Advice for students

As a student, you will have extra difficulties in that you normally will not even have enough money to live on. We have compiled some notes on benefits and budgeting tips for students.

Income Support

Most full-time students are disqualified from claiming Income Support benefit until the end of their course. This includes the long vacation periods.
Disabled students are entitled to disabled students allowance.
Lone parents: you can claim income support.
Pensioners: you can claim income support.
Refugees learning English and other certain people from abroad may be eligible for income support during term time and all vacations (if they meet the eligibility rules).
Student couples with a child can get income support during the long vacation.
Part-time study: you can claim income support.

Housing Benefit

Most full-time students are disqualified from claiming this until the course ends.
If you are one of a couple and your partner is not a student he/she can apply for this benefit.
Student couples who have a child will be eligible for this benefit throughout the course.
If you are entitled to income support, you should also be entitled to claim housing benefit. Disabled students for deafness can also claim this benefit (but not for any other disability).
Lone parents will be eligible for this benefit.
Pensioners will be eligible for this benefit.

Council Tax Benefit

Full-time students are usually exempt from paying Council Tax.
Students liable to pay Council Tax (i.e. one of a couple where partner is non-student) can claim second adult rebate even when not eligible for Council Tax Benefit.

Job Seekers Allowance

Students attending a full-time course are normally excluded from this benefit until you abandon it or are dismissed from it.
If you are 25 years or over and have been on JSA for at least 2 years you may be able to go on a full-time employment related course of a year or less and stay on JSA

Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance

ICB and SDA are payable during term time as well as vacations.
To qualify you must be accepted as incapable of work via the "all work" test.

Disability Living Allowance

This can be paid over and above any grant, loan or Income Support.
If your college provides care and assistance for you, the college authorities may claim some or all of the DLA Care Component from you towards their costs. Otherwise, you can use it to benefit your needs.

Discretionary Payments

If your course is not a designated course or you don't qualify for financial support, you can ask your LEA or SAAS for help. These are difficult to get and amounts vary.

Career Development Loans

Offered by High Street banks, amounts vary from £300 to £8000.

Access and Hardship Funds

Administered by University to provide emergency help to full-time and part-time students. Colleges may also have their own hardship funds.

Charities and Trusts

May top-up your income or pay for a special need providing you fit into their criteria.

Potential Employers

May provide sponsorship if course relevant to employers needs

Office of Fair Trading Advice For Students

Advice on Living with Debt; Dealing with Credit; Managing your Money, is available on the Office of Fair Trading's website at www.oft.gov.uk

Advice for Visually Impaired Students

The Royal National Institute for the Blind's website provides a wide range of advice and information for students. This can be found at www.rnib.org.uk/student.