Benefits for FE Students?

terahurts

I'm seeking a bit of clarity regarding benefit entitlement for Further Education students.

Our situation is this; My partner is disabled and is claiming ICB and DLA, and I'm claiming CA and the IS top-up LHA&CTR, plus CB and CTC for our two youngest children who are in full time FE courses. My youngest daughters boyfriend (20) also lives with us and has been claiming JSA for the past six months or so. Before being laid-off he was part way through a level 3 City and Guilds course for Electrical Engineering at a college in his home town. After enquiring at our local college he's been offered the chance to complete his course here which as far as we understand it will be full time and that his course fees will be paid for since he was on JSA and he's entitled to adult EMA at the full rate of £30/wk.

What we are trying to figure out is, is he or they as a couple eligible for any other state benefits? It's already a struggle living making money stretch and it seems like he's going to be dropping from £50 JSA to £30 EMA, and whilst £80/month doesn't sound like a lot, that was pretty much paying one of our utility bills.

Oldernotwiser

Most adult students in this young man's situation supplement their ALG with part time work, even when living with their own parents. He'll have plenty of time to do this as full time courses are considerably less hours than a full time job and, even at minimum wage, he'll only need to be working for 6 hours a week to be better off than he is now.

You will be receiving CB and CTC for your daughter and I assume that she's getting EMA - no other benefits are available for her.

terahurts

Yeah, that was pretty much what I figured. Having the time for a part time job is not the issue, actually finding one is however.

Indie_Kid

You can't claim ALG and out of work benefits at the same time.

terahurts

As I said, I figured as much, just a seems a bit of a dis-incentive for young kids to get off the dole and go back to College.

Oldernotwiser

terahurts wrote: »

As I said, I figured as much, just a seems a bit of a dis-incentive for young kids to get off the dole and go back to College.

ALG isn't available to young kids - only to adults.

Hammyman

terahurts wrote: »

What we are trying to figure out is, is he or they as a couple eligible for any other state benefits? It's already a struggle living making money stretch and it seems like he's going to be dropping from £50 JSA to £30 EMA, and whilst £80/month doesn't sound like a lot, that was pretty much paying one of our utility bills.

Have you informed the DWP that you are in receipt of income from the boyfriend?

terahurts

Hammyman wrote: »

Have you informed the DWP that you are in receipt of income from the boyfriend?

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "income", The DWP and the local council all know he's living here, I went with him to his first JSA pre-sign-on interview to make sure that they knew the situation and what benefits we receive, and know what benefit he receives. Since we act as a family everyone makes contributions towards things like food and utilities. I'm all for him going back to Collage and working for a decent job rather than minimum wage, trying to get by on state handouts is soul destroying and generally gets you branded as either benefit s**m or lazy.

Anything I can do to get my kids out of poverty I will. It just seems that the current system encourages kids to drop out of education at 16 and sign on rather than the other way around.

Or were you asking if I'm trying to game the system?

Jowo_2

Can anyone remember what used to happen, benefits wise, when a teenage child attends college, before the introduction of EMA, ALG and tax credits?

Oldernotwiser

terahurts wrote: »

Anything I can do to get my kids out of poverty I will. It just seems that the current system encourages kids to drop out of education at 16 and sign on rather than the other way around.
?

No it doesn't. Young people of 16 and 17 cannot claim any benefits whereas, if they stay in education, their parents can claim CB and CTC for them and they can get EMA if they're on a low income. Parents can carry on claiming for them until they reach 20, in fact.

You may think of your daughter's boyfriend as a child but he is a young man. Nowadays, if he wants to stay in education, he can claim ALG and have his fees paid, which wouldn't have been the case 5 or 6 years ago. However, he is expected to make some effort for himself, like working a few hours a week, and not expect to have everything paid for him.

Oldernotwiser

Jowo wrote: »

Can anyone remember what used to happen, benefits wise, when a teenage child attends college, before the introduction of EMA, ALG and tax credits?

ALG is only available to 19 year olds and over, not for children.

Some areas were able to offer small grants to 16/17 year olds, but it was by no means universal.