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Esa and full time study

Hi just notifed DWP I've secured a place at UNI and i started this week.
I have been able to go as UNI has put lots of things in place including a non medical helper and mentor. Ive had an adapted computer ordered and special softwear to make things easier.
Im dreading the post as i fear they will use it as an excause to cut or reduce DLA lower and middle rate and ESA support group even tho I'm still entitled to claim.
Apart from the course nothing has changed except the course
Anyone experience of this?
I have been able to go as UNI has put lots of things in place including a non medical helper and mentor. Ive had an adapted computer ordered and special softwear to make things easier.
Im dreading the post as i fear they will use it as an excause to cut or reduce DLA lower and middle rate and ESA support group even tho I'm still entitled to claim.
Apart from the course nothing has changed except the course
Anyone experience of this?
Replies
Good mourning & a very big welcome to our website and online community.
I have attached a link to our Benefit Calculator below.
You can then see what you are entitled to & what are the restrictions.
<a href="https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/calculate-benefits">https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/calculate-benefits</a>
I hope that this is helpful, please please come back to me if you require any further help ????
Here is a link to the Turn2us page which deals specifically with full time students and disability benefits: www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Full-time-students-and-benefits/Can-full-time-students-claim-disability-benefits. There is also an excellent book available from Disability Rights UK called the Disability Rights Handbook, which covers these issues fully. I expect the Student Welfare Office will have a copy.
Good luck with your course!
Jayne
A full time student can get contributory ESA and DLA, don't worry. Neither of these are income-based benefits, so they are not affected by your student loan income, either.
As long as you are not on any income-related ESA, student income can't have any effect. As you mention the disability premium though, I wonder if you might be getting income-related ESA too (that can include certain premiums, called the enhanced disability premium and the severe disability premium). If you are getting any income-related ESA, your student loan might be too much for you to get both, but you will still get the contributory ESA and the DLA. In any case, you should make sure you tell the DWP that you are studying full-time, and let them know about your student income.
You should make sure you tell your local council that you are going to be a full-time student, as your council tax bill might go down.
Jayne, my colleague, mentions Disability Rights UK, and they also have a students' helpline, which you can use if you are studying in England. I strongly recommend that you give them a call as I think they will be able to help.
https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/how-we-can-help/helplines/disabled-students-helpline
As Jayne says, your student welfare office is also a really good place to get advice.
Don't be put off studying Sedina, because you are getting two benefits (contributory ESA and DLA) which are not affected by income, I think you are probably going to be fine. Still, it's worth contacting the helpline to talk it through if you can.
Will