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Help for students with adult dependants

The Adult Dependants' Grant could provide extra help if you are a full-time higher education student with an adult who depends on you financially.

The amount you can get depends on your income and the income of your dependants. The maximum for 2011/12 and 2012/13 is £2,642.

You don't have to pay this back.

You won’t get the Adult Dependants’ Grant if your adult dependant is also studying and getting student finance or Disabled Students’ Allowances.

Who counts as an adult dependant?

An adult dependant could be

• a spouse or civil partner
• a partner, if you are over 25 - including a partner of the same sex if you began your course in September 2005 or later
  
• another adult who depends on you financially (usually a member of your family) who earns less than £3,796 a year

An adult dependant will usually be a member of your family, but you can't count grown-up sons or daughters as adult dependants.

How to apply

You need to complete the relevant sections on your main student finance application when you apply for student loans and grants.

If you're doing a full-time course, you can apply online. Part-time students can apply when term starts using a paper form - see ‘Student finance forms and guides'.

• Student finance forms and guides 2012/13

• Contact Student Finance England

• More on applying for student finance

Evidence you need to send

If you apply for Adults Dependants’ Grant you'll need to send in some evidence.

Evidence of your adult dependant

To prove you have an adult dependant send one of the following:

• a marriage certificate (if you're under 25 and claiming for a spouse)
• a letter saying why the adult is dependent on you as well as a P60 showing their earnings

Evidence of financial commitments paid by you or your partner

If you (or your partner) have any financial commitments - such as mortgage, rent, council tax, life insurance, buildings and contents insurance or pension payments - you need to send in evidence of these.

Evidence of financial commitments can include:

• a letter from your accountant
• annual statements
• letters from companies proving financial commitments
• confirmation of payments into a pension fund from your pension provider
• bank statements
• mortgage or rent agreement
• council tax bill
• insurance policies
• original evidence of payments
• credit agreement documentation

If you submit bank statements, you may need to write on the statement making clear what the payment is for. For example, if the only printed details of a rent payment are the person’s name, you should write on the bank statement that this was for rent.

Working out how much you can get

To work out how much you can get see the Childcare Grant guide.

• Download Childcare Grant and other support for full-time student parents 2012/13 (PDF, 538K)

• Help with PDF files

How is the money paid?

The Adult Dependants' Grant is paid in three instalments with your loans or grants at the start of each term.

How it affects your benefits

Any Adult Dependants' Grant you get will be counted as income when working out your entitlement to benefits.

• Benefits for higher education students with low incomes (money, tax and benefits section)

What to do if your circumstances change

If your circumstances change - for example, if your income goes up or down - you should tell Student Finance England.

• How to tell Student Finance England about changes

• Contact Student Finance England

More useful links

• Financial help for disabled students in higher education (disabled people section)

• Benefits for higher education students with low incomes (money, tax and benefits section)