If you do not get a student loan for living costs
If you do not get a loan, but you receive a grant, the grant income is taken into account for UC (subject to the disregards below).
1Reg 68(2) and (4) UC Regs A grant is an educational grant or award, and does not include 16–19 bursary payments, education maintenance allowance payments or other payments for people under 21 to enable them to complete a course of non-advanced education.
2Reg 68(7) UC RegsGrant income is taken into account, excluding any payments for:
3Reg 70 UC Regs•tuition fees or exams;
•your disability;
•extra costs of residential study away from your usual place of study during term time;
•the costs of your normal home (if you live elsewhere during your course), unless these are included in your UC;
•the maintenance of someone not included in your UC claim;
•books, equipment, course travel costs or childcare costs.
If you get a grant but no loan, and receive a discretionary payment in either further or higher education, this is disregarded if it is paid for any of the above; otherwise it counts as income.
You should ensure your funder, university, college or learning provider gives you clear information on what any payment is for, especially if a grant is paid for course costs, as this may not be obvious from its title. For example, if you receive one of the new postgraduate bursaries for over-60 year olds in Wales, ask your university to be clear on the purpose for which it is paid, otherwise this may be taken into account.
Taken into account | Ignored |
EnglandSome learner support fund payments (see above)Dance and Drama maintenance grantSome bursary loan fund payments (see above)Social work bursaryPostgraduate stipend/studentshipSome hardship fund payments (see above) | England Advanced learner loan Tuition fee grant Dance and Drama tuition fee grant 16–19 bursary fund payment Some learner support fund payments (see above) Some bursary loan fund payments (see above) Parents’ learning allowance Childcare grant Disabled students’ allowance Travel expenses allowance |
WalesSocial work bursaryPostgraduate stipend/studentshipSome hardship fund payments (see above) | WalesTuition fee grantEducation maintenance allowanceWelsh government learning grant for further educationParents’ learning allowanceChildcare grantDisabled students’ allowanceTravel expenses allowance |
Northern Ireland Further education grants Nursing and midwifery bursary Nursing and midwifery bursary dependants’ additions Postgraduate stipend/studentship Some hardship fund payments (see above) | Northern Ireland Education maintenance allowance Tuition fee grant Parents’ learning allowance Childcare grant Disabled students’ allowance Travel expenses allowance |
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