Terms & Conditions

[Anonymous]

I would really appreciate someone telling me if I’ve got this right….

Reg 63(1) (Working Age Regs) says that income other than student grant, student loan, and covenant income which is intended for travel and books etc can be disregarded to the extent that the actual expenditure on these items exceeds the travel/books disregard allowed on the student loan income.

I take this to mean that the other income must be [b:a60b84b114]specifically[/b:a60b84b114] intended for this purpose eg a gift from grandma to help with books, or part time earnings to help pay the travel bill.

The only income my claimant has other than his student loan & grant is Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit. My feeling is that these are intended to help with the cost of having children, not for student travel/books……… and I don’t therefore feel I can apply the additional disregard.

Have I got it right, Guys?

[junderwo]

I think you have got it right.

Child Benefit & Child Tax Credit are not intended to meet the costs of books, equipment, travel or child care costs [see Reg 59(2)(h)] and, as such, no further disregard is applicable. The claimant may use the income for these purposes but that’s not the point.

The only times I’ve used Reg 63 is where claimants get additional bursaries or scholarships which clearly state on the award notice that part of it is intended to meet one of the costs listed in Reg 59(2) e.g. to meet additional expenditure connected with term time residential study away from the student’s educational establishment.[/b]

[Author]

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