Single Parent, Universal credit and Student finance

I have no answers, but the same question. I have two primary school children, about to start a post-grad masters next month, and getting conflicting reports. I am waiting for the award from student finance, to see how it is broken down, but no one I have spoken to at UC seems to know what counts, It is impossible to plan ahead.

Only 30% of of a post graduate maintenance loan is considered for UC.

Hi

As you're a single parent are you getting the special support element of the loan? Are you working at all?

Thanks, that is good to know. What about the grant part of student finance? Is all of that counted?

Hi im not working and i was unaware that there was a special support element. As no one told me about it. I informed student finance that i am a single parent of two children aged 2 and 7. Im still waiting to hear back from student finance.

Any idea what the grant is called?

hi Louisa
I can't find out what it is called. The applcation form says this:
Complete this section to tell us how much Postgraduate Master’s Finance you want to apply for. The
maximum support available is £17,000. Your finance will be made up of loan and grant.
You can apply for a maximum loan of £16,000.
The minimum grant you’ll receive is £1,000 which is not based on household income.
You can apply to have your funding based on your household income. Depending on your household
income, the maximum grant you may be entitled to is up to £6,885.
Your total funding can’t exceed £17,000. If your funding is based on household income and exceeds
£17,000, we’ll replace some of your loan with grant.


The only other information I can find is on the Careers Wales website (I am in Wales)
From 2019, postgraduates will receive a similar package of support to undergraduates. The support will be made up of a mixture of grants and loans as a contribution to costs, rather than allocated specifically to fees and maintenance.