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Which types of student finance are counted as income when working out benefits?

When working out if you’re eligible for income-related benefits while you are a higher education student, certain types of Student Loans, grants and other types of student finance will be counted as income by the Social Security Agency and the NIHE Housing Benefit section.

Types of student support which are counted as income

Types of student support counted as income are:

  • the majority of any Student Loan for Maintenance you are entitled to, even if you choose not to take it out
  • Adult Dependants' Grant
  • Access to Learning Fund payments meant to help with general living costs (though in some circumstances, all or part of the payment may be disregarded)
  • Maintenance Grant (available to full-time students who started their course in September 2006 or later)
  • Bursaries (available to full-time students who started their course in September 2006 or later) that are not for course-related costs, or childcare

Types of student support which are not counted as income

The following will not count as income:

  • Higher Education Grant (for full-time students whose courses began in 2004/2005 or 2005/2006)
  • Tuition Fee Grant (for full-time students whose courses began before September 2006)
  • Student Loan for Tuition Fees
  • Childcare Grant
  • Parents' Learning Allowance
  • Access to Learning Fund payments that are not for general living costs
  • Special Support Grant (available to full-time students who started their course in September 2006 or later, and fall within the groups of students listed in the Income Support or Housing Benefit regulations)
  • Bursaries (available to full-time students who started their course in September 2006 or later) that are for course-related costs, or childcare

If you get other forms of support, speak to your student adviser at university or college to find out whether they are counted as income when working out your entitlement to benefits.

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