Can students claim welfare benefits?
Being a student does not generally affect your eligibility for non means-tested benefits such as Child Benefit. However most full-time students are not eligible to claim means-tested benefits whilst studying. This generally also includes students during any period of intermission. If you are a UK student though and you have children or a disability/illness, or if you are a UK part-time student, you may be eligible to claim some means-tested benefits and should check out the Student Advice Centre’s advice pages on the Students’ Union website. If you are an international or EU student, note that there are only very limited circumstances in which you may be able to claim any benefits. What about tax credits? Being a student will not in itself affect your eligibility for tax credits providing you still meet all the relevant qualifying criteria. Do the recent changes for Lone Parents claiming Income Support affect you? Until now, lone parents have been able to claim Income Support up until
