Part time students and benefits - Can part-time students claim disability benefits?

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Contributory ESA

If you are a part-time student who is not able to work due to illness or disability, you may be entitled to contributory/ New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you have previously worked and paid national insurance contributions.

Income-related ESA

It is no longer possible to make new claims for income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

If you are already receiving income-related Employment and Support Allowance, you might be able to carry on getting it as a part-time student if you are studying 16 hours or less per week.

If you receive student support in the form of a grant or a loan, this will probably reduce the amount of income-related ESA you can get.

Work Capability Assessment

You are only entitled to ESA if you satisfy the Work Capability Assessment. If activities you do as part of your course suggests that you do not meet this test, you could lose this benefit. For example, if you are getting ESA because you said you have problems with walking and your course involves a lot of physical activity, this could cause your ESA claim to be reviewed.

Personal Independence Payment(PIP), Adult Disability Payment, Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment 

You can get Personal Independence Payment, Adult Disability Payment, Child Disability Payment, Pension Age Disability Payment or Attendance Allowance even if you are a part-time student. If you have disabilities, are aged under 66 and need help with your personal care or mobility needs, you can get Personal Independence Payment. If you need help with personal care and are aged 66 or over, you can get Attendance Allowance.

Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Pension Age Disability Payment and Adult Disability Payment are not means-tested. This means any income (including student grants or loans) or savings you have are ignored.

If activities you do as part of your course suggest that your health has improved, your Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance may stop. For example, if you are getting Personal Independence Payment because you said you have problems with walking and your course involves a lot of physical activity, this could cause your award to be reviewed.

Disability Living Allowance

You cannot make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance or Scottish Adult DLA but, if you are already claiming it, you can continue to get it when you become a part-time student, as long as you still meet the criteria.

If you are still getting Disability Living Allowance, you will be reassessed at some point for Personal Independence Payment. If you live in Scotland and get DLA, you will automatically transfer to Scottish Adult DLA in 2025.

See When will I move from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

If activities you do as part of your course suggest that your health has improved, you could lose your benefit. For example, if you are getting Disability Living Allowance because you said you have problems with walking and your course involves a lot of physical activity, this could cause your Disability Living Allowance claim to be reviewed.