Students and benefits eBulletin - October 2024
Hello and welcome to the October 2024 edition of CPAG in Scotland's students and benefits e-bulletin for advisers, keeping you up-to-date with changes to benefits and tax credits which are relevant to students. Read about students and benefits online training and e-learning, students and carer support payment and more.
Students and benefits e-learning UPDATED
Our free e-learning course, Scottish student income and universal credit, helps you understand the impact of Scottish student loans and grants on universal credit. It should take around 30-45 minutes to complete and is free. Visit the e-learning zone to view and take part. It has just been updated for the 2024-25 academic year. https://elearning.cpag.org.uk/enrol/index.php?id=41
Why not do one of our other e-learning courses while you are there?
Universal credit and students course on 8 & 9 October 2024 (two half days)
This online course will give you a good overview of the rules regarding student eligibility for universal credit, including the impact of Scottish student funding. It will also cover information about managed migration to universal credit in Scotland.
Students and benefits - an update on 21 November 2024 (half day)
This online course is aimed at experienced advisers, to provide an essential annual update on changes in the benefits system which might affect students. It will cover updates on universal credit for students, including managed migration to universal credit and the special rules for students; student support and its impact on benefits and tax credits; and other changes in legislation, caselaw and Scottish benefits.
'Inhouse' training
We can also deliver online training via Zoom for you and your colleagues ‘inhouse’ – ie, to up to 15 staff members from your organisation/partner organisations. We can also consider in-person training requests in-house, if that suits you better. See here for the available courses.
Student handbook NEW EDITION ONLINE ONLY
The Benefits for Students in Scotland Handbook for 2024/25 (22nd edition) is now live! The handbook is fully updated for the new academic year, with all the relevant benefit changes and student support rates.
Students and benefits factsheets updated
All the students and benefits factsheets have recently been updated on our website. This includes updated factsheets on universal credit for students, benefits for care-experienced students, benefits for disabled students, and benefits for young people in further education or training.
Students and carer support payment – deadlines looming!
The rollout dates for new claims for carer support payment are:
- 20 November 2023 Perth and Kinross, Dundee and the Western Isles (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar)
- 24 June 2024 Angus, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire
- 19 August 2024 Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, East Ayrshire, Fife, Moray, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire
- 4 November 2024 Edinburgh, Glasgow and the rest of Scotland
Anyone in those areas who does not currently get carer’s allowance, and meets the rules for carer support payment, can apply. Applications for carer’s allowance can no longer be made in those areas.
Most student carers are eligible! There are special backdating rules for students who are eligible for carer support payment. It might be possible to backdate a claim quite far – potentially back as far as 19 November 2023 – but there are time limits for doing this.
If a student claims carer support payment within 13 weeks of rollout in their area, they can potentially get carer support payment backdated for longer than the usual 13 weeks. The deadline for doing this for people who live in Angus, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire was 22nd September 2024. The deadline for doing this for people who live in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, East Ayrshire, Fife, Moray, North Ayrshire or South Ayrshire is 17th of November 2024.
If a student misses claiming within 13 weeks of rollout in their area, they can still get an award backdated longer than usual if they had a good reason for not claiming within 13 weeks – maybe they were having a difficult time, or were very busy with their studies. If this applies they should claim as soon as possible, and be prepared to explain why they didn't claim sooner.
For more detail see CPAG in Scotland’s NEW factsheet: Students and carer support payment.
See also the June students and benefits eBulletin for more general information on carer support payment.
You could also attend our half day online training course on carer support payment on Monday 4th November.
New caselaw on student away in halls of residence and impact on mum’s UC
This case was about whether a student daughter, who was living in a hall of residence during term times, should still count as ‘normally living’ with her mum, and therefore as a non-dependant of her mum’s. If she does count as a non-dependant mum will still get an amount for a bedroom for her. If she doesn't count as a non-dependent, mum’s UC housing costs element would be reduced as she would be taken to have a spare bedroom.
The case at the Upper Tribunal (RR v SSWP (UC) [2024] UKUT 261 (AAC))found that the First-tier Tribunal were wrong to base their decision purely on the periods of time the student spent in mum's home compared to the periods of time she spent at the hall of residence. Other factors had to be considered too, such as where she kept most of her belongings, where she got her mail and where she was registered with a GP and dentist. The case was remitted to another to First-tier Tribunal for further consideration. Read the case here.