Grants/Benefits for adult learners?

Jazee

After being out of work for several months my DS is now retraining at college. Because the course is registered as 16 1/2 hours a week it is 1/2 hour over JSA rules so he now has zero income. Is anyone aware of any benefits or grants he may be able to apply for? Thanks for reading.

Lokolo

16.5 hours a week means he has time to get a job at McDs.

Only benefit he could get is the Adult Learning Support thing, which you can read about here

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/DG_10033131

Jazee

Thanks for the reply. He already received some help with the cost of the course as he was on JSA at the time the course started. Also, he is still looking for a job, any job, to fill the four and a half days a week he's not at college but no luck so far. I think I'll get him to approach the college as per your link to see if there's anything else they can suggest. Being in your twenties and living off your parents isn't great for him, or for us either. What rankles with me is that if the course was officially just 1/2 hour less a week, he would still be entitled to JSA while he continues to look for a job. As it is, he's not even there for 16 hours but it's classed as full time. But hey ho, onwards and upwards.

Fiddlestick

Jazee wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. He already received some help with the cost of the course as he was on JSA at the time the course started. Also, he is still looking for a job, any job, to fill the four and a half days a week he's not at college but no luck so far.

What about the local McDonalds?

I've worked for them twice when I was a student and whilst it's not the most glamorous job in the world, money is money!

Jazee

He's tried there and so many other places I've lost count. There really aren't a lot of jobs out there at the moment. He's done some temporary work but that's dried up now too.

Oldernotwiser

Strictly speaking, as he's no longer on JSA he should inform the college of this and they may want him to pay the fees for his course.

Jazee

The college have been informed and don't require a refund as he was claiming at the time he started the course.

WhiteHorse

Jazee wrote: »

What rankles with me is that if the course was officially just 1/2 hour less a week, he would still be entitled to JSA while he continues to look for a job.

That's very handy for the government.

Leah-WW

His college's student services team should be able to help him in figuring out anything he is entitled to. When my husband was at college, for example, he received a bursary to pay for all of his travel costs as he wasn't working.

Jazee

Hello again, and thanks for all the replies. DS has seen student services at college today and he's not entitled to anything except a discounted bus pass (which is no use as he tries to cycle most days) as our household income is over £23,000, even though he's only at college for 15 1/2 hours in total and that included lunch hours. He'll just have to continue with the job hunting and relying on us.

Oldernotwiser

Rather than trying to get a job for 4 1/2 days per week, perhaps he could look at getting something for just a day or 2. This would at least allow him to contribute to the household and to have some spending money.