Claiming JSA and attending college

helwalk · 25 June 2012 at 5:12PM

Hi please help. I finish work in Aug to start an Access to Higher Education diploma so I can then go on to university. When I first contacted JSA to make sure I could claim and my reasons for doing so (work cant accomadate hours I can work around my college course) she said it shouldnt be a problem. Since giving my notice in at work i have been told that i might not be able to claim jsa as the course i am doing is classed as full time even tho its only 14 hours a week. Can anyone advise??? If i cant claim JSA then what am i meant to live on??? I am a 35 yr old single mum.

smiales · 25 June 2012 at 5:56PM

I'd be interested to know this, I'm about to be made redundant and am considering going back into education in September.

mynameistallulah · 25 June 2012 at 6:25PM

If you are studying full time you will not be eligible for JSA. You may be eligible for IS if your children are pre school age.

dseventy · 25 June 2012 at 7:35PM

Claiming JSA requires you "job seek". ie you seek a job and will take it if offered.

IF you are studying and have a commitment to the course that interferes with job availability, you might not qualify for JSA. Based on what you have said here, I would not consider you to be "job seeking".

Is there anyway to keep your job and do your qualification by distance learning?

D70

bazza5070 · 25 June 2012 at 8:21PM

You can only claim JSA if the course is part-time (under 16 hours per week) and you will have to make yourself available for at least 16 hours work per week. Your Jobseekers agreement can be done around your college attendance.

You will have to give your Learning Agreement to the Jobcentre, this should show your guided learning hours which will include any hours you may be expected to do outside of the actual college attendance. The hours will be divided by the amount of weeks the course runs to give a weekly hour quota, if this is over 16 hours you will not qualify for JSA.

Good Luck

tactful · 25 June 2012 at 8:53PM

You need to be careful as leaving a job voluntarily to study may well exclude you from claiming JSA for six months. Regardless of if you end up studying full/part time, or not at all. In terms of claiming while full time there are three situations where you can do that. I've taken them from a university website, but I can confirm they are correct ;-)

As a full-time student you can only claim Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) if: -

You are a student couple with a child: If you are a couple, your partner is also a full-time student and you have a dependent child you can claim JSA during the summer vacation only;

Student’s partner: If you are part of a couple and your partner is not a student, s/he may be entitled to make a claim for both of you;

In “temporary suspense from University” (without residence) because of illness or caring responsibilities and you have recovered or your caring responsibilities have ceased but you can't resume studies until your course's resumption of studies date.

(source le.ac.uk)

Unfortunately none of those apply to you so you won't be able to claim JSA. Sorry to be bearer of bad news.

If your child is under 7 you might be able to claim Income Support though.

Elvisia · 25 June 2012 at 9:00PM

Sadly courses are often marked 'full time' which is possibly so they can charge more, but it means you can't claim JSA. I asked them if I could do a PhD which would involve meeting my advisor once every 4 weeks so hardly full time, but they said if the course description was full time this didn't make any difference. I was advised *by the Job Centre advisor* that if I were to start a full time PhD to get my professor to write something to say it was part time instead.

Nickv1.0 · 25 June 2012 at 9:11PM

Hi there I have been seekeing employment for around 3 months now and am struggling to find anything.

As im the type of person who needs to do things I am considering going back to colllege and am just wondering if I do so will there be any type of benefit I could claim if I decide to do so?

tactful · 25 June 2012 at 9:18PM

@Nickv1.0 Hi Nick, If you are single, and studying part time you can claim jsa, providing you meet basic eligibility (hardly no savings, prepared to leave college if a job comes along, and look for work in the week, etc...) If you are studying full time, and single, healthy, there is no benefit you can claim unfortunately.

Magnolia · 26 June 2012 at 7:46AM

Elvisia wrote: »

Sadly courses are often marked 'full time' which is possibly so they can charge more,

Draws more funding so you can charge less

Dunroamin · 26 June 2012 at 9:06AM

helwalk wrote: »

Hi please help. I finish work in Aug to start an Access to Higher Education diploma so I can then go on to university. When I first contacted JSA to make sure I could claim and my reasons for doing so (work cant accomadate hours I can work around my college course) she said it shouldnt be a problem. Since giving my notice in at work i have been told that i might not be able to claim jsa as the course i am doing is classed as full time even tho its only 14 hours a week. Can anyone advise??? If i cant claim JSA then what am i meant to live on??? I am a 35 yr old single mum.

Why not look at part time study options that would give you the entry qualifications you need and allow you to work as well? Alternatively, look at doing your whole degree with the OU.

It's your responsibility to find an option that works for you rather than expect anyone else to sort it.

Claiming JSA and attending college

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