Social Security Benefits and Tax Credits Jargon
Full-time students with children:
Income Support
As of October 2009, you are eligible to apply if you are a single parent responsible for a child under the age of 10 (this age limit reduced to 7 on the 25th October 2010). To apply, call 0800 055 6688 or apply on-line.
Jobseekers Allowance
You are eligible to apply over the summer vacation if you are single and responsible for a child aged 10 - 15 OR you are a couple who are both full-time students and responsible for a child under the age of 16. The person claiming must be 'available for and actively seeking work' and meet other Jobseekers Allowance rules. To apply, call JobCentre Plus on 0800 055 6688 or apply on-line.
Housing Benefit
You are eligible to apply if you are a single parent responsible for a dependent child aged under 20 OR you are a couple who are both full-time students and responsible for a dependent child aged under 20. To apply, please contact your Local Council's Housing Benefit Department.
Child Tax Credit
You are eligible to apply if you have an income of less than £40,000 per year.
Working Tax Credit
You are eligible to apply if you have a dependent child and work at least 16 hours per week.
Full-time students with disabilities:
Disability Living Allowance or Incapacity Benefit
You can continue to receive these Benefits as a full-time student.
Income Support (on grounds of illness)
If you receive Income Support, this may stop once you become a full-time student because of the amount of student income you receive. Please contact Money Doctors for further advice.
Employment Support Allowance
Once you become a full-time student, you cannot continue to receive Income-Based Employment Support Allowance unless you receive Disability Living Allowance. Please seek further advice if you are receiving Contribution-based Employment Support Allowance.
Housing Benefit
You are eligible to apply for this if you are receiving Employment Support Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Disability Living Allowance or you have been signed off work for at least 28 weeks and continue to be signed off sick. To apply, please contact your Local Council's Housing Benefit Department.
Working Tax Credit
You are eligible to apply if you have a physical or mental disability which puts you at a disadvantage of gettnig a job, qualify for a disability element and you work at least 16 hours per week.
Full-time student with no disabilities or children:
Are not eligible for Social Security Benefits until they graduate or withdraw from a course. If you are considering intermitting from your course, please seek further advice regarding any monies you could claim BEFORE you intermit as the rules are complicated.
Once you graduate or withdraw from a course, you may be eligible to Jobseekers Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
Students who are aged 25 and work at least 25 hours per week OR are aged 50, work at least 16 hours per week and qualify for a 50 plus element can apply for Working Tax Credit.
Part-time students:
If you are a part-time student, you can still apply for Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Disability Benefits and Tax Credits as long as you meet the eligibility criteria for the particular benefit/tax credit concerned. If you receive a tuition fee grant and/or a books grant as a part-time student, this will not counted as income when calculating your entitlement to benefits and/or tax credits.
Council Tax:
Please see Student Advice Centre Housing information pages for further information as to whether you will be eligible to pay Council Tax as a student.
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