Earn upto £3,500 for 30 minutes work!!! 'Access to Learning Fund'

juanmanuelmarquez

Hi nimbo,
Thanks for the reply, yes i worked part time in outbound sales part time whilst studying and then was just about getting by, however, the call centre changed hands and those who were newly hired got made redundant. i was claiming housing benefit and thats it and couldnt claim job seekers as im studying and working 15hrs a week. if i work more then i wont have the time to study.

i understand the unis have computer rooms and libraries, but how can childcare be a cost and electric not be?

but what is the appeals process, do you have to write a letter or send more info?

Elle7

juanmanuelmarquez wrote: »

Hi nimbo,
Thanks for the reply, yes i worked part time in outbound sales part time whilst studying and then was just about getting by, however, the call centre changed hands and those who were newly hired got made redundant. i was claiming housing benefit and thats it and couldnt claim job seekers as im studying and working 15hrs a week. if i work more then i wont have the time to study.

i understand the unis have computer rooms and libraries, but how can childcare be a cost and electric not be?

but what is the appeals process, do you have to write a letter or send more info?

Childcare is an allowable study expense. There is a special fund of student finance for this. Electric is not - its a household bill, you'd have an electric bill to pay whether you were a student or not.

I helped out at the student union a bit last year and we saw so many people who desperately needed money for bills, but the unis are not allowed to award the money for this. By all means appeal, but its important that you go into this knowing that you are hoping for a miracle, and the money is very unlikely to be awarded, so that you can find an actual solution.

Even full time students can't get money towards household bills.

Could you possibly do any more hours at all, during the day? I know it would eat into your other time, but if its evenings only, 15 hours seems like there might be some more you could do?

If not, have you had a full benefits check to ensure you are getting everything you can? They can work out how you'd be better off financially.

Other than that, I think you'll have to arrange a payment plan so that no one else takes you to court. If your credit rating is good, you might be able to increase your student overdraft, or get a student credit card?

I hate being the bearer of bad news, but we saw people getting into so much worse trouble because they were convinced the decision would be overturned. It almost never is, so you need another solution for now.

All the best x

zkellerman

I'm studying Mental Health Nursing starting September; the course will be 9-5, 5 days a week and on top of that regular placements - because of this I will be simply unable to work bar from one or two bank shifts with the NHS on rare occasion as the course is just too demanding. We're expected to travel to placements (up to 50 miles or more for some) and as I live completely independently with no other sources of income bar from the bursary, NHS grant and reduced rate student loan , so I'm left a bit stuck. Currently, I'm learning to ride a motorbike (after saving up for months and months) to simply be able to commute to University and placements, in which we were told being able to travel would be essential - mental health placements are usually out of the way from the confines of public transport and it would work out only a little bit more expensive to buy and maintain a bike for a year than public transport expenditure. Food and normal travel, etc, will make this essential too.

I'm learning to ride a motorbike simply because the fact it's the cheapest option (would prefer a car but the insurance I was quoted would be 2.3k cheapest compared to a maxi scooter's 400).

Anyway, with no savings and nothing but a student overdraft to help me out, I'll need to buy a bike around the start of September, or beforehand if I can find one cheap enough - all being whacked straight onto the overdraft and from current income.

This leaves me in a bit of a predicament as then I'll be over 1k into my overdraft which is set at 1.4k for year one and expenditure will be about £500 / month on bills / essentials if I'm very careful / tight - my bursary entitles me to £450 / month and on top of that just over £100 from the reduced rate student loan. I can also be classed as a disabled student.

Would I be eligible for the access to learning fund and if so, when would I apply?

Cheers.

nimbo

juanmanuelmarquez wrote: »

but what is the appeals process, do you have to write a letter or send more info?

contact the finance people - or those who gave you the forms for the ALF, and they will tell you what you need t do.

However don't rely on them changing their minds as It seems a long shot.

nimbo

zkellerman wrote: »

I can also be classed as a disabled student.

Would I be eligible for the access to learning fund and if so, when would I apply?

Cheers.

will you be eligible for any help from the DLA as you are disabled....

you can apply any time - but do be expected to have to prove that you made attempts to pay of existing debts before you started uni - i.e. your overdraft.

how far do you actually have to travel to university as you are incredibly unlikely to have placement in the first term. Do you have to buy this moped before you start uni, or could it wait for a short period of time?

Could you move closer to the university?

when it comes to placements they have to take into account how a person travels, and would aim to ensure that the placement is within a distance that is doable to the student....

I realise that it may be really difficult but I'm fairly certain that they expect all students to have a part time job (It's a real pain as there is just no work out there), and that his work (weather it's existent or not) is factored into the equation when working out what a person may be entitled to.

zkellerman

nimbo wrote: »

will you be eligible for any help from the DLA as you are disabled....

you can apply any time - but do be expected to have to prove that you made attempts to pay of existing debts before you started uni - i.e. your overdraft.

how far do you actually have to travel to university as you are incredibly unlikely to have placement in the first term. Do you have to buy this moped before you start uni, or could it wait for a short period of time?

Could you move closer to the university?

when it comes to placements they have to take into account how a person travels, and would aim to ensure that the placement is within a distance that is doable to the student....

I realise that it may be really difficult but I'm fairly certain that they expect all students to have a part time job (It's a real pain as there is just no work out there), and that his work (weather it's existent or not) is factored into the equation when working out what a person may be entitled to.

Thanks for the quick response. The University isn't that far in itself (only a couple of miles), the main issue is the placements which will be quite frequent and far. I'm not sure yet whether I'll be entitled to DLA as my issues are mental health related but if I am entitled to it whilst studying it will be a small godsend. I'm sure at a push I'd be able to find some part time work but with the placements they will expect me to work sporadic, full shifts at any time including weekends so committing to regular work will be difficult in the least. On top of that I'll be doing 3-8am volunteer shifts with the Samaritans once a week. Our first placement is in November.

JimmyJar

ALF pot is usually empty at this time of year. Remember final year students often get priority.

zkellerman

Thanks, I'll probably leave it for a bit until the new fiscal year and if I get incredibly hard up I'll just bite the bullet and apply for it (and look for other grants). I'll be able to scrape by - for me the benefit of being able to drive is just too important now.

tkwad

is this available in scotland, and is it only to university students?

00ec25

tkwad wrote: »

is this available in scotland, and is it only to university students?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/Typesoffinance/DG_171615
try using google - 1st para, 1st sentence - England

for scotland read this
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/09/0893753/37556