One off bursary affecting benefits?

SuziQ

I hope someone can help me with this, as I won't be able to get the council offices to ask this until Friday. I am currently in receipt of IS,CA, CTB, and CTC,

I am really excited, as I have an interview at City Uiversity, London tomorrow, for a place on the 'Return to Practice-Health Visiting' course. The course is 3-6 months with 10 days in the Uni itself, plus 3-6 months of 2-5 days a week in a placement (which could be anywhere across London-I am in Essex.)

As a single parent, this is going to involve me putting my youngest in the pre-school/after school sessions, maybe in child care in the holidays, and I will have the costs of travelling and books etc. The offer I have is that if I am successful, the course fees will be waived (there is a national drive to get retired HVs back into practice)and I will get a one-off £1,000 bursary to cover expenses.

I am concerned that the bursary is going to reduce my benefits so that I can't afford to get to my placements and pay childcare. My budget is very tight without these extra expenses, but obviously I am desperate to get back to my previously well paid job and be independent again.

Does anyone have any idea how this works? I had very little notice about this interview, and hadn't given the bursary/benefits angle any thought until a relative asked 'can you do this whilst you are on benefits?' Well, my lone parent advised confirmed I can indeed do the course if I am accepted, but she wasn't sure re the effects on benefit.

Sorry for the long post!

brians_daughter

Firstly congrats on the interview!!

I cant specifically answer your question, however i do know that the university will have a student support team who can answer all your questions over the phone. A quick call to the switch board tomorrow will get the answers you need within minutes.

This may also help you

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

You may also be able to access the ALF access to learning fund - although with such a short course i do not know, what i do know is that there should be provision in place to ensure you are no worse off than you are now once education related costs are taken into account

Good luck!

bestpud

Is the bursary intended for living or study costs?

Usually, they take it into account if it is meant for living expenses, so it's all in the wording. Grants for study related costs are ok in my experience.

How do they describe it in the literature?

SuziQ

Helen, this is the problem-there isn't any literature! This whole 'Call to action ' programme is all a bit 'flying by the seat of their pants' and you can't even find the course on the Uni website! All that I have been told is 'we pay your course costs and you get a bursary for expenses' which is a bit woolly.I don't even know the hours involved, the exact course length (although I think that is determined by how long they feel you need to do supervised practice, which you don't get paid for), basically I have been given no info apart from telling me I needed to do a personal statement to even get an interview, then I have literally had 4 days notice for tomorrow. I am trying to put together a presentation I have to give at the moment, and it isn't going well! I may not get accepted, but if I do and then can't afford to take the place up, I will be gutted!

SuziQ

Right, I have found this in tiny print at the back of a leaflet I was sent:
'You can expect:
Course fees to be paid
additional financial support towards travel,childcare and book costs if eligible

bestpud

SuziQ wrote: »

Helen, this is the problem-there isn't any literature! This whole 'Call to action ' programme is all a bit 'flying by the seat of their pants' and you can't even find the course on the Uni website! All that I have been told is 'we pay your course costs and you get a bursary for expenses' which is a bit woolly.I don't even know the hours involved, the exact course length (although I think that is determined by how long they feel you need to do supervised practice, which you don't get paid for), basically I have been given no info apart from telling me I needed to do a personal statement to even get an interview, then I have literally had 4 days notice for tomorrow. I am trying to put together a presentation I have to give at the moment, and it isn't going well! I may not get accepted, but if I do and then can't afford to take the place up, I will be gutted!

The 'for expenses' bit sounds course related to me.

It is probably worth contacting student support, as they should also be able to tell you if you could apply to the hardship fund.

Wish I had an answer for you.

bestpud

SuziQ wrote: »

Right, I have found this in tiny print at the back of a leaflet I was sent:
'You can expect:
Course fees to be paid
additional financial support towards travel,childcare and book costs if eligible

Ahhh those are course related costs so should be ok.

Oldernotwiser

All the information says "to cover expenses" which I agree is rather vague.

I would insist that your Lone Parent Adviser finds out how this would affect any benefits, just because s/he doesn't know the answer off the top of her head doesn't mean that it's not her job to find out!

Good luck; it sounds an ideal opportunity for you.