Recognised relationship changes

If a couple cease to have a supported child in their care, this may affect their relationship status for Student Allowances.

If one or both of the partners is under 24 and there is no other child in their care, they will no longer be considered to be in a recognised relationship for Student Allowances.

If the student or their partner turns 24, and their partner is 24 or over, they must have their entitlement to a Student Allowance reassessed, because the student is no longer entitled to a single rate of Student Allowance.

Any partner income needs to be included from the date the student turns 24, so that the appropriate rate of Student Allowance is paid.

If a student who is single for Student Allowance purposes has a child come into their care (a supported child), they must have their entitlement to a Student Allowance reassessed because the rate of Student Allowance that they are entitled to will change to either a 'single student with supported child' or a 'couple with supported child' rate.

If the student has a partner and is under 24 years old at the time that the child comes into care, they are no longer treated as single but are in a recognised relationship for Student Allowance purposes.

They need to be assessed as a couple to determine the correct rate of Student Allowance to be paid.

Any entitlement change generally occurs from the Monday of the week the change in circumstances occurs.

MSD has discretion to make the change from a later date, if in all the circumstances it would be reasonable to do so.