Students

Students

Some students can get Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.

The main rule is that the claimant (the person putting in the claim) must be in one of the groups shown below in order to get Housing Benefit and main Council Tax Reduction. For a couple, the partner who is the claimant must be in one of the eligible groups (or not be a student).

Students who can claim

• Students on Income Support or Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Students who count as part-time rather than full-time
• Students under 19 in further education
• Students aged who reached the qualifying age for state pension credit, or partners of students who have reached the qualifying age for state pension credit  
• Students who are responsible for a child or young person (aged 16-20 for whom child benefit is paid for)
• Students who are responsible for a foster child
• Students unable to get a grant or loan following a break in their studies due to illness or providing care for someone.
• Students who receive Disability Living Allowance (at any rate, either component) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
• Student who receive the disability element or severe disability element in their working tax credit
• Students who for any other reason qualify for a disability premium in the assessment of their applicable amount (this is the amount government states you need to live on, used when working out Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit)
• Students who receive Incapacity Benefit at the at the short-term higher rate or the long-term rate
• Students who are incapable of work and have been for a 'waiting period' of 28 weeks
• Student who are registered blind by Adult and Community Services, or were within the past 28 weeks
• Students who have a UK grant assessment which included an allowance for deafness (even if they are not awarded a grant)

Details and proof of your grant, parents' contributions and other income are needed to work out what benefit you may be entitled to.

Full time students are normally exempt from the payment of Council Tax and therefore will not be entitled to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.