students and childcare disregards for HB

i have left my disability rights handbook at a clients so am a bit stuck for info at the moment. i hope she doesnt read too much of it and get any bright ideas

i have a lone parent university student who has a child in reg’s childcare as he has learning difficulties and in special assisted schooling. a claim for the childs DLA has already been made but not processed yet

can childcare costs be disregarded from student income? (loans/grants/child tax credit only, there is no earned income in the house to disregard it from)

my thought is disregards are only applied to earned income, but i’m hoping i may be wrong

thanks in advance

childcare cost that are awarded as part of her student award (treated as grant income for benefit purposes) is ignored as income for HB etc purposes. See CPAG p 655-7 for details of grant/loan income that is ignored for means tested beenfit purposes.