Contents

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Student Support and Benefits Handbook 2021/22

Contents

Foreword

Abbreviations

Means-tested benefit rates 2020/21

Non-means-tested benefit rates 20201/21

Tax credit rates 2020/21

Student support rates 2020/21

How to use this Handbook

 

Part 1 Student support

Chapter 1 Further education student support

1. Student support in England

2. Student support in Wales

3. Student support in Northern Ireland

 

Chapter 2 Undergraduate student support: England

1. Full-time undergraduates

2. Part-time undergraduates

3. How income affects student support

4. Discretionary and institutional funds

 

Chapter 3 Undergraduate student support: Wales

1. Full-time undergraduates

2. Part-time undergraduates

3. How income affects student support

4. Discretionary hardship funds

 

Chapter 4 Undergraduate student support:Northern Ireland

1. Full-time undergraduates

2. Part-time undergraduates

3. How income affects student support

4. Discretionary support funds

 

Chapter 5 Postgraduate student support

1. Studentships

2. Postgraduate loans formaster’s degrees

3. Postgraduatemaster’s bursaries in Wales

4. Postgraduate loans for doctoral courses

5. Disabled students’ allowance

6. Postgraduate support in Northern Ireland

 

Chapter 6 Vocational courses and other sources of student support

1. Healthcare students in England and Wales

2. Healthcare students in Northern Ireland

3. Initial teacher training in England

4. Initial teacher training in Wales

5. Initial teacher training in Northern Ireland

6. Social work students

7. Dance and Drama Awards

8. Alternative sources of finance

 

Part 2 Benefits and tax credits

Chapter 7 Carer’s allowance

1. What is carer’s allowance

2. Who is eligible

3. Amount of benefit

4. Claiming carer’s allowance

5. Challenging a decision

6. Other benefits and tax credits

 

Chapter 8 Child benefit

1. What is child benefit

2. Who is eligible

3. Amount of benefit

4. Claiming child benefit

5. Challenging a decision

6. Other benefits and tax credits

 

Chapter 9 Disability living allowance

1. What is disability living allowance

2. Whois eligible

3. Amount of benefit

4. Claiming disability living allowance

5. Challenging a decision

6. Other benefits and tax credits

 

Chapter 10 Employment and support allowance

1. What is employment and support allowance

2. Whois eligible

3. Limited capability for work

4. Amount of benefit

5. Claiming employment and support allowance

6. Challenging a decision

7. Other benefits and tax credits

 

Chapter 11 Health benefits

1. What are health benefits

2. Who is eligible

3. Claiming health benefits and refunds

4. Challenging a decision

5. Overseas students

 

Chapter 12 Housing benefit

1. What is housing benefit

2. Whois eligible

3. Basic rules

4. Amount of benefit

5. Claiming housing benefit

6. Challenging a decision

7. Other benefits and tax credits

 

Chapter 13 Income support

1. What is income support

2. Who is eligible

3. Basic rules

4. Amount of benefit

5. Claiming income support

6. Challenging a decision

7. Other benefits and tax credits

 

Chapter 14 Jobseeker’s allowance

1. What is jobseeker’s allowance

2. Who is eligible

3. Basic rules

4. Amount of benefit

5. Claiming jobseeker’s allowance

6. Challenging a decision

7. Other benefits and tax credits

 

Chapter 15 Maternity, paternity and other parental payments

1. What are maternity, paternity and other parental payments

2. Who is eligible

3. Amount of benefit

4. Claiming maternity, paternity and other parental payments

5. Challenging a decision

6. Other benefits and tax credits

 

 

Chapter 16 Personal independence payment

1. What is personal independence payment

2. Who is eligible

3. Amount of benefit

4. Claiming personal independence payment

5. Challenging a decision

6. Other benefits and tax credits

 

Chapter 17 The social fund

1. What is the social fund

2. Sure Start maternity grants

3. Funeral expenses payments

4. Budgeting loans

5. Local welfare assistance schemes

6. Challenging a decision

 

Chapter 18 Universal credit

1. What is universal credit

2. Who is eligible

3. Basic rules

4. Amount of benefit

5. Claiming universal credit

6. Challenging a decision

7. Other benefits and tax credits

 

Chapter 19 Child tax credit

1. What is child tax credit

2. Who is eligible

3. Amount of child tax credit

4. Claiming child tax credit

5. Challenging a decision

6. Tax credits and benefits

 

Chapter 20 Working tax credit

1. What is working tax credit

2. Who is eligible

3. Amount of working tax credit

4. Claiming working tax credit

5. Challenging a decision

6. Tax credits and benefits

 

Part 3 Treatment of student income

Chapter 21 How income affects universal credit

1. Working out your income

2. Grants and loans

3. Dividing student income throughout the year

4. Other payments

5. Earnings

6. Benefits

7. Savings and capital

 

Chapter 22 How income affects means-tested benefits

1. Working out your income

2. Grants and loans

3. Dividing student income throughout the year

4. Discretionary funds and other payments

5. Earnings

6. Benefits and tax credits

7. Maintenance

8. Savings and capital

 

Chapter 23 How income affects tax credits

1. Income and tax credits

2. Grants and loans

3. Earnings

4. Benefits

5. Other income

 

Chapter 24 How income affects health benefits

1. Working out your income

2. Grants and loans

3. Discretionary funds and other payments

4. Earnings

5. Benefits and tax credits

6. Maintenance

7. Savings and capital

 

Part 4 Other issues

Chapter 25 Council tax

1. What is council tax

2. Who pays council tax

3. Council tax reduction

4. Second adult rebate

 

Chapter 26 Time out from studies

1. Ill health

2. Pregnancy and children

3. Carers

4. Re-sits

5. Time out for other reasons

 

Appendices

Appendix 1 Information and advice

Appendix 2 Useful addresses

Appendix 3 Abbreviations used in the notes