Lone parent students and housing benefit

Uggable1

Hello, I am a lone parent of two children and a full-time student at university, I'm not working. I am applying for housing benefit based on my income, If anyone knows I would like to know what exactly is counted as 'income' when considering a housing benefit application.

I currently have approx £7000 capital in total, no other savings.

And recieve:

- £3300 Maintenance loan
- Special support grant
- Parent's learning allowance
- Childcare grant

Thanks in advance for any help out there!

pandaspot

Hi

The only thing taken into account is your capital and your maintenance loan. The special support grant, the parents learning allowance and childcare care grant are disregarded.

How come your maintenance loan is low? Is it because you a final year student or only doing a one year course?

Your capital will be worth £2 a week in benefit terms

MrsManda

To follow on from the previous poster:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_070816

Benefits you may be entitled to are:

HB/LHA and Income Support
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10034876

I think you should also be getting Child Tax Credits, Child Benefit and maintanence payments from the father of the child.

Uggable1

Thank you both for your replies

pandaspot wrote: »

Hi

The only thing taken into account is your capital and your maintenance loan. The special support grant, the parents learning allowance and childcare care grant are disregarded.

How come your maintenance loan is low? Is it because you a final year student or only doing a one year course?

Your capital will be worth £2 a week in benefit terms

I'm in my final year now, I had been receiving a very small amount of income support up until now, but after a recent reassessment they told me I was no longer entitled and my housing benefit was stopped also. I have now been told to re-apply based on my income, but with all my outgoings I'm concerned that with paying full rent on top of everything I will run out of money before I finish my course.

MrsManda wrote: »

To follow on from the previous poster:


Benefits you may be entitled to are:

HB/LHA and Income Support

I think you should also be getting Child Tax Credits, Child Benefit and maintanence payments from the father of the child.

I do get tax credits and child benefit - are they counted towards income also? I was receiving £10 fortnightly in maintenance from my ex partner, but it was stopped some time ago and the CSA have been hopeless with pursuing him.

pandaspot

Uggable1 wrote: »

Thank you both for your replies



I'm in my final year now, I had been receiving a very small amount of income support up until now, but after a recent reassessment they told me I was no longer entitled and my housing benefit was stopped also. I have now been told to re-apply based on my income, but with all my outgoings I'm concerned that with paying full rent on top of everything I will run out of money before I finish my course.



I do get tax credits and child benefit - are they counted towards income also? I was receiving £10 fortnightly in maintenance from my ex partner, but it was stopped some time ago and the CSA have been hopeless with pursuing him.

this is how they will work out your student loan

first work out the number weeks of your course, take off £630 for books and travel. then divide this total by the number of weeks your course and minus £10

the child tax credit will be included in the calc as well.

child benefit is disregarded and child maintenance.

just give the hb dept your full grant certificate and i am almost certain you will qualify for help