2 Married Students Looking for Funding

MrKenny

Hi all,

My wife and I are both students once again, having returned to studying after a few years break. I'm going into the last year of my undergraduate course, while my OH is now in her last year of her doctorate.

We knew money would be tight and had saved and planned reasonably well. Unfortunately, circumstances out of our control prevented my wife from finishing before her funding ran out, and me from working as much as I had planned during the vacation.

Suddenly, the situation we are in is pretty dire - we're maybe a month or two away from being unable to pay rent. Frustratingly, we were pretty close to making it as she's only for or five months from submitting her thesis.

While I could go to my pensioner parents and ask them to rescue us from a life on the streets, I worry that would end with them helping us to stay in our home at the expense of them staying in theirs.

So, to my questions...

Does anyone know of any funding/benefits available to mature students with a combined income of £3000 this year (plus £5500 of loans)?

At what point can a student be considered a job seeker (and get JS allowance)? She's looking for part time work now and will be available for full time in Feb, but won't graduate til June.

Even if I took a year out, my increase in paid-income would be pretty much equal to my student loan, so we wouldn't be any better off.

(...and to top it off, the credit card I was using as a safety net has been suspended due to fraud. Excellent.)

Thanks for letting me vent, and any helpful advice you can pass this way would be gratefully received.

greenapple_2

what university are you at? I'm married and pretty hard up for cash - I went to the student support office and applied for hardship funding. Every university has this it is set aside for students in need. You simply fill out the forms, provide your bank statements and income/expenses and they will give you the money. I got 1200 last year and am hoping for something similar this year. You usually need to have already taken a full student loan. They are more likely to give for people who have unexpected difficulties. hope that helps.

MrsManda

As an undergraduate entitled to student finance you should be receiving at least £3838 in loans plus a maintanence grant plus a bursary from your university. You may also be able to claim Adult Dependent Grant.

What is your wife doing at the moment? Is she still continuing with her doctorate or has she taken time out?

If she's no longer a student she can claim Jobseekers Allowance providing she is actively looking for a job. She may also be able to claim low income benefits for the both of you. Your maintanence loan, adult dependent grant, maintanence grant, university bursary and employment income will count as income.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_070816

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_070816

If your wife is no longer a student she will be liable to pay council tax so she needs to contact your local council. She may be able to claim council tax benefit.

If your wife is still counted as a student by her university then she will not be entitled to jobseekers allowance and you are unlikely to be able to claim low income benefits.

Your university will have an Access to Learning fund which helps students in finance need so it's worth speaking to your student support service.

cleggie

Its worth applying to the Access to Learning fund, but just be aware that because the majority of Uni's have had theor funding cut, there is not much money for them to be giving out. But you can try!
I wasnt able to get any in the last academic year because they simply had run out of money..so apply as early as possible in the academic year.