Full time education no money

nad1611

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

So how much in benefits will you lose?
How much child benefit have you been getting? Do you receive this for any other children?
How much Family Tax Credit have you been getting? What will this go down to from now on?
How much incapacity benefit will you lose?

I agree that she should be making a contribution to the household as it is costing you to have her there.
The contribution she should make should cover the benefits that you will be losing.
So she will need to earn this much plus an extra £30 to replace her EMA.

Have you worked out how much your benefits will go down by?
If you know that then you can work out how many hours she needs to work and whether that's possible in the time available.
If it's not possible (having worked it out) then you need to speak to the hardship people at the college.

Thanks for this. First off I should have said she already has a job and is working 4 days she gets 5 pounds an hour and works Sat/Sun 12 hrs and Mon/Tues 8 hrs. There is no option to increase those hours even if she wanted to.I have worked out the overall loss will be 366 pounds and on top 30 pounds EMA. So basically these hours and this pay gives her approx. 100 pounds this would cover what we are losing, if you then add on some money for her loss of EMA she would have to earn another 30 pounds.

Having said that we are not expecting to replace what we lose, that's unfair but I hope people can see my point. I think people think I am molly coddling her, it is me not her who's making the enquiry, because this situation means that she is working every day when she's back at college without a complete day off.

Hope that sets things straight.

nad1611

sophief333 wrote: »

I am 19 next week and my child benefits have stoped. No, I don't make substantial contributions to my parents household, however I am getting my own place hopefull within the next year.
The reason I can afford to do this (and Im buying not renting) is because I have worked hard whilst studying.

I dont know about your personal finacial issues, but you said was concerned about your daughter's course suffering if she were to work and I advise that she does get a part time job, even if it is for just one day. Her course wont suffer and even if she was finding it difficult to cope with both education and work she could always quit.

Your daughter will feel alot more indipendant if she has a small income and it will be great experiance for when she has left school/college.

My daughter already has a job and has had several jobs since leaving school. She's not work shy. What you seem to be missing is as I am disabled and in receipt of benefits mysef she would need to earn a bit more than a ' small income' as you put it as I would be unable to support her.

sophief333

Don’t know if this has been mentioned but have you tried the ALG (adult learners grant)? Its like EMA but based on the students earning and not parents.

nad1611

sophief333 wrote: »

Don’t know if this has been mentioned but have you tried the ALG (adult learners grant)? Its like EMA but based on the students earning and not parents.

Thanks Sophie but for this one it has to be your first level 2 or first level 3, so as she has A levels she cannot apply.

jackk_2

Assuming she won't be paying rent, it should be possible to live on £100 per week, benefit is less than this. I would be tempted to try and find a job that meant i did 2, 10 - 12 hr shifts per week, rather than the 4, few hour shifts.

I hope she manages to sort things out, i'm sure the struggle will be worth it in the end.

Jackie x

nad1611

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

The Adult Learning Grant is NOT only for vocational qualifications. Your daughter isn't eligible for it because she already has a level 3 qualification and therefore can't get it for another. Logically she should have moved up a level after doing A levels and started a degree or HND in Performing Arts. This is why she's having financial problems now, because she's made the wrong choice of course level, although there's not much she can do about it now. Unfortunately there aren't funds available for people to repeat a level they've already covered as they're expected to progress.

I think it's abit much your suggesting she has made the wrong choice when you know nothing of her circumsatnces. As it was and is pretty common she is not sure exactly what she wanted to do, so rightly felt that to get three A levels and then do a course would hopefully help her choose. She did not want to commit to a degree yet when she was undecided so thought she would do a course to add to her A levels whilst deciding. We were given some bad advice in the beginning thinking her EMA would continue for the duration of the course.
We do understand why she 's having problems we didn't need that pointing out either.

Pont

NAD1611 wrote: »

My daughter already has a job and has had several jobs since leaving school. She's not work shy. What you seem to be missing is as I am disabled and in receipt of benefits mysef she would need to earn a bit more than a ' small income' as you put it as I would be unable to support her.

As you're disabled can your daughter claim carer's allowance?

Gemmzie

How much does your daughter earn on an average week and how many hours does she do?

Oldernotwiser

NAD1611 wrote: »

I think it's abit much your suggesting she has made the wrong choice when you know nothing of her circumsatnces. As it was and is pretty common she is not sure exactly what she wanted to do, so rightly felt that to get three A levels and then do a course would hopefully help her choose. She did not want to commit to a degree yet when she was undecided so thought she would do a course to add to her A levels whilst deciding. We were given some bad advice in the beginning thinking her EMA would continue for the duration of the course.
We do understand why she 's having problems we didn't need that pointing out either.

If she doesn't know what she wants to do then I don't see the point of spending 2 years doing another course at the same level, particularly coming from a family where things are tight financially. Even well off families don't encourage their children to spend 2 years of their lives redoing the same level of course! I don't see that "committing" herself to a degree is any different from"committing" herself to a BTEC National, except that the degree is a year longer, is properly funded and will give her a worthwhile qualification. What will she do if she's undecided at the end of her BTEC? Another 3 A levels whilst she has another think about it?

Do encourage her to get some proper careers guidance through her college so that she doesn't waste any more time in sorting her life out. I'm sorry to be blunt but I do hate to see such a waste of time and money!

katiesmummy

what about bar work? your dd may be able to get a few shifts in your local, either a couple of evenings a week or weekends?
footie season starts in a month or so and if you live near a football ground the pubs close may need staff to help on match days- the pub i work in has 8 people behind the bar when the gunners are at home.
i have found that managers are quite flexible about hours if you are a good worker- my guvnor lets me work around my oh so that i am not left without childcare at the last minute.