extra financial support for student with BPD?

Oldernotwiser

student_advisor wrote: »

Surely if she gets DLA she can get income related ESA? Although student income may interfere with this...

She might even qualify for contributions based.

Many people who get DLA hold down full time jobs, it's not related to the ability to work in the way that ESA is.

Oldernotwiser

j-josie wrote: »

think so; figs currently being re-assessed as our income dropped by 50% but doesn't that just change the non repayable element rather than giving her an actual increase in monies received?

That is the case.

I just wondered why she was struggling financially if she doesn't have a social life to spend her money on. Most people on full financial support manage reasonably well even with a expensive social life and without having savings to fall back on.

That's why I wondered whether she was getting all the normal support.

MissPop

j-josie wrote: »

Hi MissPop (sorry for delay - we had friends round for dinner!)
DD is going in to 2nd year at uni. She informed uni about her problems in her personal statement but when she got to uni all she got was a letter saying something along the lines of "If you need us, come and find us but you must come to us as we aren't going to offer anything up front". She is introverted by nature so did not do anything. She missed lots of lectures but finally got a letter from GP to confirm absences due to mental health issues. She also has to retake some modules but has got into 2nd year. I've seen her essays and she got high marks consistently (never less than 2:1 standard) so she has the potential but the BPD can mess with her head sometimes:o and make her her own worst enemy. She is on anti depressants for clinical depression: the BPD won't be formally recognised until she is older ;psychiatrist agrees she shows all the signs of it, but says she is too young for such a diagnosis and she must wait til she still has it it her 20s for it to be recognised as such..
We are hoping that she will be more pro active this year about accessing help..

Ahh, sorry, I didn't realise she's a continuing student. I can see how the uni's stance must be frustrating, but you really have to be independent at uni and if you need help, you have to go and ask for it. Which obviously is very difficult for your daughter (goodness knows I used to find it nigh on impossible to ask for help sometimes!) but it's one of those things where if she can crack that, she'll be doing great. Is there one person she could call/email/even text if she's having trouble? I know sometimes it can help if there is one person in the Learning Assistance department you can turn to, who knows your problems and what works for you. And neither of you should worry about the retakes, most people do them to be honest, and it's great that she got on to the 2nd year - she's obviously doing fine academically :T

I know how difficult it can be trying to help someone with mental health issues - it can be SO frustrating, and there's no quick fix But you seem very supportive, and I'm sure you are a great source of love and help, which is invaluable when trying to overcome these things!

j-josie

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

That is the case.

I just wondered why she was struggling financially if she doesn't have a social life to spend her money on. Most people on full financial support manage reasonably well even with a expensive social life and without having savings to fall back on.

That's why I wondered whether she was getting all the normal support.

When she was in her first year, the student loan was eaten up mostly by halls fees which didn't include food. We gave her some money to make up the difference between what we reckoned a student with parents on low income would have got as maintenance grant etc and the fig our income determined. (As luck would have it DH lost his job the month she went to uni!) He is still out of work which is why we have asked for her grant to be reassessed for year 2 as I simply can't afford to help her out.
Not really sure what the money went on - clothes and books- as she can fall back on retail therapy sometimes.. She knows she has to be more careful this year especially as she will be in a house with those bills to budget for.

j-josie

MissPop wrote: »

Ahh, sorry, I didn't realise she's a continuing student. I can see how the uni's stance must be frustrating, but you really have to be independent at uni and if you need help, you have to go and ask for it. Which obviously is very difficult for your daughter (goodness knows I used to find it nigh on impossible to ask for help sometimes!) but it's one of those things where if she can crack that, she'll be doing great. Is there one person she could call/email/even text if she's having trouble? I know sometimes it can help if there is one person in the Learning Assistance department you can turn to, who knows your problems and what works for you. And neither of you should worry about the retakes, most people do them to be honest, and it's great that she got on to the 2nd year - she's obviously doing fine academically :T

I know how difficult it can be trying to help someone with mental health issues - it can be SO frustrating, and there's no quick fix But you seem very supportive, and I'm sure you are a great source of love and help, which is invaluable when trying to overcome these things!

We do try to encourage her to be more proactive about getting help and I agree that when at uni, you will be treated as an adult. I think it's just making the first step is the hard thing to do. Hopefully once she has established contact, things will get easier.
We (mum, dad and bro) love her to bits. She is bright, quirky, fiercely independent, but as I said, her own worst enemy when the depressive side takes over. And i am a control freak who needs to learn to leave her to it..but I can't help but want to 'make it right', if only she would do this, and that..and you can see that that drives her mad in her turn!

student_advisor

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Many people who get DLA hold down full time jobs, it's not related to the ability to work in the way that ESA is.

Yes, but as a FT student on DLA, you're not expected to work and can claim ESA (used to be a claim for IB or more likely income support)

Oldernotwiser

student_advisor wrote: »

Yes, but as a FT student on DLA, you're not expected to work and can claim ESA (used to be a claim for IB or more likely income support)

I think we're at cross purposes here. You said "Surely if she gets DLA she can get income related ESA?", which is what I replied to. The criteria for DLA and ESA/IB are different and not everybody qualifies for both.

j-josie

On reflection, I don't think she'll be applying for DLA or ESA anyway. It is much better for her all round if she can get a p/t job. I certainly don't want her to live with the belief that the depression/BPD makes her unemployable.

I encourage her as much as poss to challenge the negative side of her disorder and a job would boost her self esteem (and her bank balance..)

The DSA could give her a help with some practical things (laptop etc) to ensure she stays connected to her studies if she has a bad spell of panic attacks etc and I think we'll concentrate on that for now.

Thanks for all your advice. We'll bear the other options in mind if the employment route proves impossible for her.

dmg24

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I think we're at cross purposes here. You said "Surely if she gets DLA she can get income related ESA?", which is what I replied to. The criteria for DLA and ESA/IB are different and not everybody qualifies for both.

This is correct. DLA is not a passport to ESA entitlement for students.

student_advisor

Although the forms for DLA & ESA are very negative, I would not view it as a negative thing to have to claim them.

Claiming one or the other in itself passports a student on to more funding such as housing benefit and the special support grant. This means the student has more time to devote to their course and takes the pressure off financially.

She could always apply for the benefits and use any spare time to volunteer - boosts bank balance, confidence & CV all in one. Most universities have a volunteer body of some kind, often through the student union.