made redundant want to go to uni - what support is available??

muppet75

Hi all
I am getting made redundant in May (my company is transferring business to Indonesia) and I’m looking into the possibility of going to uni for a total career change.
I am 34 years young and have been with my employer for 14 years so I get a reasonable lump sum. I am treating the redundancy as a positive step (I understand that not everyone is in a position to be able to do this, but my position is relatively good) in that it gives me a kick up the rear to get out and see what else the big wide world has to offer (something I have wanted to do for a while, but have not had the courage)
I have never been on the dole or claimed any benefits and have paid my stamps for all of my working life – now I want to make sure I get what I deserve in support to aid my new start.
I want to study law at Newcastle uni, which is a full time course – I understand that it is approx £3,500 per year for the course (which I will be expected to payback once I get back into work)
So far I have found that I can get:-
Undergraduate bursary £1340 per year
Maintenance grant £2096 approx per year
Maintenance loan £3902 approx per year (to be paid back when employed)
However this still leaves me with a shortfall of about 6k if I add up all my costs
Upkeep of daughter, rent, bills, transport, food , books ECT
My question is taking into account that I am (although I hate to admit it) a mature student, and that I have been made redundant is there any other grants, loans support ect available to me.
I fully understand that I will need to get some sort of part time job to support me in this quest and have no fear of doing this, but it would be nice to get ensure I have got all that is due to me.

Thanks in advance for any advice

clairec79

You get a 25% discount in council tax (100% if you are the only adult in the house)

You mention a daughter - if she lives with you and you get CTC then they don't count bursaries etc as income

muppet75

Thanks for that claire I am the only one in the flat - if ct is paid 100% that is a large chunk of the bills I was expecting to have to pay wiped out:beer:

My daughter doesnt live with me, however I pay (and intend to carry on paying) for her upkeep

thanks again:A

porter8224

Hi I don't know if it will help but I'm doing a degree with the Open University and I have recieved funding for my whole first year, plus a grant towards books for £260.00 and a computer grant of £245.00 to buy a computer. I have just applyed for my second year and they are going to fund that too. I earn a resonable wage but because I am on my own that is one of the reasons why they fund it, it might be worth having a look on their website for some further information

Somerset

porter8224

Can you point me towards how/where you got that funding please? I was half considering open uni too but thought I'd have to fund it all myself. Having a chunk of the funding covered might make it viable for me.