UC and LCW as student in receipt of PIP

dnonomore

Hi my 19 year old son is due to start uni in October. He has autism and is in receipt of PIP.  He is currently under my claim for UC.  I desperately need advice re when to take him off my claim, when to start a claim in his own name. I have read that as he is in receipt of PIP, he might qualify for UC but that he has to have been assessed for LCW BEFORE his course starts...? Do i start the process now? im worried that if i take him off my claim too early, he might not be awarded UC and we will lose out as a family financially for 3 months. ( i cannot afford to do this).  Am i right in thinking that he has to have been assessed for LCW and he wont be entitled purely because he is in receipt of PIP?

KxMx

Within the benefits system many households struggle financially with the transition from dependant children to non dependant adults.

UC & students are a complex area, I'd recommend contacting Disability Rights UK who have a Disabled Students Helpline. 


https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/disabled-students-helpline

Generally speaking you can get LCW or LCWRA under UC at the same time as PIP.

NedS

You are only entitled to receive the child element of UC for him on your claim up until the date his current course officially ends (normally around mid July but depends on the specific course). The college will be able to tell you this date. After that date, he is no longer in non-advanced education (as the course has ended) and therefore is no longer a Qualifying Young Person (QYP) so must be removed from your claim.

At that point, he can make his own claim for UC immediately and seek assessment under the WCA. He will need to have LCW/LCWRA in place before his course starts to be eligible to receive UC as a student, otherwise he will be expected to support himself via the usual student grants and loans that are available to all students.

As @KxMx states above, disabled students and UC is a somewhat complex area so it is worth seeking professional advice so you are at least clear on his options and what he may be entitled to.

TheShape

NedS said:

You are only entitled to receive the child element of UC for him on your claim up until the date his current course officially ends (normally around mid July but depends on the specific course). The college will be able to tell you this date. After that date, he is no longer in non-advanced education (as the course has ended) and therefore is no longer a Qualifying Young Person (QYP) so must be removed from your claim.

At that point, he can make his own claim for UC immediately and seek assessment under the WCA. He will need to have LCW/LCWRA in place before his course starts to be eligible to receive UC as a student, otherwise he will be expected to support himself via the usual student grants and loans that are available to all students.

As @KxMx states above, disabled students and UC is a somewhat complex area so it is worth seeking professional advice so you are at least clear on his options and what he may be entitled to.

I think it is worth noting that the maximum student maintenance loan you’re eligible for wil be taken into account whether applied for or not.  Universal Credit does not replace a student maintenance loan and deduction is made from UC in respect of the maintenance loan. A student is expected to support themselves with a maintenance loan whilst claiming UC.  Whether that leaves any UC payable will depend on the claimant's circumstances.