How will my son's student loan affect our universal credit?

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I've tried Google but with no luck so I'm really hoping someone here has experience with this and can help.

My son is 18 and start's university in September. He will live at home as he is severely disabled (enhanced rate PIP for both living and mobility) but we can't work out how this will affect our universal credit.

I know we lose the child element of universal credit and also the disabled child element but I've also read that their student loan (living costs element, not fees) reduces our universal credit, whether he takes out the loan or not. Is this right? If so is it £1 for £1? I think earned income is 55p in the £1.

Thanks!

The loan won't affect your UC claim.

@Babyroobs you've been a fantastic help to me in the past (different user name) - is this an area you are familiar with too? Thanks!

@MeiMeiSushi thanks. It would be great if it doesn't. I can't work due to my son's disability and it's a real worry.

It won't. Like you say you'll lose the child element and disability payment but the actual loan itself will not affect your UC claim as it's yours and not his.

Has he claimed PIP? If so and you haven't already add the carers element onto your claim.

Thanks @MeiMeiSushi . Yes, he gets PIP and I get the carers element. The thought of letting him take out the loan and then charging him rent doesn't feel right (although we'd struggle financially if not) but then again he'd have to pay rent if he was in halls...

But it's not just the 'moral' element here - if we do charge him board/get him to pay towards food, would that be counted as "rental income" for universal credit? It's so complicated!

Him paying you rent/ boards won't affect your UC.
If you claim rent element on UC, there would be no non dependent deduction for him when he turns 21 as he claims PIP ( assuming he still gets it when he turns 21).
His student loan has no effect on your UC.
If you or your husband/ partner work, and he is your youngest child, when you lose the child element and disabled child element, you would also lose the work allowance which is the amount which is disregarded from your UC before earnings reduce your UC.
Also I think the rules have changed slightly recently so I would advise you to check with CAB or similar, but I think if your son is in receipt of PIP then as a student he may be able to claim UC himself but his student loan would affect this. Please check with student finance dept of his Uni or CAB as they will be able to advise correctly. As I say there have been changes recently to this and I'm not up to date with the finer details.

Thanks @Babyroobs , that's really helpful. We have a younger disabled son so won't lose the work allowance. I'll look into UC for my son, but it's just such a relief that his student loans won't affect our universal credit. Thanks again!

Following on from babyroobs, for your DS to be eligible for UC as a disabled student he will need to establish that he has a limited capability for work BEFORE his course starts.

He can do this by making a credits only "claim" for ESA. He won't be eligible for ESA as he won't have paid the NI conts. But they will assess him anyway to see if he has a limited capability for work. If this is in place when he starts his course (and he gets PIP) he should then be eligible to make a claim for UC once your child benefit etc ends.

@WelfareRights that's really useful information, we'll definitely do that. Thanks so much!

Hi my 18 year old son start university in September and has been granted a maintenance loan will this affect my uc claim tried looking online but can’t find anything

No it won't affect your claim. If you get rent element on your claim you may need to let them know that he will be returning in the holidays ( if he is going to Uni in another town) so that you continue to get a bedroom allowance for him. Not exactly sure how it works though. I think it will depend where he is considering his main residence.

@Babyroobs he will still be living at home while he’s a uni so this will be his main residence as he’s going to the local university

Ok so it shouldn't have any effect above you losing your child element for him and losing your work allowance if you work and if he is your youngest child,

@Babyroobs he didn’t my youngest child he’s the oldest child as have 3 others and I don’t work as I’m carer for youngest son

It will be fine then. I would probably just let council tax know that he is a student so that they can exempt him and you'll still get your single person discount.

@Babyroobs hes is a student with council tax as he was at college last 2 years but will let them know he’s going to university

Can I jump in (sorry OP) & ask @Babyroobs
I'm moving to UC from Carers & IS.
Household is:
Me (sole parent, disabled, PIP, med care & mobility plus severe disablement allowance),
Ds 19, PIP higher rate (both). I'm his Carer. Has been living at home (gap year). Has Uni (away) place for Sept but recently v ill so not sure if he will defer now. Also have Dd, 17, PIP high care low mobility, still at school.
My local CAB doesn't have apps till after my cut off application date (20th) & I'm worried about screwing it up.

You'll get transitional protection of the amount you currently get so won't be worse off on UC but you may want to hand in sick notes to Uc to be assessed for work capability. However you will have no work commitments as you are a carer . I have read on other forums that it can be detrimental to be assessed for work capability as if awarded LCWRA it will just erode your transitional protection. I would wait for advice from CAB on that as they will know all the best ways of protecting your transitional protection. Otherwise it's fairly straightforward to apply.

@Babyroobs Thank you x my CAB knows nothing. At a previous appt they just gave me a national helpline number. I used to be in the library capable group before 8 claimed Carers. Once I've claimed UC can I end my Ds Carers claim & start a fresh one for Dd? (as I won't have tome to move across before 20th?). Sorry for further Qu.

Yes you should be able to change who you claim carers for, it may need a new claim.
I would advise speaking to the UC help to claim team who operate through Citizens advice but they are very specialized and should be able to help you work out what you will get on UC.

@Babyroobs thank you again x
OP, sorry I hopped on your thread. I hope things go well for you & your son x