Universal Credits and Further Study

[Sofvig26Participant]

my daughter is only 3 months old and I’ve just finished my part time degree where my student loan didn’t affect my benefits because it wasn’t paid to me.

I then decided it would be great while my daughter is under two to study a masters as I have the time capability now to do it. But I’ve just found out that the loan for postgraduate study is taken into account with universal credits. 30% of the loan is taken into account even though the loan only covers the course fee so it cannot be used for personal means.

How is this fair? I really do not understand how the government can penalise people that want to study further education while out of work so they can better their circumstances by bettering their chances of gaining a well paid job. Why should we lose benefits because we study part time while at period especially in life when our children are too young for us to go back to work?

[SxjParticipant]

Hi Sofvig26

I don’t have any answers to your question and hope that you’ve contacted your DWP advisor to confirm (and complain).

Its so unfair for them to do that.

Have you spoken to your university to see if there’s any additional financial support they can offer?

My DWP advisor suggested I do a degree full time and apply for a student loan inc maintenance loan and then apply for universal credits for July – October when I’m not studying. I private rent (£700 pm) and obviously being behind on any rent would jeopadise being able to stay in the property. Sometimes I feel the advisors are pushing Universal Credit to hit targets, and care zero about the implications of their actions and ‘advice’.

Maybe you could speak to Citizens Advice too? They are collecting information on unfair treatment of those on Universal Credits and I definitely think its unfair.

Good luck.

[Author]

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