Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction for students

Part-time students can claim for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction but most full-time students are not eligible.

Part-time student

If you are a part-time student, you can claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction.

Full-time student

If you are a full-time student you aren't eligible for Housing Benefit unless any of these also apply:

• you're a pensioner
• you're a lone parent or lone foster parent
• you and your partner are both full-time students and you are responsible for a child or young person
• you qualify for the disability or severe disability premiums
• you receive income support, income-related employment and support allowance or jobseekers allowance (income-based)
• you have a UK grant which includes an allowance for deafness
• you're under 21 but not in higher education and your current course started before you reached the age of 19 (or you count as a child or a qualifying young person for child benefit purposes)
• the DWP consider that you have been incapable of work for 28 weeks
• you're waiting to get back on a course after approved time out because of an illness or caring responsibility has ended

Housing Benefit on two homes for students

Benefit can be paid on two homes where a student is part of a couple and occupying two dwellings is unavoidable.

Provide us with as much information about your circumstances as possible when you apply.

How to claim

There are special rules about how Housing Benefit for students will be calculated.

Complete both forms:

• Benefit claim form for students
• How to claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction