My son (a student) has been diagnosed with severe arthritis. Can he apply for disability benefits?

Can full-time students claim Universal Credit?

If you are a student, you can only claim Universal Credit if:

• You are under 21, taking  a course that leading to a qualification at the same level as or below A levels (such as Scottish Highers, NVQ up to level 3) and you do not and cannot live with your parents; or
• You are responsible for a child; or
• You get Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and you have limited capability for work. (This can be complicated – Use our Find an Adviser tool to find a local adviser); or
• You are over Pension Credit age; or
• You live with a partner who can claim Universal Credit; or
• You have taken time out from your course for illness or caring responsibilities, are now recovered/your caring responsibilities have ended, and you are waiting to go back to your course.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Attendance Allowance

You can get PIP or Attendance Allowance even if you are a full-time student.

If you have disabilities, are aged under pension age and need help with your personal care or mobility needs, you can get Personal Independence Payment (PIP). If you need help with personal care and are pension age or over, you can get Attendance Allowance.

PIP and Attendance Allowance are not means-tested. This means any income (including student grants or loans) or savings you have are ignored.

If activities you do as part of your course suggest that your health has improved, your PIP or Attendance Allowance may stop. For example, if you are getting PIP because you said you have problems with walking and your course involves a lot of physical activity, this could cause your award to be reviewed.