Can DP claim Housing Benefit while I'm a full-time student?

[HippyJess]

Hello! Any help on this would be much appreciated...

At the moment DP and I live in a 2 bedroom flat, the other room belonging to a friend (so a flat-share). He works full-time (17k) and I am a full-time student.

We want to start TTC (it would be number 1). If I am right about our/his eligibility, we can move into a privately rented place once we know we're expecting and are eligible for 2 bedrooms, which suits us fine.

The gist that I'm getting from all the websites I've been scouring is this:

If DP works and I am a student, DP can claim Housing Benefit, and my student loans will be taken into account as 'additional income'.

This means that during the academic year I will (hopefully!) take out whilst PG, the only difference my student-ness will make is that my income of zero will be 'taken into account' when assessing DP's eligibility, yes?

These are really praying on my mind, I have no idea where to find answers to these questions at all and no idea where to ask in real-life either!

Thanks massively in advance to anyone who can help x

You are only entitled to one bedroom as a couple. You will only get the two roomed rate after the baby is born, so I wouldn't move while you are still TTC.

Essentially though the answer is yes. Your DH makes a claim, and all your income is taken into account, including any grant or loan money that you receive.

Because you are a couple, you get an 'applicable amount' which is about £90 a week (from memory). Any income that you have over this amount is taken into account.

So If your DH takes home £250 a week, and your loan is another £50 a week, you have a joint income of £300 a week.

Your applicable amount is deducted from this, meaning you have approx. £200 'excess income'. Of this 65% is taken into account, or £130. This means that if your rent is less than £130, you don't get any benefit. If the one room rate was £150 a week, you would get benefit for £20 a week.

If you had a baby, you would be entitled to the two room rate, and a higher applicable amount (about an extra £60 a week) BUT you would also have your Tax Credits taken into account, plus any additional grants/bursaries.

Hope that's fairly clear.

That's perfect, thank you :) makes sense!