Full-time students
Most full-time students are excluded from benefits, mainly those benefits where entitlement relies on a means test. There is one definition of ‘full-time student’ used for most means-tested benefits – ie, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance and housing benefit. Other definitions are used for universal credit (UC), carer’s allowance and for council tax. Some students, however, can claim means-tested benefits despite being classed as full time. If you are excluded from one benefit, do not therefore assume that you are excluded from all of them. Who counts as a ‘full-time student’, or as ‘receiving education’ for UC, is explained in detail in the relevant chapters.