I rarely deal with students and just want to make sure I've got this right.

My client was on a degree course which started last September but after a few weeks stopped attending. She is now in a period of approved interuption to her course due to mental illness and is set to return to the course next September. She was refused ESA as she is still registered on the course but is now quite a lot better and plans to claim ibJSA. Her maximum student loan was about £3000 and this seems likely to be enough to mean her income is too high to get any benefit. Is there any provision I have missed which would mean the student loan would be apportioned differently where someone has taken time out like this?

Unfortunately, If your student has suspended study rather than permanently withdrawn from her course she is still classed as a full time student for benefit purposes and isn't able to claim JSA regardless of her income. She is able to ask her local authority to consider continuing to pay her student support during her suspension of study if she will otherwise suffer hardship. She can also approach her University for help from the Access to Learning Funds (sometimes known by other names)

Sorry, I read and posted that whilst rushing out the door yesterday (lesson learnt!) and it's just registered that your student is now well and can of course claim JSA...