Still in education

starbuck · January 2020

Are any benefits available to someone still in education? Our son is 20 and still in college. His tax credits have now finished. He receives pip and is really keen to look for a job when college ends, despite his disabilites.
Is he entitled to anything between now and the end of term as he's not actively job-seeking right now?

Chloe_Scope · January 2020

Hi @starbuck, I can't think of anything off the top of my head, because he is in education. However, here is the benefit checker tool on our website which will tell you what he could be able to claim.

starbuck · January 2020

I've just tried the link but it says you can't use it if you're a student. I tried the entitledto but that said the same.

poppy123456 · January 2020

Hi,

Yes, it's possible but it's definitely not an easy process, if he still lives at home with you.

Students that have parental support can't claim UC unless they receive PIP/DLA AND they have already been assessed as having limited capability for work (LCW) because he hasn't been assessed as having this then he won't be able to claim it.

One way around this is for him to claim New Style ESA BUT because this is based on your NI Contributions from working in the previous 2 years he will only be able to claim for NI credits only (no money), until he's been assessed. Once the decisions is made, if he's given LCW then he'll be able to claim UC.

To claim New style ESA he will need a fit note from his GP stating why he's unfit to work and he will need to continue to send then until a decision's been made. Decisions can take several months, depending on backlog.

See links for confirmation. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-students

https://cpag.org.uk/news-blogs/news-listings/disabled-students-and-universal-credit

Link for New style ESA. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

Claim form here. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance#print-and-fold-new-style-employment-and-support-allowance-esa-claimant-guide

Hope this helps.

starbuck · January 2020

Thankyou for the info! No, we'll just leave it then. A friend of ours with a disabled teenager was asking about it as her daughter wants to stay on in college like our son has and she's worried about money. She asked if our son claims anything and to be honest I'd never even thought about it until she mentioned it.
The whole conversation scared me though as it made me realise how fast our 'kids' are growing up!!!

poppy123456 · January 2020

You're welcome. It's not an easy process now all areas are a full UC area. Yes, indeed, time does fly.

Still in education

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