I am on income support and housing, I am going to do a Uni course next year.

PIXeL_92

Hi,
I am currently getting Income and housing support as I estranged from my parents, I am moving onto a full time uni course in Network management, we were given a speech on loans and grants, I was told that taking out a student loan would affect my benifits, but there is a special support grant put in place that people on a means tested benifits are able to claim without it affecting there income support or housing, this is the one I would have to choose, but is the infomation I have been given correct as I dont want to apply for the loan and then have my benifits stopped so i can't afford to live.

Please help
Thanks

Mojisola

As I understand it, your benefits will be calculated as if you have taken the loan out, whether you do or not.

PIXeL_92

Mojisola wrote: »

As I understand it, your benefits will be calculated as if you have taken the loan out, whether you do or not.

I have just been online, it says that if I take out a grant and I live with a partner who is still in college and im in full time education I will be eligble, but will i go for the special support grant or the maitence grant ?

AnxiousMum

Mojisola is right. But.....if you are estranged from your parents, and can show that you have supported yourself for a length of time (I think it's three years), then you will also get full maintenance grant on top of the loan. Due to 'low income' you may even be offered a bursary from the uni you choose. I know one of my son's friends in halls in on about twice as much maintenance loan and grant to him, is in receipt of £1500 per year from the university as well, and as he is only in actual lectures 6 hours per week, has two part time jobs as well. On that basis, he could do quite nicely without any benefits (if he was in the same type of situation).

PIXeL_92

Also just to say i am a uk resident and studing there, I will not be taking out the student loan as I know for a fact it will effect my income support

dmg24

PIXeL_92 wrote: »

Also just to say i am a uk resident and studing there, I will not be taking out the student loan as I know for a fact it will effect my income support

If you do not take out the loan it will still be counted in benefit calculations.

Would this not be a good opportunity to move towards self sufficiency?

clairec79

Why are you getting income support? If it is because you are/were under 18 in full time education and estranged from your parents then as soon as your secondary education finishes you have no further entitlement to income support and won't get income support htrough uni just because you got it before

If you are able to get a student loan then benefits will count it as income whether or not you choose to take it

Jowo_2

Very few full time students are entitled to means tested benefits, such as income support and housing benefit, and these tend to be lone parents with children or people with disabilities. Students are expected to support themselves with loans, grants and employment. Many Unis run hardship funds, too.

Your Uni may have a welfare rights/student advisory body that you can double check the benefits situation with.

.

Macro_3

PIXeL_92 wrote: »

Also just to say i am a uk resident and studing there, I will not be taking out the student loan as I know for a fact it will effect my income support

Even if you do not take out the loan, it will still be used in calculating your entitlement to Income Support and Housing Benefit as if you were receiving it. This is presumably to prevent students who should be supported through the student loans system relying on state benefit when there is no need.

This could put you in hardship, and you may then also not receive any additional support from your university as they may well consider that you had not used all avenues of financial support available to you.

In my experience, most students do not get Income /support, but do retain some entitlement to HB. You are also usually able to reapply for Income Support in the summer break.

Oldernotwiser

Just to add weight to the people who've told you that you'll be assessed as if you receive the loan, even if you don't take it out.

If you go to university you'll move off benefits and support yourself on the package of loans, grants and bursaries. As has also been mentioned, as you're formally estranged from your parents, you shouldn't be assessed on their income as you'll be considered to be an independent student.

Unless you have a disability or are a lone parent, you cannot be a full time student and claim benefits.

Jowo_2

Macro wrote: »

.. You are also usually able to reapply for Income Support in the summer break.

How does this work when students are given grants and loans on the basis that these are supposed to last them the entire year, not just term time?