Part-time student/Part-time work/Benefits questions

Oldernotwiser

Nyfle wrote: »

No, it's 16 hours. Anything below that is considered part-time and would be fine; going over that threshold would mean having to sign off, though.

You're not allowing for private study time though.

Dawning

I did an Access course approx 6 years ago. Although I was only at college for 5 hours a day, 3 days a week for one year it was classed as a full time course.

Nyfle

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

You're not allowing for private study time though.

That's an interesting point.

According to http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dmgch30.pdf ("Full-time course of advanced education", 30027):

F/T course of advanced education means ... a course of advanced education that is ... a course of study which ... the student in more than 16 guided learning hours per week (seven days) as stated in England in the student's learning agreement; or Wales in a document signed on behalf of the college.

Which I'd take to mean that non-guided ("private") study isn't included within those 16 hours. I could very well be wrong, though.

leemoss

I've just spoke to my girlfriend and she was told yesterday at the college that as the course is under 15hours 59mins, its considered to be part time.
She should probably check with the job centre to make sure.

Oldernotwiser

Nyfle wrote: »

That's an interesting point.

According to http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dmgch30.pdf ("Full-time course of advanced education", 30027):

F/T course of advanced education means ... a course of advanced education that is ... a course of study which ... the student in more than 16 guided learning hours per week (seven days) as stated in England in the student's learning agreement; or Wales in a document signed on behalf of the college.

Which I'd take to mean that non-guided ("private") study isn't included within those 16 hours. I could very well be wrong, though.

That's only part of the picture though. From the Learndirect site,


"Effect on benefits of studying part-time
A course of Further Education is part-time for most benefit purposes if you are:
• under 19, or aged 19 if you started your course when you were under 19, and
• your course is 12 hours or less a week; or
• aged 19 when you start your course, or aged 20 or over, and
• your course consists of 16 hours or less of classes a week, or 21 hours or less a week when
you include all study requirements.
If your course is above these limits then you are a full-time student for benefit purposes. "

Oldernotwiser

leemoss wrote: »

I've just spoke to my girlfriend and she was told yesterday at the college that as the course is under 15hours 59mins, its considered to be part time.
She should probably check with the job centre to make sure.

It's always a good idea to check as there's often some flexibility in the definitions. However, it's the Jobcentre's definition she has to comply with rather than the college's and they may not both be the same.

leemoss

My main concern is if she was considered to be a part time student, would then working part time stop her housing benefits? As combined she would be doing over 16 hours.

Oldernotwiser

leemoss wrote: »

My main concern is if she was considered to be a part time student, would then working part time stop her housing benefits? As combined she would be doing over 16 hours.

HB/LHA is based on her income, not on the number of hours she works.

Nyfle

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

That's only part of the picture though. From the Learndirect site,


"Effect on benefits of studying part-time
A course of Further Education is part-time for most benefit purposes if you are:
• under 19, or aged 19 if you started your course when you were under 19, and
• your course is 12 hours or less a week; or
• aged 19 when you start your course, or aged 20 or over, and
• your course consists of 16 hours or less of classes a week, or 21 hours or less a week when
you include all study requirements.
If your course is above these limits then you are a full-time student for benefit purposes. "

Right. The only bit of the above that I think could be problematic, considering the context of this thread, is age. Regardless, a decision maker isn't going to use the site you reference as a source of guidance and/or law; they'll be using the DMG. And the version of the DMG that I'm looking at sets no upper limit on private study hours, which was the only point I intended on debating.

You're right that advice should be sought directly from the Jobcentre, though, because their advice carries more weight than that of an Internet forum, plus they're the ones who do the referals.

/vanishes

Oldernotwiser

Nyfle wrote: »

Right. The only bit of the above that I think could be problematic, considering the context of this thread, is age. Regardless, a decision maker isn't going to use the site you reference as a source of guidance and/or law; they'll be using the DMG. And the version of the DMG that I'm looking at sets no upper limit on private study hours, which was the only point I intended on debating.

You're right that advice should be sought directly from the Jobcentre, though, because their advice carries more weight than that of an Internet forum, plus they're the ones who do the referals.

/vanishes

I'm not sure why you think that age is problematic in this case .

And, of course, neither of us asked the OP whether his friend lives in England, Wales or Scotland, which is relevant here.