Career Change and Benefits

10pence

Hi, I'm looking to change career and become a primary school teacher. To do this I need top off my degree, which I'll be doing via the Open University - this means a study time of 32 hours per week as well as full-time work.

I was wondering if anyone knew what I could be entitled to if I changed to part-time work (16-20hrs), studied (32hrs) and volunteered in a school a couple of days a week?

This way I can apply for the Graduate Teacher Programme in September 2013.

Thanks

10pence

Hate to 'bump' but feel I need too after 90+ views and no posts.

Maybe if I provide some more background and update as to my endeavours so far it might help get some posts.

I got a DipHE from Uni 10 years ago after being disgnosed with Accute Manic Depression after the death of my mother; hence the need to top off my degree to become a graduate. I've worked ever since. Recently, at work I've been coaching and training staff and it's re-ignited my passion to become a teacher.
The issue is I cannot afford to stop working to train and get no help from any of the government departments. I'm single, no children and live at my Dad's, where I pay the bills.
Spoken to every department I can think of to ask what I could be entitled to if my hours at work are cut to 16-20 hours - work are happy for this as they've seen how unhappy I've been of late - and try to get 'benefit' top up. I only need this for a year or less as I'm looking at being offered a Teaching Assistant role for this September.

So, please all I'm asking is if anyone can offer some advice or even point me in the right direction as I'm getting frustrated being on hold and told I copuld claim if I had children.

Thanks for reading.

LunaLady

How much would you earn working part-time? Are you single?

bazza5070

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but you will not be entitled to any benefits per say. Combined working and study hours would have to be less than 16 hours to entitle you into any kind of benefits. Do you have any kids? If you lower your hours your Child Tax Credit may well rise, but apart from this nothing.

BigAunty

You can model the impact of reducing your hours on the Turn2us online benefit calculator. As previously indicated, single people with no dependents or disabilities don't tend to qualify for much (or nothing at all) if they work part-time.

As well as seeing if you can up your income this way, you could also do this in tandem with seeing if you can reduce your living expenses. Download the MSE budget planner and work through the site, including forums (including the Old Style board), to identify how to slash your expenditure - cheap recipes, cheapest tariffs for energy, phone, broadband, etc.

Otherwise perhaps Plan B is to continue to work full time and reduce your studying commitment and enter teacher training a year later.

EDIT - Can OU students apply for loans? I think I read somewhere on the forum that it had been extended to OU students, but don't quote me on it, hopefully someone can confirm if this is the case or if I misremembered.