Housing benefit for students

This content applies to England only.

Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. This page applies to England only. Get advice relating to Scotland

Most full-time students are not entitled to housing benefit but there are some exceptions.

The rules regarding students and benefits are complicated, so if you are unsure whether you're entitled to help with your rent it's always best to seek advice. Advisers at your university or college welfare service will have specialist knowledge about claiming benefits as a student. You may be able to get less specialised advice from a Shelter advice centre, Citizens Advice, your local council or other local advice centre. Use the Advice S ervices Directory to find agencies in your area.

Am I a full time student?

You are a full time student if:

you are under the age of 19 and on a course that is more advanced than A levels, NVQ level 3 or BTEC diploma
you are between 19 and retirement age and on a course of more than 16 hours per week (this is not just lecture or tutorial time but includes study time too).

If you are unsure about whether you're a full-time student, speak to someone at your college or university.

Can I claim housing benefit?

You will probably be able to claim housing benefit if:

you are on a part-time course
you are disabled
you are responsible for children
you are under the age of 19 and taking a non-higher education course such as A levels
you are under the age of 20 and someone is getting Child Benefit for you
you are getting Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
you are receiving a state pension
you leave your course temporarily because of illness or caring responsibilities.

If you think you may be eligible for housing benefit speak to an adviser. Don't stop paying your rent until you have received confirmation that you will be entitled to benefit and how much you will get. It can take a long time for a claim to be processed. If you stop paying your rent and later find out that you are not entitled to benefit or you are entitled to less than you thought, you could end up with serious rent arrears.

If you are a full-time student and do not fall into the categories above, you will probably not be entitled to housing benefit.

Can my partner claim housing benefit?

If you live with a partner who is not a student, they may able to claim housing benefit. Your income, such as your student grant or loan, will be taken into account, however, and may reduce the amount of benefit that your partner is entitled to.

What if it's not me who has to pay the rent?

If you live in a house where someone else, who is not your partner, is liable for the rent, your student income will not be taken into account during term-time if they claim housing benefit.

If you work full-time (over 16 hours per week) during the summer holidays, your income will be taken into account and their housing benefit will be reduced as if you were contributing to their rent. This is a called a non-dependant deduction.