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

elisebutt65

Right - I went and got the form today - nealy all filled in apart from the supporting statement!!

I don't know what to say here - cos it's basically a begging letter and I've never written one of them - i am a priority student as am a mature, lone parent with 2 littlies under 11. One of them is on medium rate DLA so tht pushes up my incomings a bit - even though I do spend it on him.

What sort of things can I say here?? Like the fact that my grant& loan have to last through to end of September and I only get an extra tenner a week from IS??? Eldest DS will be starting 2dry school in September and I can't afford uniform??

Is that the way I need to go?


TIA

Elise

robhammond

aav

"Because of this my mum now had to reply back to a letter she has been sent and wouold have to say why she is not able to support me."

I've never heard of that before, it is probably something relatively unique to your uni by the sounds of things. I would just get your mum to fill the form in - at least that way you will be eligible for more. As this seems to be a localised procedure it might be worth giving your student advice centre a call.

elisebutt65

"What sort of things can I say here"

In an earlier post I mentioned a few tips for the supporting statement although you're pretty much along the right lines with what you have put.

I've mentioned before that it is important to state how you have limited earning capabilities & children are expensive! Explain how you are struggeling to provide even the essentials, like school uniforms. Explain that you have come to Uni to better yourself to support your children etc.

This fund was set up to help people in your situation - you should get a good award. Don't forget that you can also recieve money from the summer fund on top of the general fund (that usually starts next month) and you can re-apply in September if you are still a student & you will potentially be eligible for the full £3,500 again.

I hope this helps.

linzibean

I handed my form in yesterday I'm quite hopeful as a poor third year! My OH recently recieved £900 and he is better off than me, though maybe his uni is more generous

Savvy_Sue

elisebutt65 wrote:

Eldest DS will be starting 2dry school in September and I can't afford uniform??

Slightly OT, but specifically on school uniform, do contact your LEA and ask if they give uniform grants (not all do, some of them have a budget and when it's gone it's gone, if they do give one it may be in the form of vouchers which can only be spent in certain shops etc etc etc). Also check whether the school runs a secondhand uniform shop and if so when it's open! And if you know anyone with boys already at the school, check whether it's all essential! You never know, you may even get offered some bits and bobs like barely worn PE kit! And I discovered I didn't have to buy the ludicrously expensive School Blazer With Badge Already Sewn On, but could buy a badge to sew onto a BHS blazer!

elisebutt65

I already checked and our LEA don't have a uniform grant, but it's all basic stuff I can get from Woolies for the first few years until he sprouts again - lol
Grey Trousers, white shirts, PE Kit and Rugby gear - I think the Rugby Boots are the most expensive bit on the list!!!

I probably can afford it, esp if I visit some of the charity shops but I'm sort of just stretching the truth on mt statement, cos I want some dosh off them - lol. I really don't fancy that long holiday stretching ahead with very little money!! Mum and Dad are taking us all to Crete in June after my exams and DS's SAT's but still have to find a bit of spending money to put towards meals, And I saved up for and paid a trip to Butlins mid summer - bleahhhh - but at least food is all in - lol.

Planned summer entertainment is currently - visit grandP's, kids stay with Dad, visit brother in London and kip on floor, visit grandP's again - main entertainment will be watching mum hobble around after having gallbladder removed - oooh mum - can you stretch and get me that - Oh no - forgot you cant's - hahahaha.

dreamer2

I picked up the forms today and they ask about your living arrangements. As i said before i'm living with my boyfriend, so i'd tick this box but then they ask about his earnings. I'm financially independant of him but they do not give an option for this or anywhere to explain the situation-what should i do? We each pay a certain amount into a joint account to cover morgage and bills (him far more than me!) but would they request to see this bank account also??

binna

I applied for to the hardship fund in December last year but never received anything! I am a mature student with a 1 year old child and my boyfriend is self employed having just bought his partner out. This was the reason I applied for the grant in the first place because of the extra expense and we are already on a low income, but at the beginning of this year he was ripped off to the tune of £13k by a company going bankrupt. Will they take this into account because he is effectively supporting our family even though we already have a lot of help from student finance? I thought maybe they didn't give it last time because they didnt think it was me who needed the money (if that makes sense!).

robhammond

Binna

That's a complex question & I couldn't give you a definate answer. However I would guess that it will depend on whatever your partners approx monthly take home is. if this has been substantially reduced because of the loss of the £13k then yes it will matter. On your supporting statement I would stress that the money is to help with general living costs & to support your child.
It's difficult to call cases like yours - it really comes down to the discretionary elements of the finance committee rather than the strict criteria. It will hinge, I think, on how convincing you supporting statement is rather than the cold figures.

Good Luck!

Lady_K

On my daughter letter it said semester 1 - blank, semester 2 - £858.81 total for year £858.81 so I don't know if she missed out applying later or not as it didn't say. It also had a tick in the non standard award box what would that mean?

binna

Thanks rob, I'm gonna apply anyway, with nothing to lose so fingers crossed!