OH going to Uni

laurenjs88

Hi there,
My OH is hoping to go to Uni in september and we are trying to work out how its going to work for our family financially.

Currently I get SSP from work but will be leaving when it runs out in June (I think thats when they can sack me?) and get HRC LRM DLA.

OH works on £20k pa and will be leaving in June also. We have 2 small children.

At this point I think we can go onto Income Support for a short period and claim Carers Allowance, but I believe IS and CA cant be claimed if he is a student?

We're not sure how much he will get in student loans etc.. so just trying to get an idea on numbers and see where we can cut back ready for the change!

Entitled To doesnt calculate for full time students so we are compltely stumped!

dmg24

Your employer can dismiss you at anytime if you are incapable of fulfilling your role. Your partner will be able to claim IS and CA until he is a student.

Given your situation, your partner's decision to go to university now seems like madness. Can he not defer for a year?

GlasweJen

Any loans or grant that your OH gets will be classed as income even if he doesn't take them up.

If your doctor continues to give you a fit note stating that you are incapable of work you can claim ESA at a fixed rate until you get a medical assessment, after that you will be put onto either JSA (where you have to be actively seeking work) or ESA work related or support. Your ESA will be based on NI contributions if you have been paying them for the last 2 years, CB ESA lasts for 1 year (i think, that rule might not have come in yet).

Aside from that there's not much help you can get. When OH starts at uni he will not be counted for council tax so you'll get 25% off.

I second DMG, is now really the best time for uni?

Becles

He could consider keeping his job and studying with the Open University.

That would seem a better solution as you still have his wage coming in and he still gets to study.

laurenjs88

The thing is if he doesnt go now, When the fee's go up next year its just not going to be a possibility at all. Open Uni isnt really an option as it would cost to much per course for us to stump up in front.

Things are rocky between us so its quite possibly this will mark the end of our relationship if he goes away but I need to work it out on the basis we dont spilt. I am trying to set up my own business so hopefully I may be able to support us all through the time he is at uni when/if it takes off.

He's put off going back for the last 2 years but we both agree he really cant put it off untill next year with the changes coming in!

calleyw

laurenjs88 wrote: »

The thing is if he doesnt go now, When the fee's go up next year its just not going to be a possibility at all. Open Uni isnt really an option as it would cost to much per course for us to stump up in front.

Have you looked in to this or are you just guessing? What courses is he going to do?

As OU have student accounts to pay your fees. And the interest is very low. So you pay for your course per month over the duration of the course.

Also you can earn up to approx £25k and still get help with fees.

Yours

Calley

laurenjs88

its a computer graphics course so not run by OU anyway. He wants to develop games which is a really competitive industry but he has a HND in computing and 2 year Web development experience. We've got to wait and see if he gets on the course first but we'll manage if he does its jsut one of those circumstances that Entitled to cant work out!

Gleeful

Yeah, it's a really competitive industry. No guarantee of a job. You can't afford to do it and therefore should not take the risk.

ManicMum

I just don't know how folks manage to do uni with a family. I know a family with 4 kids who have half a job between them, 2 cars,mortgage, centerparcs holidays, fancy clobber etc. One of them at uni. How do you do it? Maybe they have lottery win!

ERICS_MUM

This might sound mean, but if you cannot support yourselves while your OH takes up his studies, then I don't see how he can do it.

To be honest I think it's a bit much to live on state benefits so he can give up a good wage of £20,000 to indulge an interest that might or might not lead to another career in a few years time.

Could he study part time, e.g. a couple of evenings a week at a further education college or summer school ?

divastrop

You would be better off posting on the 'student money saving' forum, there are people who can advise on how much you could get in loans etc. You can still get child tax credits and in some cases some housing benefit when receiving student finance.
I'm afraid I do agree with many on here though, the way things are at the moment I think your OH would be a fool to give up a 20k a year job, especially with a family to support.