Dole / None-working fund (yes, free money)

Skyhigh

Students CAN get unemployment benefit (the dole) - about £40 weekly.

You can only recieve it *out* of the Student loan period - even if you DO NOT recieve a student loan, because you are classed as still being eligible for a loan.

So, say the loan runs out July 24th and your academic year (and loan) for the following year starts October, you can get benefit from July 24th till October when your new loan starts.
(I don't know the exact dates as I cannot be bothered to go find my loan forms ))

So really, thats over summer, but still it works out at approximately £450 for most people - although getting a job will earn you more cash, if you have an intensive course or have to spend summer doing research and preperation then its an option.


And if you are working over summer, then remember that your employer gives you a special STUDENT TAX FORM, which makes you exempt from paying tax on your earnings - its a small A5 sheet.
Doing so, will potentially save you hundereds of pounds on your summer earnings.


:!:

muddyfox470

do u actually know what the form is called? (like p45 etc?)

ian

Skyhigh

As far as I know you have to go through a call centre, I think the number is 0845 600 600. You can't just pick up a form, although the form itself (I think) it a UB40.

As with any job seekers allowance, you'll also have to go to bi-monthly meetings at the job centre to assess your current stance in the job hunting scene.

I'll post more details when it gets closer to summer - when I get more information from the benefits agency/job centre.

:!:

crazyscientist

Student loans are calculated to cover the summer periods. Universities also resister students from oct-oct each year. You can't get away with legally claiming the dole anymore.

The form to stop you paying tax is a P38.

Karnam

you dont 'stop paying tax' it just means that instead of being taxed on the first 5k or so and then claiming it back later, the first 5k or so isnt automatically taxed.

Crispy_Ambulance

Sorry to the OP but your information is incorrect. Full time students cannot claim Jobseekers' Allowance and you are a full time student from the first day to the last day of your course. Some students can claim income support - usually lone parents or students with disabilities, but most students cannot.

crazyscientist

Karnam wrote:

you dont 'stop paying tax' it just means that instead of being taxed on the first 5k or so and then claiming it back later, the first 5k or so isnt automatically taxed.

Yes this is correct. You dont pay tax until you earn over £5035 in a year excluding loans/scholarships etc.

Savvy_Sue

Also the P38(S) only 'works' if you're only working during vacations, and you're signing to say that you're not expecting to earn more than your Personal Allowance.

However, don't panic if you are working during term-time as well, but still not expecting to earn more than the personal allowance (just over £5000 in the current tax year, ie 06-07), because you can either hand in a P45 (if you've left a job recently) or ask for a P46 and that way your employer should get your tax right anyway!

Skyhigh

Crispy_Ambulance wrote:

Sorry to the OP but your information is incorrect. Full time students cannot claim Jobseekers' Allowance and you are a full time student from the first day to the last day of your course. Some students can claim income support - usually lone parents or students with disabilities, but most students cannot.

You *can* get job seekers allowance if you're in full time education during the periods not covered by your student loan.
This being over summer for around 8 weeks.
Apparently there have been some recent (in the past year) changes to the criteria for claiming JSA.

I assumed, as do many people that you cannot sign on while you are still in full time education, but one of my parents (who works for the BA) has looked into the matter and apparently you can, only out of the loan-coverage period though.


Yes, I meant exempt from the allowance limit, not the total amount. Although most full time students rarely earn anywhere near the personal allowance limit.

:!:

Karnam

however the student loan COVERS the summer holiday. thats why even though the summer term is only 8 wks normally, the last student loan payment in the year is the largest amount. its supposed to help you until october.

chugalug

If you're a single parent or one of the other categories that can claim IS, your student loan and grant is not taken into account for benefits from the end of your course for that year. ie I finish on 10 June so in theory I could claim IS and HB from that date. Why is it that the student loan doesnt cover the holidays for me?? There can't be different rules over the same payments? There must be something else that stops full time students from claiming in the holidays. Having said that, is it worth it for £40? You'd get more working 2 days a week during the hols!