Do Bursaries Affect Student Loans ?
The rules about how student income, such as grants (including bursaries) and loans, affects benefits entitlement are quite complicated. If this concerns you, we suggest you seek further information from a benefits adviser. You can use our Find an Adviser tool to find a local one.
Benefits where student support is ignored
Student loans or grants are not taken into account as income for:
• contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Disability Living Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
• Carer’s Allowance
• Child Benefit
Student income is not taken into account for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support if you (or your partner) receive:
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance or
*are of Pension Credit age
Benefits where student support is taken into account
Student loans or grants are taken into account as income for means-tested benefits, such as:
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Support
However, even for these benefits, some grant or loan income is ignored, including:
• Fixed amounts for travel costs and books/equipment
• Any allowance for tuition fees
• A disabled student’s allowance
• An allowance to cover the cost of residential study
• Any amount for childcare costs
• A parent’s learning allowance
• A higher education grant
• A special support grant
• A higher education bursary for care leavers.
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