ESA while studying at university?

My husband's Income related ESA was changed to contribution-based ESA by the DWP when he informed them that he was studying at university (he gets tuition fee loan, and maintenance loan, from Student Finance).

You're not getting a maintenance loan though so I'm not sure how that will affect it.

Are you not getting a maintenance loan because you chose not to apply for it, or because you weren't entitled to it? If it's the former, that could cause problems, as you are expected to apply for everything you're entitled to from SFE, and then declare it all to the DWP.

Why would a person be expected to apply for maintenance loan? Where have you got that from? Surely it’s a personal choice. I was eligible to apply for a maintenance loan but I didn’t want to get it because I didn’t need it and don’t want to have to pay back the money.

It doesn't work like that, otherwise my husband wouldn't have bothered claiming it either.

If you don’t apply for student finance, you are treated as receiving it when your entitlement to benefits is calculated. You must tell the offices that pay your benefits and tax credits that you are a student and about the changes to your income.

Which students loans will affect my benefits?
If you are receive one of the following loans, your benefits will be affected:

Maintenance loan
The maximum amount of maintenance loan you are entitled to (even if you do not apply for it), minus the amount of the loan that is for books and equipment, a fixed amount for travel costs, £10 a week general disregard.

...

https://www.gingerbread.org.uk/information/benefits-tax-credits-and-universal-credit/if-youre-planning-to-study/benefits-youre-studying/

So there really is no point in not applying for your maintenance loan. Your benefits will be affected either way, as you are expected to apply for it. If you don't, you just end up worse off.

(NB: I realise that's a "single parents" page I've linked to, but that's irrelevant, that's just one page which explains it, there are other pages if you Google it. I just couldn't be bothered searching for more. It doesn't just apply to single parents.)

I think you are misunderstanding it. The source that you link to says the only srudent finance loans that could effect your benefits are the maintenance loan, postgraduate student loan or professional and career development loan.

I’m talking about tuition loan, not these other loans.

Your husband’s ESA benefits were affected because he chose to apply and receive the student finance maintenance loan (which is seen as income). I have never applied nor received the maintenance loan.

if you are entitled to the maintenance loan, it affects your benefits, regardless of whether you apply for it or not, as you are expected to apply for it if you're entitled to it.

You can talk to SFE and DWP for further information.

I get income-related ESA and started my undergraduate degree in September 2020, and I receive a tuition loan. I don’t receive any maintenance loan. I was told this morning that the DWP have to be informed about the change in the circumstances but I didn’t know that they had to be informed about this because I obviously don’t receive any income from the tuition loan because it goes straight to the University from student finance England.