student with your start and end date?

angelofmel

you're still a student over the summer untill you graduate.
for example, my boyfriends (whos in second year) council tax exemption letter stated he was a student from september 2010 to september 2011. but mine (final year and due to graduate in june) states that im a student from september 2010 to june 2011

divastrop

I'm even more confused now...

alyth

MrsManda wrote: »

Why do you cease to be a student each june? If you're doing a fixed length degree i.e. a 3yr BSc starting 2009 expecting to end 2012 then you are classed as a student for the length of the degree. Doesn't your certificate of student status from your university say you are a FT student with your start and end date?

To be honest I've no idea - last year I was on an access course, I started my degree in September so I'll check with the uni with regards to whether I'm classed as a student over the summer, I'd never actually thought of it so thanks for raising that.