Welcome To Wirral

Some students may be eligible for a status Discount on Council Tax liability. For further information and advice call the Finance Department on 0151 606 2002 and ask for Council Tax Collection and Recovery.

Who can claim?

All students can claim Second Adult Rebate (See Help with Council Tax - Second Adult Rebate in the related links section).

Full time students can only claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit if they are:

• Pensioners - that are aged over 60 years;
• Lone parents - with dependant children;
• Disabled - receiving a disability benefit or disabled students allowance;
• Receiving Job Seekers Allowance (Income based) or Income Support;
• A member of a student couple - both of whom are students and there is a dependant child;
• Responsible for a child - e.g. foster children;
• In further Education - up to the age of 19 years.
• Part time students.

(See Help with Rent - Housing Benefits below and Help with Council Tax - Main Council Tax Benefit in the related links section for further advice).

Non student partners can claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

How is Income assessed?

The standard loan is taken over the period of study excluding any extra attendance.

Benefit will be assessed weekly from the first Monday of the autumn term until the last day of the summer term. A disregard of £352.00 will be taken off in respect of the purchase of books and equipment and £280.00 for travel expenses.

Any extra attendance payments allowed, will be added to the basic loan and divided over the remaining period of study.

Any other additions to the loan will be assessed over the period of study. E.g. dependants allowance

What other Income is taken into account?

All income including Top Up Loans for those students who qualify.

The loan will be divided over 52 weeks. However in the final year of study the loan will be divided over the period of study.

It will be assumed that you have borrowed the full amount even if you have borrowed less. There is a disregard of £10.00 taken from the weekly amount.

What additional information will I have to provide?

Proof of your grant/loan income and any other income you receive.

Full details of your term and vacation dates.

NHS Funded Students

There are two types of bursary allowance for student nurses.

Midwifery and Nursing Diploma and all other courses for the NHS other than Nursing and Midwifery.

Bursary rates are paid over a 52 week period and this applies for the assessment of benefit. However, any new students starting their course after September 1998 will have their Dependants allowance assessed over their period of study.

Notional Loan Deduction

All Diploma students are not eligible for a student loan and therefore it is not taken into account in the assessment of benefit.

All Non-Diploma students are eligible for student loan but this is usually at a lower amount.

When should I apply?

An application form should be completed for the start of the academic year. You may be asked to supply further information about your income during the Summer vacation.

How do I claim?

Application forms are available at any of the offices shown at Council Offices in the related links section. Send completed forms to:

Director of Finance
P.O. Box 2
Cleveland Street
Birkenhead
Wirral
Merseyside
CH41 6BU

ALL INFORMATION GIVEN IS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

What if I have a query?

You can telephone 0151 606 2002 or you can call in person at any of the council offices shown at Council Offices in the related links section.

General information and advice is also available from Welfare Benefits and Citizens Advice Bureau.  See Benefits Advice in the related links section.