IS/JSA and Open University Studies.

chezcooper

Hi moneysavers,

I have just been for a work focused interview as I am currently claiming Income Support, as I am a lone parent with 3 children, the youngest is 4. I was called in obviously regarding next years change in legislation meaning that my IS would cease upon my youngest child reaching the age of 5.

I had gone to the interview already prepared as I have applied and registered to start an Open University course which I will start on the 4th of February doing Computing and IT. I handed over my registration letter upon the advisor asking what I had planned to do etc and she read the letter and wrote the information on my notes and things and then she asked me what I planned to do after this part of the course was completed. I explained that I would continue to the next level as I intended to work toward my degree, as I would like a better life for me and my children and with the current working climate being as it was, it seemed the most viable and sensible option for me and would wield the best results. Her response to this was a complete shock to me and has left me feeling rather lost and wondering what I should do. She explained that once my IS has stopped the only option for me would be JSA, obviously meaning that I would have to start looking for work, all the while, I will still be mid way through my course for the Open University which is 16 hours per week.

I explained that obviously studying 16 hours per week and getting a job would be extremely difficult given I have 3 young children still and would not only struggle to get a job that would fit around their school hours in the first place, but one that would allow me to have weekends and evenings completely free so that I could still attempt to study, to which her response was, 'Well, that's just how it is.'

I'm unsure what to do now, I mentioned the adult version of EMA (as I am 27) to which she was extremely vague and after further reading to find out about it myself, has ceased to exist apparently, and so now I'm wondering what I can actually do, as so far my options are work full time and end up stacking shelves somewhere for the rest of my life with no prospect of bettering myself or having a 'comfortable' environment, financially wise, for my children, or I study for a few years toward my degree and, by what the advisor said, have no money incoming while I study, and end up in with a poorly looked after family anyway? Surely there must be *something* that means I will be able to study while I can no longer claim IS? I'm not eligable for CA or DLA either.

Any advise or help would be much appreciated.

Frustrated and angry mum of 3.

shop-to-drop

You will need to look for a job and when you have one you will be able to claim tax credits. You should be able to fit a 16 hour Open Uni course in especially as you would not necessarily have to get full time hours just 16 or more. Your future job prospects will be much better if you have work expeirence as well as qualifications so try to see the positive side of it.

DCFC79

Yes its a requirement when on jsa you need to be actively looking for work(if at college say 2 days a week then you have to drop the college course if teh job is fullt ime), yes your doing a course but that shouldnt stop you getting a job of say 30 hours a week or even as little as 16.

skylight

You could go to a bricks and mortar university instead - no JSA etc, but there are students grants/loans/busaries that make up your "income".

Or get a job and study around that with the OU - which is what the OU was set up for to start with. It's not worth me saying that tens of thousands of people do this with the OU as I think that actually its just daunting for you to begin to imagine how to fit it all in.

rainbow81

Hello!
I am a single mum too, working 20+ hours a week, in my second year of Open Uni and have 1 son (he has a disability so finding childcare is tricky but we manage). It CAN be done. I do not have a glamorous job, it is the bottom rung but it is in an area that I want to work in when I have completed my degree. I see both work and OU as working together to give us a better future.
Also, the way I look at it is that if I have a not too stressy job now I will have more time/energy for studying. It IS worth going out to work if possible - financially, for self-esteem, etc etc. And it will mean years of extra experience under your belt too, all the better if it's in a related area where you want to specialise. Even if it is stacking shelves for 16 hours a week the least you will get is a good reference for your next job.

Good luck, I know the job centre people can be a bit sniffy.

shegirl

Studying through distance learning doesn't remove the fact that you need to work and for good reason tbh.

You can work as little as 16 hours a week and get working tax credits or you can work full time.Niether would mean having to give up your studies and tbh I don't know anyone who actually spends 16 hours a week doing OU either (some may in the later courses but when I done a couple I could do less that than a month).

Most people who study with OU have jobs,children,homes to run and they still do it.

MrsManda

The advantage of the OU over a standard university is that you can study when you want and as much as you want, allowing you to study around your commitments.

You have presumably chosen to study a 60 point course which recommends 16 hours of study a week. There's no reason why you shouldn't also be able to work as your children as going to be in school for a chunk of the day Monday-Friday and there's nothing to stop you studying in the evenings when they've gone to bed.

If you don't think you can cope you could always decide to study a 30 point instead as your first one to see how it works out.

hcb42

I have studied with the OU for years and completed not 1 but two degrees, at the same time, working in an industry and on projects where my typical week is 50-60 hrs constantly and away from home and travelling the UK for much of that period. The OU is there for fitting study around other commitments, and it is worth it when you do.

t0rt0ise

Just because you are required to look for work doesn't mean that you will necessarily find it. Lots of people are applying for the same jobs and you can only apply for ones that fit around the children so your options are less.

I took a part time degree at a brick university while working as a classroom assistant. I was a lone parent to two children. So it is possible but you have to be determined and you have to be lucky enough to get a job.

chezcooper

Thanks for your suggestions, I think more than anything it's the daunting prospect of starting a uni course aswell as getting a job, when I havent worked for over 9 years now, due to various reasons. I really wasnt expecting it, I had planned to do my first years course and then get a part time job or apprenticeship in the field I plan to specialise in for the 2nd year, as I would already have one part of the qualification under my belt then kind of thing and instead I have pretty much 6 months to get working on my course, start time managing and start looking for work too.

shegirl

chezcooper wrote: »

Thanks for your suggestions, I think more than anything it's the daunting prospect of starting a uni course aswell as getting a job, when I havent worked for over 9 years now, due to various reasons. I really wasnt expecting it, I had planned to do my first years course and then get a part time job or apprenticeship in the field I plan to specialise in for the 2nd year, as I would already have one part of the qualification under my belt then kind of thing and instead I have pretty much 6 months to get working on my course, start time managing and start looking for work too.

It's going to be hard to get into a chosen field anyway and I can't see one OU module being a help towards it to be honest as the one module won't be much.What is it you will be studying?

After over 9 years of not working getting back out there will be difficult so to get into what you really want to do you'll probably need some recent work anyway to help you.

Think of it positively.Even if you get a job stacking shelves it's still a job,just because you're doing OU doesn't mean you are above that and everyone starts somewhere.