Disabled students ‘could be forced out of education’ by new Universal Credit rules

Warning by Child Poverty Action Group is ‘very disturbing’, education leader tells Zoe Tidman

A charity has warned disabled students may be forced to leave education by new benefits changes (Getty Images)

Disabled students could be forced to quit education in order to keep accessing Universal Credit after new rules come into force, a charity has warned.

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) said incoming changes will “close off the only route young disabled learners” have to the benefit.

Young people still finishing basic education at the age of 19 - or in some cases 20 - no longer qualify for child benefits and must make their own claims, the charity said.

It said young disabled learners often use a workaround to access Universal Credit, as they face a “Catch-22” under current rules, where they need Limited Capability to Work status to start an application - but which is mainly achieved through starting an application itself.

Instead, young people still in basic education over the age of 19 can use another route - the Employment Support Allowance (ESA) - to get Universal Credit.

But new changes will close this path off, as it will require assessments to have taken place before a claimant starts their studies.

Disabled students still finishing their basic education when they reach the age of 19 - often because of disabilities - will be worst-hit by the new rules, the CPAG warned.

David Hughes, the chief executive of the Association of Colleges, told The Independent this is a “major issue for disabled students trying to access disability benefits and education”.

“Disabled people are 28 per cent less likely to be in employment than non-disabled people. To tackle this, all benefit rules need to encourage, not prohibit, education,” he added.

The CPAG also warned disabled students were less likely to be able to find part-time work to fund their studies as non-disabled peers.

Without the ESA route, they may be forced to drop out of education to get their Limited Capability for Work status - which can take months, the charity says. They may then choose to re-enroll at a later date.

Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “It is very disturbing to hear that a change in benefits rules will make life even harder for young people who are disabled and who are trying to achieve educational goals in circumstances harder than most of us can imagine.”

“The government should be ensuring that support is readily available and accessible to these young people rather than subjecting them to a nightmare of Kafkaesque bureaucracy.”

Alison Garnham, the charity’s chief executive, said: “Many disabled young learners will face Hobson’s choice under the new rules - pursue the studying they love without enough money to live on, or relinquish it to avoid penury.”

She added: “The oncoming rules must be scrapped – in line with the government’s policy of supporting disabled people to reach their potential.”

A Government spokesperson said: “Our student support system includes the student loan and the Disabled Students Allowance, as well as discretionary bursaries, grants and Hardship Funds. Universal Credit isn’t intended to duplicate this.

“Personal Independence Payments and Disability Living Allowance are also available to help disabled students with the extra costs of living with a disability or health condition.”