Single parent, student finance, universal credit and housing benefit

Hi,

Wondering if anyone could give me a little guidance here.

I am a lone parent to my son (3mnths) and I am currently receiving universal credit. I am due to start university in September and because of the distance away, I will have to move house (I currently live with my parents). I'm planning to move earlier than when I am about to start university so I can get settled and get my son settled in a nursery. When I find a suitable place to live, I will sign a tenancy and will apply for the housing component of universal credit.

My question is, when I tell universal credit that I have received the maintenance loan from student finance in September, will the housing component be stopped? If I only have the maintenance loan to live from and have to pay my rent with that, it would be impossible for me to go to university.. but then I would have already signed a tenancy at that stage and then I'd be in trouble financially.

I asked universal credit how things would go but I didn't receive a straight answer. I'm thinking the amount I receive from student finance will be taken off the whole amount of universal credit I receive including the housing component?

Has anyone got any experience with this? Any help would be grately appreciated.

Thank you.

Reply 1

sobiaaa

4

Hi, I see you had no responses but wanted to ask what happened with your situation? I am in the same kind of situation and wondering if I can make it work with UC/student finance

Reply 2

Jessa0811

9

Hi I would like to know also! I’m not sure who to speak to UC, an advisor etc . If you had an update please let me know also :smile:

Reply 3

Mandapanda94

OP

4

Original post by sobiaaa

Hi, I see you had no responses but wanted to ask what happened with your situation? I am in the same kind of situation and wondering if I can make it work with UC/student finance

Sorry for the delay! Universal credit were very helpful in the end. The housing component was not stopped 😊 and I was able to start my degree and get settled. They took some of the universal credit entitlement away as they accounted for the student maintenance loan but it was honestly very manageable. Good luck with your studies 😊😊

Reply 4

Mandapanda94

OP

4

Original post by Jessa0811

Hi I would like to know also! I’m not sure who to speak to UC, an advisor etc . If you had an update please let me know also :smile:

Hiya! I have replied to the previous comment which explains what happened 😊😊

Universal credit weren't great with explaining what would happen initially, as they said they couldn't discuss anything in the future but when the time came to start university, they just actioned it straight away. A very positive experience!

Reply 5

Jessa0811

9

Original post by Mandapanda94

Hiya! I have replied to the previous comment which explains what happened 😊😊
Universal credit weren't great with explaining what would happen initially, as they said they couldn't discuss anything in the future but when the time came to start university, they just actioned it straight away. A very positive experience!

Hii thank you for getting back to me! So do I just let them know I’m starting uni in the journal and how long should I give them notice before I start uni?

Reply 6

Mandapanda94

OP

4

Original post by Jessa0811

Hii thank you for getting back to me! So do I just let them know I’m starting uni in the journal and how long should I give them notice before I start uni?

Yes that's all 😁😁 make sure to give them the start date and the academic year end date too, as you should receive your full entitlement during the summer months when you're not at uni. Parents Learning Allowance doesn't count as income but part of the maintenance loan does, they'll disregard the Special Support element too which is roughly £4000, the remainder loan gets divided into assessment periods which is typically 10, then that is the amount they will take off your universal credit entitlement (including housing benefit) 🙂 hope this helps. Wish I knew this before I started, would have saved me a lot of panic lol

Reply 7

Mandapanda94

OP

4

Original post by Jessa0811

Hii thank you for getting back to me! So do I just let them know I’m starting uni in the journal and how long should I give them notice before I start uni?

I can't remember how much notice I gave, but I done it well in advance as soon as I knew my start date x

Reply 8

Jessa0811

9

Original post by Mandapanda94

Yes that's all 😁😁 make sure to give them the start date and the academic year end date too, as you should receive your full entitlement during the summer months when you're not at uni. Parents Learning Allowance doesn't count as income but part of the maintenance loan does, they'll disregard the Special Support element too which is roughly £4000, the remainder loan gets divided into assessment periods which is typically 10, then that is the amount they will take off your universal credit entitlement (including housing benefit) 🙂 hope this helps. Wish I knew this before I started, would have saved me a lot of panic lol

Okay thank you so much ahaha I’ve been so worried!! I’m not too sure what you mean by the assessment periods ? Do you mean 10 months? Sorry!

Reply 9

Mandapanda94

OP

4

Original post by Jessa0811

Okay thank you so much ahaha I’ve been so worried!! I’m not too sure what you mean by the assessment periods ? Do you mean 10 months? Sorry!

Yes 😁😁

Reply 10

torihwx

2

Original post by Mandapanda94

Yes that's all 😁😁 make sure to give them the start date and the academic year end date too, as you should receive your full entitlement during the summer months when you're not at uni. Parents Learning Allowance doesn't count as income but part of the maintenance loan does, they'll disregard the Special Support element too which is roughly £4000, the remainder loan gets divided into assessment periods which is typically 10, then that is the amount they will take off your universal credit entitlement (including housing benefit) 🙂 hope this helps. Wish I knew this before I started, would have saved me a lot of panic lol

is the special support element they disregard for having children or is that just if you have a disability? 🙂 sorry to jump on this, its stressful trying to figure out if you can afford to go really!

Single parent, student finance, universal credit and housing benefit

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