Struggling with Household income

Scottmoon

I think it will be easiest if i describe my situation.

-I'm 23 going to uni for the first time in october 2013 (will be 24 at course start)
-The house i currently live in is owned by my parents.
-My parents moved out of this house about 6-7 years ago and live 100 miles from me
-I live with my brother and his girlfriend
-I pay rent to my brothers girlfriend who pays rent to my parents.
-I am currently full time at college at work part time in a bar
-I will be moving to Bristol for uni. (i already have the deposit down on my flat)

When calculating my household income. Do my parents income come into account? or is it my brother, his girlfriends and mine? or just mine? I appreciate any help as i believe i'm in a bit of a grey area. Thank you!

amiehall

It's not a grey area. It all hinges on your own earnings at the moment. Have you been working enough to "support yourself" or do your parents provide you with support? If you can show 3 years worth of earnings over £7500 then the SLC won't normally ask any further questions if you claim you're self-supporting.

If you have the 3 years of work then you will be assessed on your unearned income and the total income of any partner you have. If not then you will be assessed on your parents income. Your siblings and their partners have no part in it.

Dunroamin

amiehall wrote: »

It's not a grey area. It all hinges on your own earnings at the moment. Have you been working enough to "support yourself" or do your parents provide you with support? If you can show 3 years worth of earnings over £7500 then the SLC won't normally ask any further questions if you claim you're self-supporting.

If you have the 3 years of work then you will be assessed on your unearned income and the total income of any partner you have. If not then you will be assessed on your parents income. Your siblings and their partners have no part in it.

I believe Taiko has said that the £7,500 amount shouldn't be applied in this arbitrary way but, as the OP says that s/he's a full time student, the amount earned is irrelevant.

Unless the OP has supported his/herself for three years before being a full time student then s/he can't claim to be independent but who's household income is used for assessment, I really couldn't say.

One for Taiko, I'd say.

Scottmoon

Thanks for the replies.

I've not recieved a penny from my parents for years. I do however live in a building they own (their registered address is another house). I pay rent and pay for my food bills etc.. I'm guessing my household income then falls onto my brother and his girlfriend + me. Which i find very bizzare!

I don't think i have earned 7500 in any of the last 3 years.

Fire_Fox

What you do or do not receive in cash is not the whole story, it is about how you are supported or supporting yourself.

At 23 you are not normally a household with or a dependent of a sibling, you are more like housemates/ sharers. Can you prove the rent you have paid? Why didn't you pay it directly to your parents?

If you only work part time how are you truly self supporting, are you paying far less than market rent or not a full share of ALL the household bills? Whatever you are underpaying on, you are being supported by the person who makes up the shortfall, be that your parents or your sibling so you will likely have to declare what is paid on your behalf.

amiehall

Dunroamin wrote: »

I believe Taiko has said that the £7,500 amount shouldn't be applied in this arbitrary way but, as the OP says that s/he's a full time student, the amount earned is irrelevant.

Unless the OP has supported his/herself for three years before being a full time student then s/he can't claim to be independent but who's household income is used for assessment, I really couldn't say.

One for Taiko, I'd say.

Your student status has no bearing on whether your earnings count towards independent status or not. I completely understand that this figure is a rough amount. I do struggle to see how you could support yourself independently on much less than this though. Benefits do count.

If you earn "enough" money to support yourself, they count the year, if not they don't.

OP, how much have you been earning? Have you genuinely been supporting yourself? If you can set out your income and how it covers all your essential expenses, this could be counted as self-support. If you only have enough money to live because your siblings pay towards some of your share then you can't really claim to be self-supporting.

Dunroamin

amiehall wrote: »

Your student status has no bearing on whether your earnings count towards independent status or not. I completely understand that this figure is a rough amount. I do struggle to see how you could support yourself independently on much less than this though. Benefits do count.

If you earn "enough" money to support yourself, they count the year, if not they don't.

OP, how much have you been earning? Have you genuinely been supporting yourself? If you can set out your income and how it covers all your essential expenses, this could be counted as self-support. If you only have enough money to live because your siblings pay towards some of your share then you can't really claim to be self-supporting.

I thought it did but I may well have just assumed this, so happy to be corrected.

OP, you may find some of this to be useful although it doesn't answer your question about household income.

http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/96449/001_independent_students_fact_sheet_v03.pdf