Help with meeting rent - included as income mature student

brians_daughter

Hi all, been speaking to my sis today and she's rather confused and getting nowhere fast so hoping someone can assist.

She rents her home and has children, also a ft student but officially completes her studies in may this year.

Her employer has informed her that her hours will be cut as business isn't doing so well. From 40 to 20! Obviously she will be looking for alternative roles but was told to enquire about assistance with her rent

She's been told 2 different stories by the local housing benefit office.
1 told her the student loan she gets will count as income until August another said it will only count as income until she is no longer a student.

Can anyone help by telling us up to what date the student loan/grants will count as income please? Hoping it doesn't come to her having to claim but better to be prepared
Thanks in advance

salfordgirl

someone more qualified will probably come along and answer you more specifically, but i was of the understanding that student loans last until the last day of the course.

After that she would no longer be classified as a student.

It may be that the last student loan payment covers over the summer holidays

MrsManda

By 'officially completing her studies in May this year' do you mean that her last exam/piece of work/lecture is in May or that this is the official end of the university term?
Your sister will be classed as a student until the official term end.

Student finance for the final year is meant to last to until the university's last day of term which is normally sometime in June.

HTH

brians_daughter

Sorry for late response. According to her Uni her last "official" date as a student is 18th may, this is also the date that her council tax exemption runs out too. All her work is already completed and handed in

sarahrunner1

I'm not sure exactly which parts get counted as income, but I am a ft student and single mum and my rent is covered by housing benefit.

HeatherH

I graduated last year, and I was able to claim the day after I finished my last exam. They will take into consideration how much your sister was given in grants and loan though.

salfordgirl

It depends on the student loan she was given, what is the period that the last student loan was applicable for?

Was it until may or was it to the "official" end of term?