Did I miss something?

welf_man

stetho wrote:

The grants, loans and bursaries available to me in a year - after paying fees - don't cover a years rent. Any of these items (except the student loan) is seen as income and would immediately stop my entitlement to benefits.

It depends on the benefits - they don't stop Housing Benefit, for instance. And you wouldn't be paying fees - the SLC would via a Tuition Fees Loan.

stetho wrote:

I spoke to a number of people - student loans company, DWP, Finance offices of the Universities I applied to, local council - they all gave me different answers. Not one of them gave me the same answer and a few of them, Student Loans most notably, gave me information that lead me to believe that I would be able to support my family with the financial support available.

What info. did SLC give you? I'm surprised none of the University / Students' Union Money Advisers were able to give you the full picture - most are well used to doing benefit calculations to work out how much Housing Benefit and Child Tax Credit you would be likely to get.

Many students in your circumstances receive getting on for £20,000, tax-free - more than I do as a full-time student adviser!

Mel.

stetho

welf_man wrote: »

It depends on the benefits - they don't stop Housing Benefit, for instance. And you wouldn't be paying fees - the SLC would via a Tuition Fees Loan.


What info. did SLC give you? I'm surprised none of the University / Students' Union Money Advisers were able to give you the full picture - most are well used to doing benefit calculations to work out how much Housing Benefit and Child Tax Credit you would be likely to get.

Many students in your circumstances receive getting on for £20,000, tax-free - more than I do as a full-time student adviser!

Mel.

First thing here is that my local council have confirmed that if I became a full time student they won't pay housing benefit. Nothing. Zip. Diddly. I would have to pay my rent and council tax in full.

One Uni, for example, told me about the money from SLC - the maintenance grant - and offered me a Mature Student Bursary of £360. Added together, that still won't pay the rent. And there is absolutely no way that I could get £20,000 in loans, grants and bursaries. £20,000 is a figure I've not got anywhere near. The most I've been offered is a total of £9,335.

The SLC told me about a grant that I don't have the name of in front of me now. It's called the Special <something> grant. It was described as "may or may not affect other benefits". Well, it does affect other benefits. As with everything else, it's classed as income. As soon as I have an income I'm not entitled to anything else. The ALG is the same. I can't get the ALG if I'm claiming housing benefit. One years worth of ALG is the equivalent of 2 months rent. It's not a great trade off.

I would like to thanks everyone for their input so far. It *has* been helpful but in general it has only reinforced what I've already found. If you're single with no kids, there's a lot of help. If you're a single parent, there's a massive amount of help. If you're married with kids, there's nothing. Well, very little. The clauses and gotchas that apply to me are numerous. Another problem, for example, is the child care grant. In my situation, if my wife doesn't work I get nothing, if she goes to work we only get a small percentage of the childcare costs. Which means we have to top up the remainder. With only one income, it doesn't make sense to go to work to pay a large chunk of that income out for child care.

Alcmene

Hi

I wish you the best of luck in trying to obtain funding, I have nothing to offer in that department.

I would like to ask you to research the teaching market though. My BF is a qualified teacher with experience and cannot find a permanent post. All that is available is supply work, and frankly schools prefer to hire young newly qualified teachers as they work out a lot cheaper.

Oldernotwiser

The most obvious solutions are the GTP (which has been mentioned earlier) and studying part time (have a look at the flexible PGCE with the OU) whilst carrying on claiming benefits. The OU course needn't take that much longer as it's flexible, depending on the student's previous experience.

"Studying for a PGCE with The Open University can provide the foundations of a successful and rewarding career in secondary school teaching.

We are offering a different route in to the profession: the OU flexible Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) which incorporates Qualified Teacher Status. We offer courses in six secondary subjects: Maths, Science, Design and Technology, Modern Foreign Languages (French, German or Spanish), Geography and Music.

You could also be eligible for a Bursary of up to £9000 (conditions apply).

How much training you need in order to become a fully qualified teacher will be determined by an initial audit of your knowledge and experience. The individualised course you will then study is modular and allows flexible patterns of study over a period of up to three years. Distance-learning study of the theory of teaching and learning is integrated with its practical application during continuous periods of teaching in Open University partner schools.

Applications are accepted at any time of the year. Admission is selective and involves assessing your qualifications, and being interviewed at both the OU and at one of our partner schools."



There are options out there but you do need to be flexible about things and not expect to have everything handed to you on a plate.

Fire_Fox

If it's so expensive to live in your area, why don't you relocate for a year?

slummymummyof3

Approach schools for the GTP programme (although these are becoming harder to come by) alternatively approach FE colleges - you don't need a teachig qualification to go and teach for them - providing you are prepared to work towards one whilst in employment with them.......this might be a better solution for you?????? FE colleges recognise the fact that you have experience in the 'real world' that they could make use of.

Oldernotwiser

slummymummyof3 wrote: »

Approach schools for the GTP programme (although these are becoming harder to come by) alternatively approach FE colleges - you don't need a teachig qualification to go and teach for them - providing you are prepared to work towards one whilst in employment with them.......this might be a better solution for you?????? FE colleges recognise the fact that you have experience in the 'real world' that they could make use of.

You're absolutely right about FE colleges but I wouldn't recommend it as a long term route for someone with a family to support. This sector is incredibly underpaid compared to school teaching and with far fewer prospects. (I speak as an ex FE lecturer!)