§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of allowing students to claim(a) housing benefit, (b) income support during the summer and (c) income support all year round; and if he will estimate the numbers who would be newly entitled in each case. [86052]
§ Angela EagleSince the start of the 1990–91 academic year, full-time students have not been entitled to benefits as a means of supporting themselves whilst studying. Financial support provided to the vast majority of full-time students by the taxpayer now comes through one source—the education system. Nevertheless, certain students in vulnerable groups, e.g. lone parents, disabled students etc., continue to have access to Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance and Housing Benefit on the same basis as before.
We do not hold sufficient information about students' housing and income circumstances to be able to estimate the costs of allowing all students to claim Housing Benefit and Income Support.