Is student loan taken as income when applying for housing benefit ?

[olaflikeswarmhugs]

Or anything else saas awards -

Independent students bursary
Nursing bursary
Loan parents grant
Childcare grant ?

I thought this was disgusting when I was a student many moons ago and still think it is disgusting. Why on earth should a LOAN (ie. debt) be considered an income!!

Bilberry I totally agree !! If you went and got a bank loan they wouldn't take your HB away !!

Shedding why is it taken into account even if you don't take the loan ?

My loan, grants and scholarships aren't taken into account at all when it comes to tax credits or housing benefit. The only thing it stopped/replaced was income support. I had to give them all my student finance info and the reviews it but nothing changed and I still get full housing benefit (I triple checked this too because it didn't seem right but apparently it is where I am).

It's taken into account even if you don't take the loan because it is available for you to do so and you are refusing that income Yes I know that's mad. I know in my area it is considered income or was when I was a student and applied, I qualified as a disabled student.

In the information on my council website it says your income must be maximised prior to claiming and if money is available and you are not claiming e.g. Student loan (yes it's listed in the examples) you will be assessed as if you have that money

I'd not realised it varied from area to area though.