Treatment of student loansS
59.—(1) A student loan is to be treated as income in accordance with the provisions of this regulation.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3), when calculating the weekly amount of the loan to be taken into account as income—
(a)in respect of a course that is of a single academic year's duration or less, a loan payable in respect of that period is to be apportioned equally between the weeks in the period beginning with—
(i)except in a case where head (ii) applies, the reduction week, the first day of which coincides with, or immediately follows, the first day of the single academic year; and
(ii)where the student is required to start attending the course in August or where the course is less than an academic year's duration, the reduction week, the first day of which coincides with, or immediately follows, the first day of the course,
and ending with the reduction week, the last day of which coincides with, or immediately precedes, the last day of the course;
(b)in respect of an academic year of a course which starts other than on 1st September, a loan which is payable in respect of that academic year is to be apportioned equally between the weeks in the period beginning with the reduction week, the first day of which coincides with or immediately follows, the first day of that academic year and ending with the reduction week, the last day of which coincides with or immediately precedes, the last day of that academic year but excluding any reduction weeks falling entirely within the quarter during which, in the opinion of, as the case may be, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State, the Welsh Ministers or the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland, the longest of any vacation is taken;
(c)in respect of the final academic year of a course (not being a course of a single year's duration), a loan which is payable in respect of that final academic year is to be apportioned equally between the weeks in the period beginning with—
(i)except in a case where head (ii) applies, the reduction week, the first day of which coincides with, or immediately follows, the first day of that academic year; and
(ii)where the final academic year starts on 1st September, the reduction week, the first day of which coincides with, or immediately follows, the earlier of 1st September or the first day of the autumn term,
and ending with the reduction week, the last day of which coincides with, or immediately precedes, the last day of the course; and
(d)in any other case, the loan is to be apportioned equally between the weeks in the period beginning with the earlier of—
(i)the first day of the first reduction week in September; or
(ii)the reduction week, the first day of which coincides with, or immediately follows the first day of the autumn term, and ending with the reduction week, the last day of which coincides with, or immediately precedes, the last day of June.
(3) When calculating the weekly amount of the loan to be taken into account as income £10 is to be disregarded from the weekly amounts apportioned in accordance with paragraph (2).
(4) A student is to be treated as possessing a student loan in respect of an academic year where—
(a)a student loan has been made to the student in respect of that year; or
(b)the student could acquire a student loan in respect of that year by taking reasonable steps to do so.
(5) Where a student is treated as possessing a student loan under paragraph (4), the amount of the student loan to be taken into account as income is, subject to paragraph (6)—
(a)in the case of a student to whom a student loan is made in respect of an academic year, a sum equal to—
(i)the maximum student loan the student is able to acquire in respect of that year by taking reasonable steps to do so; and
(ii)any contribution whether or not it has been paid to the student; and
(b)in the case of a student to whom a student loan is not made in respect of an academic year, the maximum student loan that would be made to the student if—
(i)the student took all reasonable steps to obtain the maximum student loan able to be acquired in respect of that year; and
(ii)no deduction in that loan was made by virtue of the application of a means test.
(6) There is to be deducted from the amount of income taken into account under paragraph (5), whether or not any costs are incurred—
(a)the sum of £303 per academic year in respect of travel costs; and
(b)the sum of £390 per academic year towards the cost of books and equipment.
(7) For the purposes of this regulation “quarter” in relation to an academic year means a period in that year—
(a)beginning on 1st January and ending on 31st March;
(b)beginning on 1st April and ending on 30th June;
(c)beginning on 1st July and ending on 31st August; or
(d)beginning on 1st September and ending on 31st December.