advanced apprenticship - additional funding?

rebecca.t

I'm starting an advanced apprenticship soon and will get paid £110 for the next 2 years.

I am 24 and have a young child in nursery so i will able to claim child tax credit and working tax credit. But I am concerned that this will not be enough to survive on as i run a house and a car (Placement is 20 miles away from house so i can't sell the car). I've considered moving nearer to job placement but the initial costs of van rental, deposit, carpet, decor etc would out-benefit any savings made.

Does anyone know of any grants that can be applied for whilst you're doing an apprenticship?

Any help will be appreciated.

Lokolo

You might be able to get housing benefit too.

I don't know of anything else. However, what you should do is plan for the worst.

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

Do this, find out how much you'll be getting. I assume the £110 is per week, not £110 to last you 2 years? (;))

Then do an SOA:

http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

This will help stop you getting into debt, or, if theres no chance of that, reducing the amount of debt you will get into.

rebecca.t

Thank you! Those links are very useful.

My local borough has sent me an application form for housing benefit but it's the size of a small book & i've heard alsorts of stories of how it takes months for payments to start & then they get payments wrong etc. I almost feel too guilty to apply as well, the current government seem to frown upon those on benefits & i haven't had to rely on them before.

I've thought about applying for emergency credit cards now whilst i'm still in the green but this probably wont be helpful in the long run!

Fingers crossed it all works out in the end!

Oldernotwiser

LHA/HB is not as complicated as it seems and you are perfectly eligible to apply for it on a low income.