Benefits while in full-time education

andrealuton

Hi, don't know if anyone can provide any advice.

My husband and I are moving into full-time education in September. The course is three months long and is residential. During this time we will have to put our DS (will be 9mths then) into daycare during class-time. My husband is quitting his job in August before which we are leaving our rented accomodation and moving in with his parents (to save some cash) until the course begins. the course is on inter-cultural relations and is all but required for us to take a job overseas with a charity (and no, they don't pay for it).

Are we eligible for any state help? I'm Canadian, but have been living here for the 2 years since we've been married. When we move overseas we will continue to pay UK taxes as our salaries will come from here.

(Tried the http://entitledto.co.uk/ check but it won't work for full-time education)

thanks.

karenx

Apart from your child tax credits you wont get any other benefits.
Have you looked into seeing if the uni or college have student loans or grants available?
You wont get help for childcare through tax credits either

Indie_Kid

There is the access to learning fund.

andrealuton

karenx wrote: »

Apart from your child tax credits you wont get any other benefits.
Have you looked into seeing if the uni or college have student loans or grants available?
You wont get help for childcare through tax credits either

Will our child tax credits go up? And would we be able to apply for the healthy start thing as our income over those 3 months would be effectively £0?

dmg24

sh1305 wrote: »

There is the access to learning fund.

The ALF are not likely to be very helpful. With non undergraduate courses they expect the student to have ensured they have sufficient funds to complete the course before starting it. They are only likely to help where there has been an unexpected change in circumstances.

MissMoneypenny

andrealuton wrote: »

Will our child tax credits go up?

Child Tax Credits are welfare payments for the children. Parents' should not be living off their childrens money.

Why can't you and your husband do evening and weekends jobs, instead of taking your childrens money?

AnxiousMum

What type of visa are you on Andrea - are you still on a visa or do you have your indefinite leave to remain?

Missmoneypenny - with all due respect to your post above - the parents are making a choice that will enable them to PROVIDE FOR THEIR CHILD IN THE FUTURE - and if the child tax credits for a whopping three months help enable them to do this, is that not the funds being used for the child in the long run? It's not like Andrea is running out to buy herself a new outfit and shoes to go partying n the money!

As mentioned above, look for the Access to Learning Fun - I think this is the equivalent of what a 16-18yr old gets for EMA - so about £30 per week each (as long as you have recourse to public funds).

Would it be plausible for you to do the course first, make sure it's the right course for you and is taking you where you want to go, while your husband still works, and then he does the course next time around? This would help ensure that you still have some income coming in while enabling you both to get the course done.

OP: Ignore my mentioning of Access to Learning Fund - as pointed out below by Oldernotwiser - not applicable in this case, sorry

McKneff

Good post there AM and a good idea in your last paragraph, seems ultra sensible to me...............

Oldernotwiser

I can't think of any funding you could access. What were you planning to live on when you arranged to do the course?

Oldernotwiser

AnxiousMum wrote: »

As mentioned above, look for the Access to Learning Fun - I think this is the equivalent of what a 16-18yr old gets for EMA - so about £30 per week each (as long as you have recourse to public funds).

No, that's the Adult Learning Grant and is totally inappropriate to these circumstances.

Indie_Kid

Anyone at college can apply to the access to leaning fund.