Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the introduction of universal credit on (a) full-time and (b) part-time university students who have a child or children as a (i) lone parent and (ii) couple.

Most full time students in higher education do not qualify for benefits or tax credits. Universal Credit is no different, as students, including disabled students and those with health conditions, access fees and living costs to support their higher education courses through various loans and grants funded by the Department for Education.

However, if a person is in receipt of Universal Credit or legacy benefits because of disability or ill health, they are not discouraged from taking up higher education that may help them in the future. If they take up a course and receive a student loan, tuition fees and cost of books are disregarded but maintenance costs are taken into account as student income.