These are some of the common queries we receive concerning disabled students. If you cannot find the answer to your question among these FAQs then why not call our Disabled Students Helpline.
Can I claim Universal Credit as a full-time disabled student?
Universal Credit is a benefit which has been rolled out across the UK to replace the following “legacy” working age means-tested benefits: income support; income-based jobseeker's allowance; income-related employment and support allowance; child tax credit and working tax credit; and housing benefit.
Most full-time students are not eligible for Universal Credit. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.
You can claim Universal Credit if you are receiving education and:
- are in non-advanced education, are under the age of 21 (or are 21 and reached that age while undertaking the course) and have no parental support;
- are responsible for a child or ‘qualifying young person’;
- are over pension age and have a partner who has not reached that age;
- are waiting to return to your course after taking time out because of illness or caring responsibilities;
- you live with your partner and they’re eligible for Universal Credit;
- you’ve received a Migration Notice telling you to move to Universal Credit;
- are entitled to attendance allowance, disability living allowance or personal independence payment and you have been assessed as having a “limited capability for work” before starting your course.
If you’re a student who is able to claim Universal Credit you will be placed in the ‘no work-related requirements’ group while you’re:
- studying if you’re in receipt of student income such as a maintenance loan
- under 21 (or are 21 and reached that age while undertaking the course), in full-time non-advanced education and have no parental support.
Normally this applies over the whole academic year but during the summer vacation you may be subject to work-related requirements. If you aren’t exempt from work-related requirements under these rules you may still be exempt under the general rules, for example if you have a limited capability for work related activity.
Universal Credit is means-tested. If you are entitled to student income, it is likely to be counted as income for Universal Credit and reduce the award that you get.
For detailed information on how student income affects Universal Credit and an example of how student income is calculated see the Child Poverty Action Group factsheet Universal Credit and Students.
For more information on Universal Credit please see also our factsheet – Universal Credit.
Can I continue to claim Universal Credit as a part-time student?
As a part-time student you can continue to claim Universal Credit if your course is compatible with your work-related requirements. If you are subject to all work-related requirements under Universal Credit you must show that you meet these, despite being on a part-time course. What your work-related activities are will depend on your circumstances. For example, if you are expected to look for work and be available for work, you will have to show that your course won’t stop you from doing this.
Universal Credit is means-tested. If you are entitled to student income, it is likely to be counted as income for Universal Credit and reduce the award that you get.
I receive Universal Credit and PIP. I have been assessed as having a limited capability for work.
Your student income can affect how much Universal Credit you get. Universal Credit is paid monthly and is based on your circumstances during that month. This is called your ‘assessment period’. For each assessment period that you attend the course, an amount for student income you receive or are entitled to receive is taken off your Universal Credit.
The tuition fee loan and DSA are ignored as income for Universal Credit.
If you’re eligible for a maintenance loan, part of it counts as income even if you choose not to take it.
As an undergraduate student, if you qualify for certain benefits such as DLA or PIP you will be entitled to receive more support with living costs. The loan has a maintenance element and a special support element (up to £4,327). The special support element will be ignored as income for means-tested benefits.
It can be complicated to calculate how much Universal Credit you might finally receive, but here is an example.
If you’re a first-year student, the maximum loan for the 2024/25 year outside of London is £11,658. This includes a special support element of £4,327.
After ignoring the special support element, the remainder £7,331 will be the maximum maintenance loan.
For this example, I have counted the loan as income over eight assessment periods in the first year of the course. If the remaining £7,331 is divided over 8 assessment periods, your monthly loan will be £916.38.
£110 is disregarded for expenses in each assessment period.
After £110 has been disregarded, the remaining £806.38 will be treated as income and your Universal Credit will be reduced by this amount each month over the eight assessment periods.
You will get full Universal Credit during the summer vacation between the first and second year of the course. Your Universal Credit will reduce again in the assessment period in which the second year of the course begins.
Can I claim employment and support allowance as a full time advanced higher education student?
You can claim New Style ESA if you have paid enough national insurance (NI) contributions over a certain period of time, normally the last 2 to 3 years. You will have to satisfy the limited capability for work test.
You can check your national insurance record online or by calling HMRC. For more on this see: Check if you are eligible for ESA at www.citizensadvice.org.uk
It is no longer possible to make new claims for income-related ESA. Income-related ESA has been replaced for new claimants by Universal Credit.
As a full-time student you will be able to continue an existing claim for income-related ESA if you receive DLA or PIP and your circumstances do not change.
Income-related ESA is means-tested. If you are entitled to student income, it may be counted as income and reduce the award that you get.
I receive income-related Employment and Support Allowance, PIP and Housing Benefit. How will my entitlement to loans as a full-time undergraduate student affect my means-tested benefits?
In higher education, if you’re eligible for a student maintenance loan, part of it will be considered as income.
As an undergraduate student, if you qualify for certain benefits such as DLA or PIP you will be entitled to receive more support with living costs. The loan has a maintenance element and a special support element (up to £4,327). The special support element will be ignored as income for means-tested benefits.
It can be complicated to calculate how much benefit you might finally receive, but here is an example of a full-time student.
If you’re a first-year student, the maximum loan for the 2024/25 year outside of London is £11,658. This includes a special support element of £4,327.
After ignoring the special support element, the remainder £7,331 will be the maximum maintenance loan. The benefit rules allow you £303 a year for travel costs and £390 a year for books and equipment.
The remaining £6,638 is divided over 42 or 43 weeks, depending on the total number of term weeks.
A further £10 a week is disregarded.
The rest counts as income.
So if your term weeks add up to 42, your weekly loan will be £158.05.
After £10 has been disregarded the remaining £148.05 will be treated as income.
How will my entitlement to a full-time postgraduate or doctoral loan affect means-tested benefits?
If are entitled to a postgraduate or doctoral loan, 30% of this loan will be taken into account as student income for means-tested benefits. You will be treated as having this income if you are entitled to it, even if you choose not to take it. There is no differentiation on whether the payments are for fees or living costs. Disregards are applied.
Is it possible to get Housing Benefit to help pay for student halls?
You can continue to claim Housing Benefit to help pay for rent of student halls if you are an existing Housing Benefit claimant and move to new accommodation within the same local authority area.
Please see our factsheet - Housing Benefit for more information on all the different routes through which you may qualify for Housing Benefit as a full-time student.
If you don’t already claim Housing Benefit you may be eligible for Universal Credit to help cover your rent instead.
What support can I get with my disability on my course?
If you have a disability you may need support to access the course and successfully complete your studies.
Support can include many different things, for example:
- Specialist equipment, such as a voice-activated computer
- Sign-language interpreters
- Tape or digital recorder for lectures and notes
- Extra tutorial help
- Changing the height of desks
- Allowing you extra time to complete essays or exams
- Providing handouts on different colour paper, or in a larger font
- Transport to and from college
What is considered reasonable depends on each individual case. You can get more suggestions on possible adjustments by reading our factsheet - adjustments for disabled students and apprentices.
You should be able to have a confidential discussion with the staff member responsible for disability, usually called the additional learning support adviser or disability adviser. They should arrange for a needs assessment – a face-to-face meeting with a trained assessor who understands about your disability. The assessor will send you a report summarising the extra help that you will receive.
If you have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, with your permission your school/careers adviser will pass on information about your support needs to the college.
Further education colleges get money from their funding body to provide support. This is usually called Learning Support. If you’re aged 19-24 and have very high support needs, you’ll likely to have an EHC plan and will get individual funding from your local authority. If not, the college can apply for extra money called Exceptional Learning Support.
In higher education, you can apply for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). DSA is for extra costs you have on your course because of your disability. They are divided into four categories: specialist equipment, non-medical helper, general expenditure and travel. You can get more information on DSA from our factsheet - applying for disabled students’ allowance.
How do I pay for transport to college?
There are several organisations involved in providing transport to and from college.
In England the Local Authority (LA) must publish a transport policy statement each year which sets out the travel arrangements available to all young learners aged 16 to 19 to participate in education. This can include subsidised bus passes or transport provided by the local authority such as a mini bus or taxi.
The LA also has a duty to encourage and assist disabled young people to participate in education up to the age of 25. It therefore follows that it is good practice for LA’s to include information about what transport arrangements are available for disabled young learners. Guidance says that transport should enable a young person to reach their place of education or training without such stress, strain or difficulty that would prevent them from benefiting from the education provided.
The LA does not have to provide free transport and can ask you to contribute towards the costs of travel.
There are different sources of funding to help with help with travel costs. The 16-19 bursary can help with education-related costs, including transport if you meet the eligibility criteria. Young people over 19 can apply for financial assistance through the colleges discretionary support fund.
By law, Social Services also have the power to pay for transport to and from college. But Social Services may have limited resources and are allowed to take this into account when deciding whether to provide services, including transport.
If you’re unable to get the funding you need for transport from any of the sources we have listed, you could consider applying to a charitable trust. For more information refer to our information factsheet - funding from charitable trusts.
Who pays for my personal care at university?
Social services have a legal responsibility to meet the day-to-day needs of disabled people and this includes personal care support as well as practical and emotional support that you may need to manage your life and be independent. Education providers on the other hand have a duty to provide educational support.
If you have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan this will cease when you start higher education. Even though the EHC plan will cease, the health and care support you are entitled to will continue. The care part of the EHC plan, known as the Care and Support Plan, will continue in its own right as a statutory plan. Care and Support needs are reassessed by Social Services annually and when there is a change in circumstances such as leaving home to attend a course. If you move away from your home area to attend a course, the funding responsibilities rest with the Social Services Department of the local authority where you are ‘ordinarily resident’. For most students this will be the local authority where they are coming from, where they feel most settled and have the strongest ties.
If you’re considering care and support for the first time, you need to contact your local Adult Social Care Department. You can ask for an assessment of all your care and support needs, carried out by a trained assessor or social worker who will focus on your needs and outcomes that matter to you in your life.
You should not be denied an assessment if it is apparent to the local authority that you have needs for care and support. The assessment will look at the total extent of your needs before your eligibility is considered. The local authority will use the national eligibility criteria to determine your eligibility for care and support by looking at whether:
- Your needs are related to your physical, cognitive, sensory or mental disability or illness
- As a result of those needs, you are unable to achieve at least two of the outcomes specified in the Care Act (such as managing nutrition and personal hygiene)
- There is likely to be a significant impact on your well-being as a consequence of being unable to achieve these outcomes.
The needs assessment should decide whether you’re eligible for services, what needs you have and which of these needs social services will pay for. Social services are allowed to make a charge for services but they should also take into consideration your ability to pay following a financial assessment.
All universities and further education colleges are covered by the Public Sector Equality Duty This came into force in April 2011 and requires them to:
- Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
- Advance equality of opportunity.
- Foster good relations.
Actions could include adapting accommodation for you and arranging assistance from volunteers.
It’s usually best to try to resolve the complaint informally first. If you’re thinking about making a complaint you may find it easier to approach your tutor, Additional Learning Support Adviser or Disability Adviser first. This is a more informal way to resolve the problem. If you’re not satisfied with the outcome of this, you can make a formal complaint in writing. You can find out about the internal complaints procedure from your student handbook, the college or university website or directly from the university or college.
For support in resolving the issue informally, advice on using conciliation or mediation services and information about civil legal aid, please contact our Disabled Students Helpline .
For more information on taking your complaint further, see our factsheet - making a complaint.
If you’ve started your course and haven’t received the necessary support or adjustments, contact the university or college’s disability support team and request a meeting to explain the difficulties you’re facing, the impact on your studies and the adjustments you require.
Ask for a review of your learning support plan or request for one to be created if none exists. Focus on adjustments that you need which could include accessible course materials, alternative assessment methods, adjusting deadlines, exam arrangements, or regular check-ins with a mentor or support service. See our factsheet on adjustments for more suggestions.
If you experience problems in receiving adjustments, your disability adviser should provide information on resolving the issue. They can guide you through next steps, help liaise with departments and coordinate any additional support you need.
If you’re unhappy with their response or delays continue, follow your college or university’s internal formal complaints procedure. This process ensures unresolved issues are addressed at a higher level and your concerns are heard. You can also reach out to your student union’s advice service for support as they can guide you through the complaints process and sometimes advocate on your behalf if needed.
If the delay in support is causing immediate problems, such as missing lectures or assignments, ask the disability support team to coordinate with the relevant department to provide temporary solutions while long-term adjustments are being arranged.
It’s a good idea to follow up any verbal requests with a written summary of what was discussed and agreed upon during meetings. This provides a record of your conversations and can help in resolving issues more quickly. If you continue to face challenges after following these steps, seek advice on your rights under the Equality Act.
Visiting a university or college is an important step in deciding if it’s the right fit for you. During an Open Day, you can tour key facilities like the library, halls of residence, student union, and sports centres, giving you first-hand experience of the campus environment. If you have specific needs, such as mobility difficulties, pay attention to accessibility of buildings including like ramps, lifts, parking spaces, and check the distance between key areas. If mental health support is important, ask about quiet study spaces, sensory-friendly areas, and designated rest areas for students who need a break from busy environments.
Open Day’s are also an opportunity to meet course tutors and lecturers to learn about course content, teaching methods, and the structure of the programme. Speaking with current Disabled students can provide valuable insights into their experiences, the support services available, and any challenges they’ve faced, including how well the university have addressed these .
To ensure the university can meet your needs, arrange meetings with the disability support team and other key staff before your visit. Discuss any adjustments you may require, for example accessible accommodation, alternative assessment methods, flexibility with deadlines or attendance, or access arrangements like parking permits. You may want to explore early enrolment options to help you adjust and ensure all your support is in place.
Consider a follow-up visit once your place is confirmed to review progress and discuss your needs further.
If you are thinking about starting higher education, read our Into Higher Education guide.
BACK TO START
What should I do if I cannot attend an Open Day in person?
If you’re unable to attend an Open Day in person, there are still plenty of ways to explore a university or college. Many universities and colleges offer virtual Open Days and campus tours, where you can participate in live presentations, ask questions during online Q&A sessions, and watch recorded videos of the campus and facilities.
You can contact the university or college directly to arrange a one-to-one virtual meeting with staff, such as the admissions officer or a disability adviser to discuss your individual needs in detail. If needed, you can also ask them to connect you with current Disabled students to hear about their experiences and the support they receive.
It’s helpful to prepare a list of questions in advance to make the most of online sessions. Check the university’s website or www.opendays.com to find and register for upcoming virtual events.
You don’t have to mention your disability in your personal statement - it is entirely your choice. However, it can provide meaningful context about your journey if it has influenced your goals, achievements or personal growth. Your personal statement is an opportunity to show why you’re a strong candidate, showcasing your skills, experiences, and aspirations. If your disability has shaped your development, discussing it can highlight the unique strengths and perspectives you bring.
Focus on the positive impact of your experiences, particularly the skills you’ve developed. For example:
- Managing personal budgets and arranging personal assistants shows organisational skills and independence.
- Self-advocating for adjustments reflects problem-solving, leadership and communication skills.
- Volunteering or participating in support networks can demonstrate empathy, teamwork and a willingness to help others.
When incorporating examples, make sure they align with the skills and qualities relevant to your chosen course. Reviewing the course description can help you identify what the university values most. For example, if your course prioritises resilience and adaptability, you could describe how balancing your studies with your disability has strengthened your ability to stay focused under pressure.
Present your disability as part of the story that has shaped your achievements and prepared you for academic success. Admissions officers will see how your journey enhances your application and makes you a unique and valuable candidate.
What's the best way to share my disability if I choose not to mention it in my personal statement?
If you choose not to mention your disability in your personal statement, you can share it later in the admissions process or after receiving an offer. Most universities and colleges have dedicated disability support teams that you can contact directly to discuss your needs and arrange reasonable adjustments. Sharing your disability as early as possible ensures that support like extra exam time, assistive technology, or accessible materials is in place before you start your course.
Universities and colleges treat this information confidentially, using it only to ensure that your learning experience is fully supported and that your disability doesn’t become a barrier to success.
For more information see our factsheet “Telling people you’re Disabled” and our research report Sharing Information on Disability.
Will mentioning my disability in my personal statement affect my chances of being accepted?
No, mentioning your disability should not negatively impact your chances of being accepted. Universities and colleges are required under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure fair admissions processes and cannot discriminate based on disability. For more on the Equality Act and your rights, see our factsheet “Understanding the Equality Act: Information for Disabled students”.
Discussing your disability can enhance your application by providing context for your achievements and demonstrating qualities such as resilience, determination, and the ability to overcome obstacles. For example, it can explain aspects of your academic record such as grades or gaps in education, while strengthening your overall application by showing how you’ve turned challenges into opportunities for growth.
Universities and colleges are increasingly committed to creating inclusive communities and value students with diverse experiences and perspectives. N mentioning your disability, you can give admissions teams a fuller understanding of your journey and the skills you bring, showing how you are prepared to thrive in education.
Further help or information
For further information on the support that is available for disabled students, please contact our Disabled Students Helpline - 0330 995 0414.
We also produce a range of education factsheets covering these subjects and frequently asked questions which you can access through our website at disabilityrightsuk.org.
26 November 2024