Supporting A Family While You Study
If you're supporting children or a dependent adult, you could be entitled to some financial help
Universal Credit
You can apply for Universal Credit (UC) as a full-time student if at least one of the following applies to you:
- you're a lone parent (including foster parents)
- you're living as a couple with another student and you have at least 1 dependent child
- you're getting Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance
- you're making a joint claim with a non-student partner who is eligible for UC in their own right
To receive support for housing costs, you must be living in rented accommodation and have a formal tenancy agreement in your name. This includes halls of residence. Support for those with a mortgage is not covered.
Applying for Universal Credit
Applications can be made online.
Universal Credit applications are administered by the Department for Work & Pensions and have replaced the support that was previously available via Tax Credits and Housing Benefit.
If you have any queries regarding eligibility whilst attending a course please contact the Student Finance Centre.
Child Benefit
Becoming a student doesn’t affect your entitlement to Child Benefit.