Accommodation support for students

Student Allowance assists students with their living expenses while they’re studying. It uses income testing to target this help to students from lower income families.

In some circumstances, students who aren’t entitled to Student Allowance (and the Accommodation Benefit that may come with it) may be able to receive the Accommodation Supplement instead.

Students are not eligible for Accommodation Supplement if they

• are entitled to any amount of Student Allowance
• can’t get Student Allowance because of their personal, partner’s or parents’ income.

A loophole in the Social Security Act meant that some students were choosing not to apply for a Student Allowance, or not to accept a Student Allowance, in order to receive a higher rate of Accommodation Supplement.

The loophole has now been closed, and this will no longer be possible.

Students who are currently receiving Accommodation Supplement need to check whether they'll still qualify.

Students who think they’ll be affected by the changes should call us to talk about other types of assistance that may be available.