Part-time student (open uni) & universal credit

Legacy_user

Answered..

Alice_Holt

I think you're correct in your analysis.
I believe the only bit of the student loan that affects your UC is likely to be any maintenance elements.
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Part-time-students-and-benefits/Part-time-students-and-other-benefits

Your help with housing costs comes via UC (the housing element), not housing benefit.

However UC is proving to have some unexpected quirks, so I would contact these people for confirmation:
https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/how-we-can-help/helplines/disabled-students-helpline

poppy12345

GotToChange wrote: »

One tip I would give is, IF you do not (need to) report any financial aspects of the study - DO NOT mention it at any assessments for ESA or PIP - if you have a claim that includes a mental health aspect. They WILL use it against you.

Sorry but that's the worst advise i've ever heard. Why would you want to keep something like this from DWP or any future assessment for PIP/ESA. If they find out and the OU course contradicts the reasons for claiming ESA/PIP then this can be classed as benefit fraud.

pmduk

I'd be wary of putting an interpretation on a question such as "are you working or studying?" It is a request to tell them about any work and study, failure to answer it honestly and fully is not advisable IMHO.

w06

GotToChange it's unreasonable to expect to have a fair and honest assessment whilst witholding information that is pertinent even if there's no income attached.

OP don't worry about being totally honest and disclosing your course. I was half way through my PhD when I had my PIP assessment and when I completed an ESA application, I'd just finished and was actively looking for work when I claimed UC. At none of those points would it have been appropriate to withold the information, and for all three claims it was pertinent in painting a picture of me and my disabilities and how they affect me.

System

Thanks for all the responses - very helpful information

I will definitely be informing them - Im aware of what descriptors I have met which have awarded me my ESA and also which areas I scored in for my PIP and Im confident home based study wont affect this - im prepared for a fight though and know how the appeal process works and Im confident if it comes to that I can fight my corner !

In regards to the income just to clarify a few points that have been raised here I have found this from entitled to

Student loans

The maximum student loan available to you will be taken fully into account. This applies even if you have:

not applied
not accepted the loan
chosen not to take the full amount
received a reduced loan because someone has to contribute to your living costs, for example your parent or guardian or your partner


Incorrect link removed


As my Im applying through student Finance Wales Im eligble for a maintenance grant/loan - so even if I dont apply for this I can be penalised the same amount from DWP/UC so I would be better off applying for it and declaring it to walk away in the same financial situation pound for pound

Thanks for everyones help

System

Wrong link posted - actual link is from entitled to and below
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Student-income-Universal-Credit

Ineededaname

You are correct. You will need to report the education and provide evidence of the course and your student finance to universal credit. This will then be taken into account in terms of your payments. As you posted - if you didn't take the finance available it would still be taken into account as if you had.

16 hours can be considered full time education, you may want to clarify that. You are still entitled to universal credit in full time education under your circumstances though so I suppose that doesn't really matter either way.

I'm not sure how OU terms work.. but for normal degrees student finance is usually deducted from Universal Credit over term time months but not in the summer.

pmlindyloo

This link tells you about students and Universal Credit:

http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2017-0556/111_Students_v6.0.pdf

OU is considered part time education.

Since you are in the LCWRA group then this should not affect your claimant commitment.

PersianCatLady

As far as I know, the only student loan that you get when studying with the OU is the Tuition Fee Loan so there is no reason that it should affect your benefits.

GotToChange

Apparently, a maintenance loan system is to be introduced for part-time disabled students who cannot attend a brick university due to their disability, so there will be some kind of effect on the main benefits. However, there are differences in when it is being rolled out and the OP is I believe n Wales, so it is different to the England implemetation.