Student support
Although regulations allow payment of student loans to be suspended after 60 days’ absence because of ill health, Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales and Student Finance NI have the discretion to continue to pay you until the end of the academic year.
Your college or university should write to Student Finance England/Student Finance Wales/Student Finance NI, explaining why it has suspended you from the course. You should also contact Student Finance England/Student Finance Wales/Student Finance NI in writing and request that it continue to pay you while you are ill. You are normally asked to provide medical evidence.
If you are eligible, you can also apply to the college or university for discretionary help from its hardship funds.
If you receive a bursary and want to take time out from your studies, check with the institution to see whether it continues to be paid during your time out and what happens when you return to your studies.
If you take time out from your course because of ill health and are not paid a student loan during this time, the unpaid student loan does not count as ‘notional’ income when calculating your ESA.
1Reg 137(4A) ESA Regs For UC and HB, the unpaid loan is arguably not counted as ‘notional’ income, because payment of it is disrectionary.