Redundancy - College next step!?

Dev86

Hello there,

I was made redundant on Monday 18th of July.

I've been to the council and Job centere and applied for all I can. Because I am under 25, I am only eligibable for £52 JSA a week and £70 a week Housing benefit.(they aparently pay in full for the rent for the first 13 weeks - and within these 13 weeks i turn 25) This is not enough for me to continue living where I am at the moment.

I have been on 2 interviews in teh past week and have come close, but didn't get the job(kept on record for future vacancies etc)

Could someone tell me of my options at the moment? - I currently see it as, either down grading my flat to a cheaper place, or what I would really like to do is head to Telford to get on an AAT level 2 and 3 accountancy intensive course which takes 8 months(this is what i wanted to achieve part time in the evenings over a 2 year period)

Can anyone tell me if I am entitled to any grants to do wit hthis course at all , so that I hpefully dont have to move from my current home and have to move back in with my parents for perhaps a year?

I can possibly can sub-let this place to someone - this place i am at now is based in north wales , but ide be lodging down with my sister in shrewsbury for easier commute to college 3 days a week to college - would this stop me from gaining all housing benefit and job seekers?

I am very confused at the moment as to my options and waht i can and cant claim. I understand if i even gained a part time job, every pound i earned would be therefore removed from my job seekers allowance payout.... and as i am single and 24 I have no workin tax credits to rely on.....

Can anyone tell me of an option I could perhaps try in attempt to keep my flat, work part time and attend college 4 days a week?

My rent costs £525 a month.

Any more questions, please ask , i am really anxious about what to do next...

Thanks all

saintjammyswine

The cheapest way to do AAT is to do an accountancy apprenticeship where AAT is both the technical certificate and the assessed element. As you are 24 the employer will have to contribute to the costs but only a couple of hundred pounds (not set but most providers, especially colleges will charge about this). You will have to look for an employer willing to take you on as an apprentice although the provider will help you. There will be no charges to you for doing this.

miss_edith

Maybe look elsewhere to do AAT. I've just finished level 2 at Telford and depending on the teacher you get it can be very poor. I heard one of the really bad teachers will be doing part of level 3 so there is no way I'm going back there to do it. Organisation is a bit of a shambles too but there are some good teachers in among them.