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UK Students - Government Undergraduate Funding
Living Cost Grants
Single students
Higher Education Maintenance Grant (HEMG)
Student with dependants / disability
Higher Educations Maintenance Grant (HEMG)
Parents Learning Allowance (PLA)
Higher Education Maintenance Grant (HEMG)
These figures are for illustration purposes only, you should apply to your relevant assessment authority (e.g. SLC) for a full assessment.
Approx Household Residual Income £ |
Parental Contribution
|
HEMG (Not repayable) £ |
Student (Living Cost) Maintenance Loan (Repayable) |
Total £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Below £25,000 |
0 |
3,250 |
3,875 |
7,125 |
30,000 |
0 |
2,341 |
4,330 |
6,671 |
35,000 |
0 |
1,432 |
4,784 |
6,216 |
40,000 |
0 |
523 |
5,239 |
5,762 |
42,600 |
0 |
50 |
5,475 |
5,525 |
45,000 |
212 |
0 |
5,288 |
5,288 |
50,000 |
712 |
0 |
4,788 |
4,788 |
55,000 |
1,212 |
0 |
4,288 |
4,288 |
60,000 |
1,712 |
0 |
3,788 |
3,788 |
62,125 |
1,925 |
0 |
3,575 (+) |
3,575 |
65,000 |
1,925 |
0 |
3,575 |
3,575 |
The maximum amount of maintenance grant is £3,250 Students will qualify for this if household income is £25.000 or less. For every £5.50 over £25,000 students will lose £1 of grant. For an income of £42,600 and student will qualify for a minimum grant of £50 If the household income exceeds £42,600 then the student will not qualify for grant.
For those students with a household income of £42,600 or less will have the living cost loan reduced by £0.50p for every £1 of maintenance grant awarded. Students with household income between £42,600 and £42,875 will qualify for the maximum amount of loan for living costs. If household income is above £42,875 students will lose £1 for every £10 of income above this figure up to the point it reaches 65% of the maximum loan.
Special Support Grant (SSG)
Any HEMG awarded to a student in receipt of state benefits will be termed 'Special Support Grant (SSG) and will not be counted as income for benefit purposes. Students receiving the SSG will not lose any student loan borrowing entitlement.
The award is paid in three instalments by the SLC, with your loan. It is non-repayable.
Parents Learning Allowance (PLA)
This award is a means tested grant for full time students with dependant children who receive the childcare grant or who have a low income
The maximum amount of Parents Learning Allowance payable in 2011/12 and 2012/13 will be £1,508 and the minimum £50.
The award is paid in three instalments by the SLC, with your loan. It is non-repayable.
Childcare Grant (CG)
For full-time students with dependent children in registered or approved childcare.
How much help you get is based on your actual childcare costs and will depend on your income and that of your dependants. This funding will not be counted as income by the Department for Work and Pensions for students who are eligible for state benefits.
The amount of childcare grant payable will be based on 85% of actual childcare costs, subject to a maximum grant of £148.75 per week for one child only or £255 per week for two or more children.
Adult Dependants Grant (ADG)
If you have a husband , wife, or partner or another adult member of your family who depends on you financially, you may be eligible.
How much you get depends on your income and that of your adult dependant. Where applicable, the maximum grant in 2011/12 and 2012/13 in respect of a partner will be £2,642.
“Partner” is currently defined in regulation 42(1) of the Student Support (No. 2) Regulations 2008. A student’s spouse or civil partner would fall within the definition. In certain cases, a person living with the student as if he were the student’s spouse or civil partner will also be covered. Where the student does not have a partner within the meaning of the Regulations, a student may be eligible for this grant in respect of one adult dependant whose net income does not exceed £3,796.
The award is paid in three instalments by the SLC, with your loan. It is non-repayable.
Tax Credits (TC)
There are two tax credits; - Tax Credits contact telephone number: 0844 856 4312
- Child Tax Credit and
- Working Tax Credit.
Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit do not affect Child Benefit payments, they are paid separately.
Child Tax Credit supports families with children. This can include children until their 16th birthday and young persons aged from 16 but under 20 years old. You can claim whether or not you are in work.
The amount you get is based on your income. As a rough guide, you may get an award of Child Tax Credits if you have:
- one child and a houselhold income of up to about £26,000
- two children and household income of up to about £32,200
It's important to know that these figures are a guide only. Depending on your circumstances you may still qualify if your household income is higher. For example if you are claiming for more than two children or have a child with a disability.
Working Tax Credit is for working people on a low income and is based on the hours you work and get paid for, or expect to get paid for. You can claim whether you're an employee or a self-employed person. Unpaid work doesn't count for Working Tax Credit. You may also be able to get help with childcare costs.
Undergraduate students are normally better off claiming the child care grant through SFE/SFNI/SFW/SAAS rather than the child care element of Working Tax Credit, however please check this with the relevant assessing authorities.
Working hours
You usually need to be working a minimum number of hours a week to claim Working Tax Credit.
If you are responsible for a child or quialifying young person and you are not part of a couple, you can claim Working Tax Credit if you are both aged 16 or over and you work at least 16 hours a week.
If you are responsible for a child or qualitfying young person and you are part of a couple, you can claim Working Tax Credit if you are both aged 16 or over and:
- you work at least 24 hours a week between you, with one partner working at least 16 hours a week, or
- one partner works at leat 16 hours a week and qualifies for the disability element of Working Tax Credit, or
- one partner works at least 16 hours a week and is aged 60 or over, or
- one parter works at least 16 hours a week and the other partner can't work because they are
- incapacitated (getting certain benefits because of a disability or ill health)
- in hospital, or
- in prison either on remand or serving a custodial sentence
If you are not responsible for a child or qualifying young person you can claim Working Tax Credit if you or your partner (if you have one) are:
- aged 25 or over and work at least 30 hours a week
- aged 16 or over, work at least 16 hours, a week and qualify for the disability element of Working Tax Credit, or
- aged over 60 and work at least 16 hours a week
If you are part of a couple with children you are eligible for the 30 hour element if you jointly work at least 30 hours a week, provided one of you works at least 16 hours. Couples without children cannot add their hours together to qualify for the 30 hour element.
You may be able to get more Working Tax Credit to help with the cost of registered or approved childcare. This is the childcare element of Working Tax Credit. The childcare element can help with up to 70 per cent of your childcare costs up to a maximum cost of £175 a week for one child and £300 a week for two or more children. This means that the childcare element is worth up to:
- £122.50 a week (70 per cent of £175) for families with one child, and
- £210.00 a week (70 per cent of £300) for families with two or more children.
The amount you get will depend on your income and will be paid directly to the main carer along with the Child Tax Credit.
To claim the childcare element you must be 16 or over.
If you are a lone parent, you must work 16 hours a week or more.
If you are in a couple, both of you must work 16 hours a week or more.
Only one partner needs to work 16 hours a week or more if the other is
- incapacitated
- in hospital, or
- in prison either on remand or serving a custodial sentence.
For further information and details on Tax Credits please click here:
How much can I get?
Child Tax Credit will be paid in addition to Child Benefit.
Child Tax Credit only (£) |
|||
Annual Income (£) |
One child/qualifying young person |
Two children/ |
Three Children/ |
No Income |
3,240 |
5,930 |
8,620 |
5,000 |
3,240 |
5,930 |
8,620 |
8,000 |
3,240 |
5,930 |
8,620 |
10,000 |
3,240 |
5,930 |
8,620 |
15,000 |
3,240 |
5,930 |
8,620 |
20,000 |
1,545 |
4,235 |
6,925 |
25,000 |
0 |
2,185 |
4,875 |
30,000 |
0 |
135 |
2,825 |
35,000 |
0 |
0 |
775 |
40,000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
45,000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Using this table, if your income is £15,000 a year and you have two children but are not eligible for Working Tax Credit, you could get an annual Child Tax Credit award of £5,930 equivalent to £113.99 a week.
How much Working Tax Credit can I get?
Working Tax Credit is paid in addition to the Child Tax Credit you may be entitled to. Some people will be paid both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit.
The amount of your Working Tax Credit award is based on your circumstances (for example, how many hours you work or whether you are disabled) and your income. The table below provides a guide to how much you could get for the tax year 2012-13.
|
||
Annual income (£) |
Single person aged 25 or over, |
Couple (working adults aged 25 or over) working 30 hours or more a week |
9,485* |
1,460 |
3,415 |
10,000 |
1,250 |
3,206 |
11,000 |
840 |
2,795 |
12,000 |
430 |
2,387 |
13,000 |
15 |
1,975 |
14,000 |
0 |
1,565 |
15,000 |
0 |
1,155 |
16,000 |
0 |
745 |
17,000 |
0 |
332 |
18,000 |
0 |
0 |
19,000 |
0 |
0 |
* Someone aged 25 or over, working 30 hours a week on national Minimum Wage (based on October 2011 rates) would earn £9,485 a year.
The table below shows how much money you could get for the 2012-13 tax year if you are in work and responsible for at least one child or qualifying young person.
Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit (£) |
|||
Annual income (£) |
One child/qualifying young person |
Two children/ |
Three Children/ |
5,000* |
7,115 |
9,805 |
12,495 |
9,485** |
6,650 |
9,340 |
12,030 |
£10,000 |
6,440 |
9,130 |
11,820 |
£15,000 |
4,390 |
7,080 |
9,770 |
£20,000 |
2,230 |
5,030 |
7,720 |
£25,000 |
290 |
2,980 |
5,670 |
£30,000 |
0 |
930 |
3,620 |
£35,000 |
0 |
0 |
1,570 |
£40,000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
£45,000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
*Those with incomes of £5,000 a year are assumed to work part-time (working between 16-29 hours a week).
**In families with an income of £9,485 a year or more, at least one adult is assumed to be working 30 or more hours a week (consistent with a minimum adult wage of £6.08 based on October 2011 rates for those aged 21 and over).
Note: If you have a child with a disability you may be entitled to more.
Using these tables, for example, if you are claiming as a lone parent or a couple with two children and working 30 hours or more a week with an income of £10,000 a year, you could get an annual tax credits award of £9,130.
The maximum amounts may be higher if you are entitled to the disability or childcare elements of Working Tax Credit.
For information please click here
