Hardship and student allowance
One aspect of the hardship criteria is that a client:
- has been receiving a Student Allowance during the academic year of a programme of study or
- at the time of application, is entitled to a Student Allowance (or would be if their course of study had started)
In linking a client's ability to receive Jobseeker Support Student Hardship to their entitlement to Student Allowance we are saying that if a person received a Student Allowance, this indicates that a level of hardship exists.
Student Allowance subject to parental income test
For clients under 24 years of age entitlement to a Student Allowance is linked to their parents' income.
Where a client didn't receive a Student Allowance (on account of parental income) hardship may not exist. The client's parents are likely to be in a position to support them.
Exception
Where the student did not receive (or would not receive) Student Allowance for another reason, for example they have used up their 200 weeks entitlement, you may be able to pay Jobseeker Support Student Hardship where you decide that hardship is justified, provided they meet the other criteria.
Use of Student Loan funds
As part of the process to decide whether or not hardship exists the Ministerial Direction states that MSD should consider the source of funding the student has used throughout the academic year, including Student Loan. However there is generally no expectation that a client should use Student Loan funds to support themselves in between academic years.
