Does receiving a student maintenance loan impact UC?

kkr
kkr Community member Posts: 14 Listener
edited August 2021 in Universal Credit (UC)
As a disabled student in receive of PIP and universal credit. What happens if one receive student finance maintenance loan does it affect your universal credit claim or closes the account. What advice can anyone give please if one takes the maintenance loan 

Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    This is an area I'm not certain about all I know is that if you are eligible for the loan but don't take it then it is still  accounted for as far as uc is concerned 

    Other members have more knowkedge in this area and will advise 
  • kkr
    kkr Community member Posts: 14 Listener
    As a disabled student in receive of PIP and universal credit. What happens if one receive student finance maintenance loan does it affect your universal credit claim or closes the account. What advice can anyone give please if one takes the maintenance loan  . Currently I am a student receiving this benefit but no money was deducted in anyway so far that’s why I am not sure , because currently I do not take student finance, because it says you take it or not it is calculated as income. So confused need help 
  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,121 Connected
    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-students
  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,715 Championing
    edited August 2021
    Hello @kkr and a warm welcome to our online community.

    Receiving a maintenance loan can impact your UC.  This Disability Rights 'Student FAQ' may help you understand how:
    I receive Universal Credit (UC) and PIP.  I have been assessed as having a limited capability for work.
    I will be starting a full-time undergraduate degree course and will be entitled to a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). How will my entitlement affect my UC?

    Your student income can affect how much UC you can get. UC is paid monthly and is based on your circumstances during that month. This is called your ‘assessment period’. For each assessment period that you attend the course, an amount for student income you get is taken off your UC.
    The tuition fee loan and DSA are ignored as income for UC.
    If you’re eligible for a maintenance loan, part of it counts as income even if you choose not to take it.
    As an undergraduate student, if you qualify for certain benefits such as DLA or PIP you will be entitled to receive more support with living costs. The loan has a maintenance element and a special support element (up to £4,014). The special support element will be ignored as income for means-tested benefits.

    Does that help?  If not, Disability Rights UK have a free disabled student helpline that you can call to go over your situation in more detail.

    Just to let you know -  I've amended the title of your thread to help make your question more visible to anyone reading :) Good luck with your studies and please ask away with any more questions.  

  • kkr
    kkr Community member Posts: 14 Listener
    thank you so much for your reply . will do as instructed . i do have another question in terms of studies .
  • kkr
    kkr Community member Posts: 14 Listener
    after a degree can one go back and study. will it also be funding by student finance maybe a year or two later , if one intend to do other degree or profession.
  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,715 Championing
    edited August 2021
    Hi @kkr

    You can return to study after a couple of years break definitely :) 

    There are different student finance options that you might want to consider, but it would be important to check the eligibility criteria for these before applying.  Here's the 'Government webpage on 'Funding for postgraduate study' which goes into more detail about options for different courses i.e. a masters, doctorate, studentship or teacher training etc. 

    Do you have a career path in mind?  And, are you looking forward to studying?  
  • kkr
    kkr Community member Posts: 14 Listener
    thanks @Cher_Scope.

    i am currently studying . hoping after my degree i could take a break and go back again 
  • kkr
    kkr Community member Posts: 14 Listener
    can you also get the special support grant in postgraduate
  • SL3
    SL3 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    I am in the same position now, could you please inform me how you got on? Did money get deducted etc 
  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    Hello and welcome @SL3 as this discussion is from a while ago it might take some time for @kkr to reply, but in the meantime can I ask if you're an undergraduate or postgraduate student?

    Do take time to explore the forum whenever you are ready, you can browse different topics on our Categories Page. 

    You can chat and play games with members in the Coffee Lounge, and if you'd like to see the most recent conversations people have been having, then you can also visit recent discussions.

    If you have any issues or need a hand with anything, please do let us know :)

    Alex
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    SL3 said:
    I am in the same position now, could you please inform me how you got on? Did money get deducted etc 
    This is an old thread from almost a year ago and the member hasn't been active since that time.
    Maintenance loans will reduce any UC you're entitled to, regardless of whether you take that loan or not. There's some information here.
    Also the rules on full time students being able to claim UC have changed, whether your claim can continue as a student will totally depend on your circumstances.


  • SL3
    SL3 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    @Alex_Scope thank you for replying and letting me know am going to be a undergraduate. I have been out of education for many years until last year when I went back to do a access to he course that didn’t effect my UC but with this being a uni course and not a cottage it has need confused how it’s going to change.
    @poppy123456 thank you for the information and the links I have checked them out before but still find it confusing as there isn’t anyway of working out what till get cancels out and what will continue or others I may be entitled too. 
    Thank you for your help very much appreciated.
  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    Thanks for explaining @SL3 I know it can be quite confusing, so hopefully we can help reassure you :) 

    Have you tried contacting The Disabled Students Helpline previously? Talking things through might help, the advisers cover a range of topics, including the ins and outs of financial assistance. If you'd prefer, you can also contact them by email on: students@disabilityrightsuk.org

    I hope you enjoy your studies if and when they do come around, and if you feel we can help further, please do say.

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