Students - Housing Benefit
Full-time students
Full-time students are persons attending or undertaking a full-time course of study, including sandwich courses.
Normally if a claimant is a full-time student they cannot claim Housing Benefit. There are some exceptions to this and if the claimant satisfies one or more of the following criteria they may claim Housing Benefit:
- they are a lone parent;
- they are in receipt of Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based);
- they are disabled (students who have a disability premium included in their applicable amount and those who have been awarded a Disabled Students Allowance by reason of their deafness);
- they are under 19 - if they are following a course of further education (but not higher education);
- they live with a partner who is also a full time student and they have dependent children;
- they have dependent children - if they are solely responsible for a child boarded out with them by the local Health and Social Services Board/Trust or a voluntary organisation;
- they are a pensioner;
- they have caring responsibilities or are ill - i.e. they have been absent from studies due to illness or caring responsibilities. This is for a limited period and requires the prior approval of the educational establishment attended.
Those eligible students in halls of residence or other accommodation provided by educational establishment can now receive Housing Benefit.
Part-time students
If a claimant is a part-time student they may qualify for Housing Benefit.
Additional rules
If a claimant is a part-time student or a full-time student, who satisfies one of the specified criteria, their application will be subject to the following rules.
If the claimant is renting from a college or university
If the claimant lives in a hall or other accommodation and they pay rent to the college or university, they cannot get Housing Benefit in term-time or in the short vacations, but the claimant may get help with rent if the college or university is itself renting the accommodation on a short-term basis, the claimant should contact their Northern Ireland Housing Executive office for further information.
Short vacations
In short vacations and term-time where the claimant's circumstances remain the same:
- income from their grant still applies; therefore their benefit remains the same.
If the claimant's circumstances do change in the short vacations, or at any other time while they are on Housing Benefit, they must tell the Northern Ireland Housing Executive / Rates Collection Agency.
When assessing a claim for Housing Benefit consideration has to be given to the income a claimant receives.
Student Loans
If a full-time student is eligible to receive a student loan this must be included as income whether or not they are in receipt of one.
The loan income will be subject to deductions for books, equipment, travel and for disregards.
Claimants becoming students who are seeking more than general advice on the effect it will have on their Housing Benefit should contact the Northern Ireland Housing Executive / Rates Collection Agency.
|
