Can I study and keep my benefits?
Carer's Allowance
You can only keep your Carer's Allowance if your classes and supervised study periods add up to less than 21 hours a week. Don't count: meal breaks, breaks between lessons, or hours spent studying unsupervised.
If the Carer's Allowance Unit tells you that you are studying full-time because private study counts as part of the 21 hours, get advice.
Income Support and Housing Benefit
You can only keep Income Support or Housing Benefit if your course is part-time. The definition of a part-time course depends on how your course is funded. Check the funding with the course provider:
Funding from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC)
You will be able to do up to 16 hours "guided learning" a week. You will be asked for your learning agreement as proof of your course hours. The hours on this document are calculated as an average figure and may differ from the hours on your timetable.
Courses with no LSC funding
For example: University courses, courses funded by the local education authority or by the European Social Fund. The rules do not say how many hours you can study. Ask the course provider for evidence to show the social security office or the Housing Benefit service that your course is not full-time.
Full-time study
You can't claim but if you have a partner, s/he may be able to claim instead. Get advice.
Before December 2005, gay and lesbian couples couldn't claim for one another as a couple. From December 2005, the rules changed and you can claim income-based benefits as a couple. You are entitled to some other benefits if you have a civil partnership.
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Need more help? Live in Manchester? Send us an email
Information Provider:
Manchester Advice
Date Reviewed:
April 2006
This information is for guidance only and is not an authoritative statement on the law. Please read our Terms and Conditions.
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