Student finance England, siblings and OU

Indie_Kid

MrsManda wrote: »

. As ONW said, you are eligible to apply for benefits in your own name so are not dependent on your parents

ONW is wrong.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

sh1305 wrote: »

ONW is wrong.

No ONW isn't. Anyone can claim benefits in their own right, even if they live at home with their parents.

Oldernotwiser

sh1305 wrote: »

ONW is wrong.

I often make mistakes, but this isn't one of them.

You are muddling the concept of being an "independent student" and generally being independent. As you are no longer at university full time, forget the first definition as it has no relevance to you.

You are independent; your parents claim no benefits for you and you should claim JSA or ESA for yourself and use this to pay your share of food and bills. If your parents are getting help with their rent then they'll get a non dependent deduction from this which it would be up to you to pay off.

Indie_Kid

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

You are independent; your parents claim no benefits for you and you should claim JSA or ESA for yourself and use this to pay your share of food and bills. If your parents are getting help with their rent then they'll get a non dependent deduction from this which it would be up to you to pay off.

It is recommended that as a disabled student, I must do 16-20 hours per week study. You can't claim benefits if working or studying for 16 hours per week. It also says that you must be prepared to give up your course if a job comes along.

I was also told by someone that working full-time (which would be expected of someone who is on JSA) and studying part-time wouldn't always be possible - especially with a disability like mine.

Taiko

Agreed with OMW. Independent for things such as the split assessment. Only students over 18 and in full time education are still classed as dependent for this.

Indie_Kid

But isn't 16-20 hours a week classed as full-time?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

sh1305 wrote: »

It is recommended that as a disabled student, I must do 16-20 hours per week study. You can't claim benefits if working or studying for 16 hours per week. It also says that you must be prepared to give up your course if a job comes along.

I was also told by someone that working full-time (which would be expected of someone who is on JSA) and studying part-time wouldn't always be possible - especially with a disability like mine.

How depressing to just accept all the pronouncements of 'you can't do this, you can't do that'.

Especially when the people telling you all this aren't right.

If you are doing OU study, as other people have pointed out, it has NO bearing on your benefit entitlements, as the tutorials only amount to about 30 minutes a week. What you read and do unsupervised is not included as part of studying.

You obviously have a good brain, and it is so wrong that you are learning so young to just give up on the rest of your life. If you were at college for 16 hours a week, they would have a point. But you are not. So it is irrelevant.

OU study is not an issue. If you were to get a job, nobody would be knocking on your door demanding that you give back your textbooks. In the same way, no employer would have the right to say 'you mustn't study and think for yourself in the evening'. So if you are medically unable to work, you are unable to work and entitled to claim benefit as an adult. Obviously saying 'I can't do a thing because I have a two hour tutorial next month' for someone claiming as a healthy person is different, but you have made it clear to us that you are genuinely unable to work at present. There is nothing more discouraging than looking at things in terms of 'I can't do that. No. It's not possible. I'm not allowed.'

I am getting worried that your parents are unconsciously trying to keep you dependent for fear of you growing up and not needing them as much, and problems at a conventional university has let them to take the 'well you can't cope, can you?' attitude.

I'm not having a go at you, I am concerned that you could end up extremely depressed with such a mindset, especially if you have a sister fulfilling the role of 'the one who can do things'.

MrsManda

sh1305 wrote: »

It is recommended that as a disabled student, I must do 16-20 hours per week study. You can't claim benefits if working or studying for 16 hours per week. It also says that you must be prepared to give up your course if a job comes along. I was also told by someone that working full-time (which would be expected of someone who is on JSA) and studying part-time wouldn't always be possible - especially with a disability like mine.

You're getting mixed up with what people on this thread are trying to tell you. Your original post asked why your sister has received less grant now you are not attending university.
Your sister will have been assessed on your parents income, which makes a judgement of how much your parents should contribute. The contribution is split when there is more than one child at university and applying for finance which is what happened last year.
This year, you are not a full time student so this split contribution doesn't happen.
The other reason which may cause a reduction in parental contribution is if the parents also have dependent children. You do not count as a dependent child as you are over 18 and not in full time education.

Taiko has said that you are classed as independent in these circumstances.

Where does it say that it is recommended that you do 16-20 hours studying a week? (Recommended is not the same as Must)

Oldernotwiser

sh1305 wrote: »

But isn't 16-20 hours a week classed as full-time?

There is no such thing as full time study with the OU - they only offer part time courses.

Oldernotwiser

sh1305 wrote: »

It is recommended that as a disabled student, I must do 16-20 hours per week study. You can't claim benefits if working or studying for 16 hours per week. It also says that you must be prepared to give up your course if a job comes along.

Having already studied at degree level for a year it would be highly unlikely that you needed to study for this amount of time. Many people studying with the OU have no previous experience of HE and are twice or three times your age.

There would be no reason for you to give up studying if you're offered a job as the OU is intended for people to study alongside employment. If you're not capable of working you should be claiming ESA and studying at the same time.