The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996

Chapter IX [F1 Students]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ch. IX, Pt. VIII Title substituted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(3)

Interpretation

130.  In this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires—

• [F2 “access funds" means—

  (a)

  grants made under section 7 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 and described as “learner support funds" or grants made under section 68 of that Act and described as “access bursary funds" or “hardship funds";

  (b)

  grants made under sections 73(a) and (c) and 74(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980; or

  (c)

  grants made under Article 30 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1993, or grants, loans or other payments made under Article 5 of the Further Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 in each case being grants, or grants, loans or other payments as the case may be, made for the purpose of assisting students in financial difficulties;]

• “contribution" means any contribution in respect of the income [F3 of a student or] of any other person which the Secretary of State or an education authority takes into account in ascertaining the amount of the student’s grant [F4 or student loan], or any sums, which in determining the amount of a student’s allowance or bursary in Scotland in terms of the Students’ Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 1991F5 or the Education Authority (Bursaries) (Scotland) Regulations 1995F6 , the Secretary of State or education authority takes into account being sums which the Secretary of State or the education authority consider that the holder of the allowance or bursary, the holder’s parents and the holder’s spouse can reasonably be expected to contribute towards the holder’s expenses;

• “covenant income" means the income payable to a student under a deed of covenant by a person whose income is, or is likely to be, taken into account in assessing the student’s grant or award;

• “education authority" means a government department, a local education authority as defined in section 114(1) of the Education Act 1944F7 , a local education authority as defined in section 123 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973F8 , an education and library board established under article 3 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986F9 , any body which is a research council for the purposes of the Science and Technology Act 1965F10 or any analogous government department, authority, board or body, of the Channel Islands, Isle of Man or any other country outside Great Britain;

• [F11 “grant" (except in the definition of “access funds") means any kind of educational grant or award and includes any scholarship, studentship, exhibition, allowance or bursary but does not include a payment from access funds;]

• “grant income" means–

  (a)

  any income by way of a grant;

  (b)

  in the case of a student other than one to whom sub-paragraph (c) refers, any contribution that has been taken into account whether or not it has been paid;

  (c)

  in the case of a student who satisfies the additional conditions for a disability premium in paragraph 14 of Schedule 1 (applicable amounts), any contribution which has been taken into account and which has been paid,

  and any such contribution which is paid by way of a covenant shall be treated as part of the student’s grant income;

• F12 ...

• “periods of experience" has the meaning prescribed in paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 5 to the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1995F13 ;

• “standard maintenance grant" means–

  (a)

  except where paragraph (b) or (c) applies, in the case of a student attending [F14 or undertaking] a course of study at the University of London or an establishment within the area comprising the City of London and the Metropolitan Police District, the amount specified for the time being in paragraph 2(2)(a) of Schedule 2 to the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1995 (“the 1995 regulations") for such a student;

  (b)

  except where paragraph (c) applies, in the case of a student residing at his parents’ home, the amount specified in paragraph 3(2) thereof;

  (c)

  in the case of a student receiving an allowance or bursary under the Students’ Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 1991 or the Education Authority (Bursaries) (Scotland) Regulations 1995, the amount of money specified as “standard maintenance allowance" for the relevant year appropriate for the student set out in the Guide to Under-graduate allowances issued by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, or its nearest equivalent in the case of a bursary as set by the local education authority;

  (d)

  in any other case, the amount specified in paragraph 2(2) of the 1995 regulations other than in sub-paragraph (a) or (b) thereof;

• F15 ...

• [F16 “student loan" means a loan towards a student’s maintenance pursuant to any regulations made under section 22 of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, section 73 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 or Article 3 of the Education (Student Support) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998;

• “year", in relation to a course, means the period of 12 months beginning on 1st January, 1st April, 1st July or 1st September according to whether the academic year of the course begins in the winter, the spring, the summer or the autumn respectively, but if students are required to begin attending the course during August or September and to continue attending through the autumn the academic year of the course shall be considered to begin in the autumn rather than the summer.]

Textual Amendments

F2 Words in reg. 130 inserted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(4)

F3 Words in reg. 130 inserted (coming into force in accordance with reg. 1(2)(3)(4)(5)(6) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998/563), regs. 1, 4(1)(2)(f)

F4 Words in reg. 130 inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(1)(b) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/1935), regs. 1(1)(b), 2(2)(a)

F5 S.I. 1991/1522.

F6 S.I. 1995/1739.

F7 1944 c.31, as amended by S.I. 1974/595 and 1977/293.

F8 1973 c.65.

F9 S.I. 1986/594 (N.I. 3).

F10 1965 c.4.

F11 Words in reg. 130 substituted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(4)

F12 Words in reg. 130 omitted (31.7.2000) by virtue of The Social Security Amendment (Students) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1981), regs.1(1), 6(4)(a)

F13 S.I. 1995/3321.

F14 Words in reg. 130 inserted (31.7.2000) by The Social Security Amendment (Students) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1981), regs. 1(1), 6(4)(b)

F15 Words in reg. 130 omitted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(5)

F16 Words in reg. 130 substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(1)(b) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/1935), regs. 1(1)(b), 2(2)(b)

Calculation of grant income

131.—(1) The amount of a student’s grant income to be taken into account shall, subject to paragraphs [F17 (2) and (3)], be the whole of his grant income.

(2) There shall be disregarded from the amount of a student’s grant income any payment—

(a) intended to meet tuition fees or examination fees;

(b) intended to meet additional expenditure incurred by a disabled student in respect of his attendance on a course;

(c) intended to meet additional expenditure connected with term time residential study away from the student’s educational establishment;

(d) on account of the student maintaining a home at a place other than that at which he resides while attending his course but only to the extent that his rent is not met by housing benefit;

(e) on account of any other person but only if that person is residing outside the United Kingdom and there is no applicable amount in respect of him;

(f) intended to meet the cost of books and equipment F18 ... F19 ...

(g) intended to meet travel expenses incurred as a result of his attendance on the course.

[F20 (3) Where a student does not have a student loan and is not treated as possessing such a loan, there shall be excluded from the student’s grant income—

(a) the sum of [F21 £255 ]in respect of travel costs; and

(b) where no amount has been disregarded under paragraph (2)(f), the sum of [F22 £311 ]towards the cost of books and equipment,

whether or not any such costs are incurred.]

F23 (3A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) [F24 Subject to paragraph (5A), a student’s grant income except for any amount intended for the maintenance of dependants under Part III of Schedule 2 to the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1999, or intended for an older student under Part IV of that Schedule], shall be apportioned—

(a) subject to paragraph (6), in a case where it is attributable to the period of study, equally between the weeks in that period;

(b) in any other case, equally between the weeks in the period in respect of which it is payable.

(5) Any amount intended for the maintenance of dependants or for an older student under the provisions referred to in paragraph (4) shall be apportioned equally over a period of 52 weeks or, if there are 53 benefit weeks (including part-weeks) in the year, 53.

[F25 (5A) Any amount intended for the maintenance of dependants under provisions other than those referred to in paragraphs (4) and (5), shall be apportioned over the same period as the student’s loan is apportioned or would have been apportioned had he had one.]

(6) In the case of a student on a sandwich course, any periods of experience within the period of study shall be excluded and the student’s grant income shall be apportioned equally between the remaining weeks in that period.

Textual Amendments

F17 Words in reg. 131(1) substituted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(6)(a)

F18 Words in reg. 131(2)(f) omitted (7.10.1996) by virtue of The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Amendment) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/1516), reg. 1(1), Sch. Pt. 2

F19 Words in reg. 131(2)(f) omitted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(1)(b) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Social Security Amendment (Students) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/1935), regs. 1(1)(b), 2(3)(a)

F20 Reg. 131(3) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(1)(b) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/1935), regs. 1(1)(b), 2(3)(b)

F21 Sum in Reg. 131(3)(a) substituted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(6)(b)(i)

F22 Sum in Reg. 131(3)(b) substituted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(6)(b)(ii)

F23 Reg. 131(3A) omitted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(6)(c)

F24 Words in reg. 131(4) substituted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(6)(d)

F25 Reg. 131(5A) inserted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(6)(e)

Calculation of covenant income where a contribution is assessed

132.—(1) Where a student is in receipt of income by way of a grant during a period of study and a contribution has been assessed, the amount of his covenant income to be taken into account for that period and any summer vacation immediately following shall be the whole amount of his covenant income less, subject to paragraph (3), the amount of the contribution.

(2) The weekly amount of the student’s covenant income shall be determined–

(a) by dividing the amount of income which falls to be taken into account under paragraph (1) by 52 or, if there are 53 benefit weeks (including part-weeks) in the year, 53; and

(b) by disregarding £5 from the resulting amount.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (1), the contribution shall be treated as increased by the amount, if any, by which the amount excluded under regulation 131(2)(g) falls short of the amount for the time being specified in paragraph 7(4)(i) of Schedule 2 to the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1995 (travel expenditure).

Covenant income where no grant income or no contribution is assessed

133.—(1) Where a student is not in receipt of income by way of a grant the amount of his covenant income shall be calculated as follows—

(a) any sums intended for any expenditure specified in regulation 131(2)(a) to (e), necessary as a result of his attendance on the course, shall be disregarded;

(b) any covenant income, up to the amount of the standard maintenance grant, which is not so disregarded, shall be apportioned equally between the weeks of the period of study and there shall be disregarded from the covenant income to be so apportioned the amount which would have been disregarded under regulation 131(2)(f) and (g) and (3) had the student been in receipt of the standard maintenance grant;

(c) the balance, if any, shall be divided by 52 or, if there are 53 benefit weeks (including part-weeks) in the year, 53 and treated as weekly income of which £5 shall be disregarded.

(2) Where a student is in receipt of income by way of a grant and no contribution has been assessed, the amount of his covenant income shall be calculated in accordance with paragraph (1), except that—

(a) the value of the standard maintenance grant shall be abated by the amount of his grant income less an amount equal to the amount of any sums disregarded under regulation 131(2)(a) to (e); and

(b) the amount to be disregarded under paragraph (1)(b) shall be abated by an amount equal to the amount of any sums disregarded under regulation 131(2)(f) and (g) and (3).

Relationship with amounts to be disregarded under Schedule 7

134.  No part of a student’s covenant income or grant income shall be disregarded under paragraph 15 of Schedule 7 (charitable and voluntary payments) and any other income to which sub-paragraph (1) of that paragraph applies shall be disregarded only to the extent that the amount disregarded under regulation 132(2)(b) (calculation of covenant income where a contribution is assessed) or, as the case may be, 133(1)(c) (covenant income where no grant income or no contribution is assessed) is less than £20.

Other amounts to be disregarded

135.—(1) For the purposes of ascertaining income other than grant income, covenant income, and loans treated as income in accordance with regulation 136, any amounts intended for any expenditure specified in regulation 131(2) (calculation of grant income) necessary as a result of the student’s attendance on the course shall be disregarded but only if, and to the extent that, the necessary expenditure exceeds or is likely to exceed the amount of the sums disregarded under regulation 131(2) and (3), 132(3) [F26 , 133(1)(a) or (b) and 136(5) (calculation of grant income, covenant income and treatment of student loans). ]

(2) Where a claim is made in respect of any period in the normal summer vacation and any income is payable under a deed of covenant which commences or takes effect after the first day of that vacation, that income shall be disregarded.

Textual Amendments

F26 Words in reg. 135(1) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(1)(b) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/1935), regs. 1(1)(b), 2(4)

Treatment of student loans

[F27 136.— (1) A student loan shall be treated as income unless it is a hardship loan in which case it shall be disregarded.

(1A) For the purposes of paragraph (1), “hardship loan" means a loan made under regulation 21 of the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2000, regulation 12 of the Education (Student Loans) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 or regulation 21 of the Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000.]

[F28 (2) In 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 which is payable in respect of that period shall be apportioned equally between the weeks in the period beginning with—

(i) the start of the single academic year; or

(ii) where the course is of less than an academic year’s duration, the first day of the course,

and ending with the last day of the course;

(b) 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 shall be apportioned equally between the weeks in the period beginning with the earlier of—

(i) the first day of the first benefit week in September; or

(ii) the first day of the first benefit week following the beginning of the autumn term,

and ending with the last day of the last benefit week before the last day of the course;

(c) in any other case, the loan shall be apportioned equally between the weeks in the period beginning with the earlier of—

(i) the first day of the first benefit week in September; or

(ii) the first day of the first benefit week following the beginning of the autumn term,

and ending with the last day of the last benefit week in June,

and, in all cases, from the weekly amount so apportioned there shall be disregarded £10.]

[F29 (3) A student shall be treated as possessing a student loan in respect of an academic year where—

(a) a student loan has been made to him in respect of that year; or

(b) he could acquire such a loan in respect of that year by taking reasonable steps to do so.

(4) Where a student is treated as possessing a student loan under paragraph (3), the amount of the student loan to be taken into account as income shall be, subject to paragraph (5)—

(a) in the case of a student to whom a student loan is made in respect of an academic year, a sum equal to the maximum student loan he is able to acquire in respect of that year by taking reasonable steps to do so and either—

(i) in the case of a student other than one to whom head (ii) refers, any contribution whether or not it has been paid to him; or

(ii) in the case of a student who satisfies the additional conditions for a disability premium specified in paragraph 14 of Schedule 1 (applicable amounts), any contribution which has actually been paid to him;

(b) n 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) he took all reasonable steps to obtain the maximum student loan he is able to acquire in respect of that year; and

(ii) no deduction in that loan was made by virtue of the application of a means test.

(5) There shall be deducted from the amount of income taken into account under paragraph (4)—

(a) the sum of [F30 £255] in respect of travel costs; and

(b) where no amount has been disregarded under regulation 131(2)(f), the sum of [F31 £311] towards the cost of books and equipment,

whether or not any such costs are incurred.]

Textual Amendments

F27 Reg. 136(1)(1A) substituted for reg. 136(1) (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(7)(a)

F28 Reg. 136(2) substituted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(7)(b)

F29 Reg. 136(3)-(5) substituted for reg. 136(3) (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(1)(b) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/1935), regs. 1(1)(b), 2(5)(b)

F30 Sum in Reg. 136(5)(a) substituted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(7)(c)(i)

F31 Sum in Reg. 136(5)(b) substituted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(7)(c)(ii)

[F32 Treatment of payments from access funds

136A.— (1) This regulation applies to payments from access funds that are not payments to which regulation 138(2) or (3) (income treated as capital) applies.

(2) A payment from access funds, other than a payment to which pararaph (3) of this regulation applies, shall be disregarded as income.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4) of this regulation and paragraph 38 of Schedule 7, any payments from access funds which are intended and used for food, ordinary clothing or footwear (which has the same meaning as in paragraph 15(2) of Schedule 7), household fuel, rent for which housing benefit is payable, any housing costs to the extent that they are met under regulation 83(f) or 84(1)(g) (housing costs) or any accommodation charges to the extent that they are met under regulation 86 (persons in residential care or nursing homes), of a single claimant or, as the case may be, of any other member of his family and any payments from access funds which are used for any council tax or water charges for which that claimant or member is liable shall be disregarded as income to the extent of £20 per week.

(4) Where a payment from access funds is made—

(a) on or after 1st September or the first day of the course, whichever first occurs, but before receipt of any student loan in respect of that year and that payment is intended for the purpose of bridging the period until receipt of the student loan; or

(b) before the first day of the course to a person in anticipation of that person becoming a student;

that payment shall be disregarded as income.]

Textual Amendments

F32 Reg. 136A inserted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(8)

Disregard of contribution

137.  Where the claimant or his partner is a student and, for the purposes of assessing a contribution to the student’s grant [F33 or student loan], the other partner’s income has been taken into account, an amount equal to that contribution shall be disregarded for the purposes of assessing that other partner’s income.

Textual Amendments

F33 Words in reg. 137 inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(1)(b) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/1935), regs. 1(1)(b), 2(6)

[F34 Further disregard of student’s income

137A.   Where any part of a student’s income has already been taken into account for the purposes of assessing his entitlement to a grant [F35 or student loan], the amount taken into account shall be disregarded in assessing that student’s income.]

Textual Amendments

F34 Reg. 137A inserted (coming into force in accordance with reg. 1(2)(3)(4)(5)(6) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998/563), regs. 1, 4(3)(4)(f)

F35 Words in reg. 137A inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(1)(b) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/1935), regs. 1(1)(b), 2(7)

Income treated as capital

138.— [F36 (1)] Any amount by way of a refund of tax deducted from a student’s income shall be treated as capital.

[F37 (2) An amount paid from access funds as a single lump sum shall be treated as capital.

(3) An amount paid from access funds as a single lump sum which is intended and used for an item other than food, ordinary clothing or footwear (which has the same meaning as in paragraph 15(2) of Schedule 7), household fuel, rent for which housing benefit is payable, any housing costs to the extent that they are met under regulation 83(f) or 84(1)(g) (housing costs) or any accommodation charges to the extent that they are met under regulation 86 (persons in residential care or nursing homes), of a single claimant or, as the case may be, of any other member of his family, or which is used for an item other than any council tax or water charges for which that claimant or member is liable shall be disregarded as capital but only for a period of 52 weeks from the date of the payment.]

Textual Amendments

F36 Reg. 138 renumbered as reg. 138(1) (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(9)

F37 Reg. 138(2)(3) added (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with reg. 1(bi)(bii) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-related Benefits) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1922), regs. 1, 3(9)

Disregard of changes occurring during summer vacation

139.  In calculating a student’s income [F38 the Secretary of State] shall disregard any change in the standard maintenance grant occurring in the recognised summer vacation appropriate to the student’s course, if that vacation does not form part of his period of study, from the date on which the change occurred up to the end of that vacation.

Textual Amendments

F38 Words in reg. 139 substituted (18.10.1999) by The Social Security Act 1998 (Commencement No. 11, and Savings and Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2860), art. 3(1), Sch. 12 para. 2