Petition · past parliament
Stop including student loans as “income” for benefits calculations
Closed
58 signatures
What the petition asks
We are calling upon the government to stop penalising those who are committed to making themselves more employable by studying for Higher Education qualifications.
A student loan must be paid back (with interest). It is not a grant - and therefore should not be considered as income.
A student loan must be paid back (with interest). It is not a grant - and therefore should not be considered as income.
Currently in the UK, those in receipt of a student loan have it included as “income” when benefits are calculated, and it can affect their entitlement.
Part-time students are particularly at risk; should they find themselves temporarily unable to work, they may not be eligible for the same financial assistance as another person in exactly the same position as them who is not in part-time study.
For more information on benefits that are affected by student loan: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Student-Support/How-does-student-support-affect-benefits
Part-time students are particularly at risk; should they find themselves temporarily unable to work, they may not be eligible for the same financial assistance as another person in exactly the same position as them who is not in part-time study.
For more information on benefits that are affected by student loan: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Student-Support/How-does-student-support-affect-benefits
Timeline
| 27 Feb 2018 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 27 Aug 2018 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
58
Status
Closed
Opened
27 Feb 2018
Closed
27 Aug 2018
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.