Would I be entitled to benefits?

CherylOB

Hi,

I am considering leaving my job to study full time, first an Access course at my local college and then a full time degree for 3 years.

I was wondering if I would be entitled to any benefits during that time? Currently I work full time, I'm 30 and a single parent to my 7 year old daughter.

At the moment I receive Child benefit and £38 child tax credit every 4 weeks.

I received child maintenance via CSA. How would that be affected?

Sorry for all the questions, obviously a big step for me and can't seem to find a straight answer anywhere!

Thanks,
Cheryl

Newly_retired

Sorry I don't have all the answers but you could try contacting the Student Welfare office at your course campus, or ring your local Citizens' Advice Bureau and ask them to check your benefit entitlement.

Becles

Have you looked at Open University?

You could study and still keep your job. You'll probably get help with all or some of your course fees too. Check the calculator on their financial support pages to see how much help you could be entitled to.

welshmoneylover

Have you thought about studying for a degree with The Open University and why the heck should the tax payer pay your benefits while you chose voluntarily to give up work? :mad:

Fiver29

I don't think you'd be entitled to anything for the Access course, unless you did it PT, but then you'd have to sign on for Jobseekers, and job seek. For the degree you'd have to get a student loan like any uni student. The OU would be a far better bet.

Killmark

CherylOB wrote: »

Hi,

I am considering leaving my job to study full time, first an Access course at my local college and then a full time degree for 3 years.

I was wondering if I would be entitled to any benefits during that time? Currently I work full time, I'm 30 and a single parent to my 7 year old daughter.

You would most likely get Income Support, however from October if your youngest child is 7 you would likely be switched to JSA.

In which case if your in F/T study you would not be eligible for JSA at that point.

• from 26 October 2009, if your youngest child is aged ten or over, or will be ten in the next year, your Income Support may stop during that year if you are only claiming it because you are a lone parent
• from 25 October 2010, if your youngest child is aged seven or over, or will be seven in the next year, your Income Support may stop during that year if you are only claiming it because you are a lone parent

divastrop

you would probably be better off continuing to work while doing the access course if you can, many people who were on the course with me continued to work, although those who did full time found it a struggle.
As others have said, when it comes to uni then student finance is your only option, although as a single parent you may be entitled to housing benefit and child tax credits. I don't know how maintenance would affect it.

divastrop

welshmoneylover wrote: »

Have you thought about studying for a degree with The Open University and why the heck should the tax payer pay your benefits while you chose voluntarily to give up work? :mad:

Wouldn't it be better to take a few years out to study then be able to support oneself without any help from the taxpayer than stay in a low paid job and have to rely on state top ups?

Killmark

divastrop wrote: »

Wouldn't it be better to take a few years out to study then be able to support oneself without any help from the taxpayer than stay in a low paid job and have to rely on state top ups?

Your making an assumption here.

The first is how the OP would support themselves whilst studying.

The second is this, qualifications or a degree do not mean you will get a better paid job. Most graduates do not work in the field they studied, it merely demonstrates to an employer they "should" be able to think for themselves.

The third is the OP has stated their current salary so how do you know they are in a low paid job?

Not sure if you noticed the benefits the OP states they recieve or the rate.

welshmoneylover

divastrop wrote: »

Wouldn't it be better to take a few years out to study then be able to support oneself without any help from the taxpayer than stay in a low paid job and have to rely on state top ups?

No, it wouldn't as there is no guarantee of better paid employment once the degree is over. Indeed, the OP would have huge student loans to repay back.

Studying with The Open University mean the OP can learn and earn and gain experience which is a far better 'qualification' than any benefit or piece of paper.

I wish the OP well with her studies :T

Deepmistrust

welshmoneylover wrote: »

No, it wouldn't as there is no guarantee of better paid employment once the degree is over. Indeed, the OP would have huge student loans to repay back.

Studying with The Open University mean the OP can learn and earn and gain experience which is a far better 'qualification' than any benefit or piece of paper.

I wish the OP well with her studies :T

I suppose it boils down to what the OP wants to study. Perphaps if she is leaving a well-paid job to study say...fine art...(no offence to anyone undertaking that degree), but I doubt it will either materialise in any relevant job. Whereas if she is say...looking to work as a social worker in Child Protection (for example)...again it might not make her a millionaire, but vocational courses can benefit society aswell as the individual. In short, I don't think it's always about how much money she can earn from her degree, but how useful it is, not just to her, but to society, as to whether it makes sense to give up full-time work to study full-time.

(Have to add that studing with the OU for Social Work is not an option, as far as I am aware you will only access their Social Work degree if you are employed by social services, and they are sponsoring your study).

But otherwise I would agree that part-time study and part-time work is probably the better choice, assuming it's an option.