A complete Mess

missk_ensington

They have changed all the system for this year and I'm well p1ssed off about it. In the Guidebook they gave an example of single parent with one child (which I am) and assessed her on 'old-system' and 'new system'. On the old system we get £16,385 on the new system she got £20,500 or something like that.

I only get my loan, £4,440, HE Grant £1000 and PLA £1400 = £6840 System get their loan, PLA, HE and all these new Mainataince Grants and Special Support Grants.

Wish I'd taken a year out!

radaas

we never even got HE grant, so count yourself a bit more lucky.

for some strange reason she has been given full loan and no tuition fees to pay every year in cluding the year she was pregnant and gave birth she always had to pay her tuition fee and only got a 3k loan, even though legally hey parents had filed for bankrupcy!!!

lil'H

OK I was a student parent, and my parents income etc meant that I had to pay fees etc. The system for me went as followed (I graduated July this year)

Fees - I had to pay
Childcare grant 85% of which parental contribution meant that my grant was reduced to about 50%
Student parent learning allowance £1300
Full student loan (as reduction from parental contibution comes off fees, followed by childcare grant then SL last)

My parents income was more than your exes so she should still get some of the childcare grant.

In addition income was low enough to get housing benefit, my rent was £725 a month, and I only had to pay around £160, HB picked up the rest. HB only take into account income from student loan not childcare grant. Also I explained my parents weren't paying deemed contribution, they wrote a letter to that effect and that was not taken into account either. There is a set figure they also disregard from your student loan to allow for books etc. SL is calculated up till summer holidays, so she'd be eligable for full HB an dincome support over the summer break.

Additionally the university should have a hardship fund, go to registry and ask for forms, this is something you on't have to pay back and HB can't take into account as income, I recieved around £9000 over the three years, and you can apply anytime during the year, though best to get in there early. Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit run at £17 sometinhg and £44 something a week respectively, get them paid to her not you, as tax credits have differing amounts for single parents, which in financial terms you are as you live seperately.

If the new system means she is automatically an independent student then she should get full chidlcare grant as well, though I know sometimes they run you on the system you started on, not the current one. Also look up on EGAS for charitable grants for student parents.


Firstly though, make sure she gets onto housing benefits and checks her entitlement, some areas you have to argue with (my initial claim was dealt with by someone who had never dealt with a student case, she allocated me £31 a week housing benefit, but when I asked for it to be second checked and showed her the calcualtions guide form Student loans it went up to £120ish.)

It'll be worth it in the end for both of you though, and I have to say I really respect you for being such a supportive father, so often things get messy but it sounds like you two are acting really responsibly (only wish my ex could be the same).

Hope this helps,
Lil'H

lil'H

radaas wrote:

(Its really weird these past few years, when we need to be classed as independents we are not, then with other things when we want to be classed as dependents we're not- and just seem to get a bum deal, like the government etc would rather have us both drop out of uni, one work a low paid job the other child care full time, we would be financially better off, what happened to rewarding the ones that make an effort?)

Just wanted to add I know exactly how you feel, the more you make an effort the more they seem to penalise you, i was "dependent" despite my parents being retired, and my being a single parent entitled to claim benefits in my own right. My Dad nearly choked when he saw the rules about students under 25, he siad wasn't i supposed to be an adult at 18!

radaas

HB has been a pain for the past 2 years we have tried to make a claim.
The first tiem we had only found out late that we would be eligible but applied around jan.
april time we called u pand asked about it and they said they have no record of it, had to come in to show them the form that they stamped as proof of receipt of our application.
We then submitted everything they asked for, comeing up to may time we ad a letter saying that they needed more theings that we failed to provide (we had been to their offices twice with 4 lever arch folders containing everything and asked them what they wanted)
as this is exam time we just left it at that.
Then this past year we tried to apply again and we just never go t proper responses or even callbacks that we were promised. Bristol council are beyond useless!!!

The past 2 years since having the little one has been a killer financially, as landlords either ask for students no kids or parents welcome but no students. So in my experience have always had to pay shed loads out for accomodatation £650-750 (and this is bristol!!)

on a funny note just after i had finished my year long placement and had a very health bank balance we were calling around for places to rent.

.....
Landlady - so what do you do?
Me - im a student
Landlady - how will you pay?
Me - ......with money!?!
Landlady - but how will you pay?
Me - ... standing order possibly
Landlady - But how will you pay?
Me - ... eh with funds that i have
Landlady - but your a student!
Me - i just finihed a placement and have the funds in my bank to cover the rent
Landlady - well i would need to ask for a deposit
Me - thats fine, how much?
Landlady - 6 months
Me - GOODBYE!

radaas

Also called the taxman to explain that by definition on their website i am a lone parent, but in actual fact we are a couple and i want to add her onto there.

He said thats fine but it will mean that my payments will stop and she will then have to be asessed

at the moment cash flow is very low, so dont want to rock the boat just yet, i did tell them i worked, well i was tempping but i cant give them a figure as one week i was earning£9 p/h then 8 then i had no work now im on * with a bonus at teh end that will make 9 (but its not guarenteed)

He said just to find out an estimate and tell them.

Any idea what the best value is to give them in order not to be paying shed loads out as overpayments later, but will at least help us out a bit more financially
before when on placement i was on 15.5k and got anout £20 in WTC, i think i should hopefully be on about 17-19K however i plan to get a 2nd job to pick up anopther 2-4k for the year - cause damn we gonna need it, to get though this year with out my student loan/ grants/student status benefits

CIS

Also called the taxman to explain that by definition on their website i am a lone parent, but in actual fact we are a couple and i want to add her onto there.

I would be very careful with you claim - unless the details have changed, you posted earlier saying that you have a child but are seperated, in at least one post , you caller her your ex.
From what you've posted, you wouldn't meet the definition of a couple for benefit purposes.

If tax credits later decide that you aren't acouple then you'll be held liable for all money received,a nd possibly prosecuted,

Iam not saying they will, but you need to be careful as to what you declare on the claim - having a child together does not automatically mean that you are a couple , and having the child for only short periods of time, with your ex asthe main carer. does not always mean that you will be able to claim as a lone parent.

lil'H

Regardign HB again, yes they can be a hasstle, but don't just decide not to bother, this could be worth £600+ a month to your ex! Also I would advise NOT going together. As a single parent which she is entitled to more, if the child lives with her and you don't, she is a single parent with regard to benefits. You going along to will only make them suspicious that she is making a false claim, as a single person. I know you want to support her, but financially she is better off making sure everything goes to her, adn is claimed by her alone.

lil'H

missk_ensington

Even if you are under 25 and not married, you can still appeal for Independent status if you can prove you have supported yourself for 3 years, either in the way of benefits or working and paying your own rent/bills.

I appealed but could only prove 18 months because the year before that I lived with my sons father and he paid all the rent, council tax/water ws included and the electric was a meter so I couldn't prove it.

Luckily this year anyone with a child regardless of age is Independent, which is good. It's ridiculous that your parents are expected to support your degree when you have a child and your own house. I have a mortgage, a job, and my son is 2 and a half, and I live 70 miles from any of my family, yet if they hadn't changed the rules this year I would still have to be dependent!

wisewoman

Hi radass!
You need to sit down with someone at Citizen's Advice. There is free help out there.