The Government plans to remove two of the three work eligibility criteria from the Independence Test for Youth Allowance, effective from January 2010.

This impacts greatly on prospective university students who have deferred their studies, embarked upon a gap year and worked in good faith that they would qualify as Independent and be able to leave home to start university.

30,700 students are estimated to be affected by the removal of these work eligibility criteria, and despite the Government's assurances, we are yet to know how many of those 30,700 will be eligible for income support under the changes.