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Student Benefits Guide

Sources and last-checked dates

Calculations are driven by a rates file that is separate from the calculation logic and from this explanatory copy, so a new academic year can be added without rebuilding the guide. Figures were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Rate sets currently loaded

  • 2025/26

    Student-income disregard £110 per assessment period · postgraduate loan counted share 30% · verified 29 August 2026

  • 2026/27

    Student-income disregard £110 per assessment period · postgraduate loan counted share 30% · verified 29 August 2026

  • 2027/28 (provisional)

    Student-income disregard £110 per assessment period · postgraduate loan counted share 30% · verified 29 August 2026

Authoritative sources

  1. 1. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Universal Credit and students

    GOV.UK / Department for Work and Pensions

    Last updated 1 April 2026. Primary source for full-time student exceptions and student-income rules.

  2. 2. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Universal Credit Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/376), regs 12–14 and 68–71

    legislation.gov.uk

    Great Britain. Receiving education, exceptions, calculation of student income and the £110 disregard.

  3. 3. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

    legislation.gov.uk

    Northern Ireland equivalent. Student rules largely mirror Great Britain; UC is administered by the Department for Communities.

  4. 4. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Universal Credit and education course levels

    GOV.UK

  5. 5. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Support with living costs: 2025 to 2026 academic year

    Department for Education

  6. 6. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Student finance: how you're assessed and paid 2026 to 2027

    Student Finance England / SLC

  7. 7. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Financial Memorandum for academic year 2026/27

    Student Loans Company (practitioners)

    Splits the benefits-eligible maintenance loan into a Special Support element and a maintenance element.

  8. 8. Last checked 29 August 2026

    What's available — full-time undergraduate finance

    Student Finance Wales

  9. 9. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Student loan, bursary and tuition fees

    Student Awards Agency Scotland

  10. 10. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Student loans

    nidirect / Student Finance NI

  11. 11. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Council Tax: discounts for full-time students

    GOV.UK

  12. 12. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Pension Credit

    GOV.UK

  13. 13. Last checked 29 August 2026

    How much Universal Credit will I get as a full-time student?

    Turn2us

  14. 14. Last checked 29 August 2026

    Universal Credit and students (factsheet)

    Child Poverty Action Group