Universal Credit: Students

(asked on 20th May 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to allow students in further and higher education to apply for Universal Credit during months when they are not in receipt of (a) grants or (b) loans from relevant awards agencies or loans companies.


Answered by
Will Quince Portrait
Will Quince
This question was answered on 2nd June 2020

Most students in full-time education do not qualify for Universal Credit (UC) unless an exception applies.

Under covid-19 regulations, those who do not receive student finance and who would ordinarily not have entitlement to UC, such as those undertaking a part-time course which would otherwise not be considered as compatible with the requirements for them to look for and be available for work, will have entitlement to UC. The DWP Secretary of State and Chief Secretary to the Treasury have agreed to dis-apply UC and both legacy and new style JSA work preparation, work search and availability requirements and related sanctions. This will initially be for a three-month period which commenced on the 30th March. After three months, consideration will be given as to whether a further extension is required.

Students are able to access funding to support their education courses through various loans and grants, which are the responsibility of the Department for Education (DfE). Students who do not ordinarily have entitlement to UC and who receive a maintenance loan or grant through the student finance system will continue to be able to draw upon this financial support until the end of this academic year. The adequacy of student finance is a matter for DfE.

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