Lone parent student, lose housing benefit?

Fire_Fox

inchinga wrote: »

I estimate that since I lost my job at the end of last year, and started studying at an adult college, I've been getting what works out to be around £18000 per year (12000 housing benefit and 6000 income support and child tax credit).

A veritable fortune I know, and am grateful for. However, even if I get the parents learning allowance and the london top up and the special support grant, I will be around £8000 in deficit per year, as we live pretty frugally, and just come out.

I have got about £3000 in ISA savings, but this would still leave £5000 which would leave us in a real pickle rent wise.

I have applied for a ton of part time jobs, but so far no luck.

There are entire families living on £4K per year over on the DFW board, after rent and council tax (full time students exempt) are accounted for. Do you have less than this when you take your loan grant and child benefit into account?

inchinga

Fire_Fox wrote: »

There are entire families living on £4K per year over on the DFW board, after rent and council tax (full time students exempt) are accounted for. Do you have less than this when you take your loan grant and child benefit into account?

I would have a lot less than this if I don't get the housing benefit. As stated I would have -£8000 per year at an estimate.

If I can get a part time job, this would not be a problem, but haven't landed one yet.

LNG

Hi, sorry if i've missed something completely but it sounds like you are about to enrol onto a full-time course because of the effects on your benefits, is it possible to find a part-time course? I am also a lone parent at uni, but am doing it part time over 4 years- as im an undergrad, my local council pays most of the fees, my uni pays the rest and both pay me a reasonable grant for learning materials (equals just over £300/yr to cover books and travel). Sorry if i'm completely off, it's just a thought...

LNG

P.s, more to your original point, my studies in no way affect my income support or housing benefit due to the fact that it's part-time

sammylamby

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Certainly the loan and grant will count as income, although I'm not sure about the PLA.

I would expect that you'd get at least some of the rent paid when you're studying - I used to advise my clients that they shouldn't be any worse of as students and some may be a little better. Your Student Services/ Welfare are likely to be in a better position to run through the figures with you; the council and JCP aren't always much good on questions of full time students and benefits.

Not so, the only income taken into account when working out lone parents benefit is the student loan.

Oldernotwiser

sammylamby wrote: »

Not so, the only income taken into account when working out lone parents benefit is the student loan.

You're right; the OP said she was claiming the Maintenance Grant so I based my answer on that. As she'll be claiming the Special Support Grant then it won't affect her benefits. Thanks for the clarification.

pinkshoes

So if you own a property and pay mortgage each month (which is less than you would pay in rent), and would like to give up work and study full time for a year, can you also get housing benefit to pay your mortgage (interest) along with some sort of grant for studying??