Benefits for Parent in Education

helphelphelphelp

Could anyone help as to what benefits I may be entitled to if I decide to go back to full time education.

Background: 2 children - 1 is 8 years and at school
Child 2 due in May

Am currently working part time but this will be ending soon

Have a mortgage so no housing benefit from council though would get council tax exemption

Options are:

1) Attend full time nursing course. Bursary of approx 10k p/a

2) Attend another full time or part time course at college. Not sure what benefits would apply

3) Apply to become a registered child minder

4) Try and find a part time job and find a childminder for my youngest child

The courses wouldnt start until September, baby due in May.

Not sure whether I would get any benefits to help with child care if I went down the education path, which I could if I got a part time job.

Could train to become a childminder but not sure if there would be enough moeny in this

Anyone have any advice?

Thanks

Unstoppable_2

You would get Child Tax Credits and Child Benefit. There may be financial assistance from the college in the form of grants and bursaries. It may be worth seeing if there's any "back to work" schemes the Jobcentre run for single parents which usually include some form of training.

alwaysonthego_2

Are you single?

Oldernotwiser

In the long run I'm sure doing your nursing course would be your best career aim, but with a 3 month old baby you're going to find it exceptionally difficult. Don't get too tied up in the finances of your choices, there are other angles that are just as important.

By the way, have you already had an offer of the nursing place?

helphelphelphelp

Oops, sorry. Meant to put in I was a single parent.

Thanks

Kerry12345

I was told today (but you will need to check this out) that if you study with the Open University, it is always classed as part time study (even if you do the full 120 points a year of full time study) and you can claim certain benefits that full time students can't claim. The government will pay for your courses too if you claim council tax exemption, but I'm not sure if there is a limit to how much they will pay for your courses each year. Maybe worth a call to Open University and your local council?

Instead of a childminder, perhaps you could train as a teacher? More money, school holidays to fit in with your children and you could study for this qualification at home?

I just remembered, you would also get a grant (don't have to pay it back) if you claim and study with the open university of about £500 per year and other things too, like the money to buy a laptop and the yearly cost of your broadband connection.

Zeldazog

Dunno if this is any help but this is what I get:

Single parent, son 11 next week.

Full time university course, rented accommodation.

Approx 3/4 of rent is paid by Housing benefit, council tax, as you say, is nil.

Receive Parental Learning Allowance, and Special Support Grant - approx £5,000 pa. Also get highest allowance for Student loan, again, around £5,000.

I didn't apply to the Access Fund last year for any assistance, but my materials costs have been much higher this year, so I probably will do.

I know if I had chosen the part-time route, the Access Fund would make up for any course fees that weren't covered by the grant (that's about £750 pa for part-time and fees would have been around £1,000, they cover the shortfall).

From July to returning for second year last year, I was also eligible for full income support for the summer.

I know rules are changing about who can get lone parent income support without having to consider going back to work, the age is being reduced on a sliding scale over the next few years, but full-time students are exempt from the changes (don't know if that will apply to new starters).

HTH, good luck, it's bloomin hard with my one son I tell you! But you're younger than me and probably have more energy! I am a proper mature student (43).