Thursday 03-09-2015 - 09:43

Can students claim Housing Benefit? 

The answer is, yes… well, it’s a qualified “yes” to be honest.

 “So how do you qualify for the qualified yes?” we hear you ask… all is revealed below!

As a full-time student you can claim Housing Benefit as long as you or your partner has reached the qualifying age for pension credit. Now, you may have some way to go on that one, so let’s see if any of these categories fit better, are you:

• In receipt of Jobseekers Allowance?
• In receipt of Income Support?
• In receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payments (PIP), Employment Support Allowance (ESA) or you are registered blind?
• In receipt of Disabled Students’ Allowance due to deafness?
• Part of a couple and your partner is not a student? (If so s/he is entitled to make a claim for both of you.)
• Single and also caring for a child boarded out with you by a local authority/voluntary organisation?

…or finally, are you the lone parent of a child under 16, or under 20 (if they’re in full-time, non-advanced, education or approved training which they were accepted on or started before turning 19)?

How can EHSU help you?

On Welcome Sunday (20^th September) our Advice and Representation Centre will hold hour long appointments between 9am and 3:30pm upstairs in The Hub to assist students moving into halls with their benefit application.

We’ll also have a member of the Housing Benefit Team from West Lancashire Council present on the day to check it over for you, so if you’re interested then please book it via the EHSU Reception Desk on 01695 657301.

Appointments, without the council officer, are offered throughout Freshers’ Week for those unavailable on Welcome Sunday, or who are living off campus.