Studying postgraduate and universal credit

[Thiswillbeinteresting]

I am looking into retraining and studying a distance learning postgraduate course, and as I am currently in receipt of UC (as a carer for my disabled daughter) I am unsure as to the regulations for this. I am not sure whether I would receive a bursary (I have had student finance previously for a degree) but then I dont know whether I would still qualify for UC if I do get a bursary?

To add to the confusion, I also have an application in for PiP for myself. If that is successful does that change anything? I know my daughter could only claim UC as a student as she was in receipt of PiP (though her student loan wiped out any UC payments for most of the year).

I guess I am just thinking out loud at the moment, but any advice would be great!

I think there are very specific rules for postgraduate students. You would be best to speak to your student welfare dept.

You also need to be careful if you are claiming PIP yourself that the reasons you are claiming it are not contradicting what you do for your daughter as a carer. This is something they are looking carefully at recently. If you are claiming PIP for physical reasons and the care you give to your daughter for 35 hours a week is mainly supervising etc then you may be ok. Just something to be aware of.

www.uceplus.co.uk/student.html

The above website has useful info on this.

If you are still eligible for Universal Credit, then they take 30% of your post grad student loan into consideration as income and this will reduce your benefit entitlement £ for £. The other 70% is classed as the money for tuition fees (this is set percentages, even if your actual fees are more or less than this).