Grant help for 17yr old?????

lormac

Appologies if this is in the wrong part of forum.

My son starts his Cadetship in September (Deck Officer Merchant Navy). During his course he will be Sponsored by a company (not named yet), they will pay him £170/wk. I understand he will have to pay all his accom £82.50/wk in the halls room only, his books/study material and also his food. He will be studying in Shetland so no chance of him nipping home for dinner. Does anybody have any idea whether he would be entitled to any form of Grant help. DS will be 17 when he starts his course.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

marybelle01

I don't know but I doubt it. But well done to your son. It's a good career and very competitive. He's done so well to get in to the course. And it looks like he will be learning a few life lessons without being able to pop around with the laundry for dinner and a loan! Sounds to me like a win all around. He'll be fine. That's actually a lot of money for a 17 year old to live on. He may just have to downgarde from Nike to trainers - and if you or he saw what Nike means for the people who make them, you'd want to anyway!

rachhh

lormac wrote: »

Appologies if this is in the wrong part of forum.

My son starts his Cadetship in September (Deck Officer Merchant Navy). During his course he will be Sponsored by a company (not named yet), they will pay him £170/wk. I understand he will have to pay all his accom £82.50/wk in the halls room only, his books/study material and also his food. He will be studying in Shetland so no chance of him nipping home for dinner. Does anybody have any idea whether he would be entitled to any form of Grant help. DS will be 17 when he starts his course.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

£87.50 is a lot more than most university students live on per week. A lot manage on £30 for food, study materials and going out. So as long as he budgets carefully, he shouldn't need a grant at all.

kingfisherblue

Over £85 left for food and books/study materials each week - he should be able to manage on this. He won't have books and study materials to buy every week, so he should be able to put some money aside for this. He won't be the only cadet living on this amount.

Charityworker

I think you should think yourself lucky. My daughter is at college full time and receives nothing. It costs me £29 a week for the bus fairs and I get no help with that. I work 2 part time jobs on the minimum wage and it is a big struggle.

lormac

Thanks everyone for your comments. Will keep looking for more information on the Grant situation.

phill99

I think you will be lucky to get any form of grant. He is on a good training scheme. The apprentice rate is only about £100 a week so he is on a good wage in comparison. Student nurses get a lot less and they don't get grants.

paddedjohn

lormac wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your comments. Will keep looking for more information on the Grant situation.

Why do you think he needs a grant? Thats not a bad income for a 17 yr old. If he was working full time and earned that he wouldnt be entitled to any benefits and uni students survive on a lot less than that. Dont worry he will have enough to live on after paying his digs, after all what is there to spend money on in the shetlands.

dandelionclock30

I dont thinks hes eligable for any grants.
One of my friends entered the merchant navy and absolutley hated it.He said that he was often placed with people who couldnt speak any english at all on journeys. He was'nt racist he just said there was no one to talk to for weeks on end.Also often the crew were just interested in getting off their heads on drink and weed and nobody was interested in doing the job properly.
He also said that quite a few women left because they complained that other staff on ships had tried to abuse them/ touch them up etc. Apparently nothing was ever done about it and nobody ever get held to account. He really disliked it and has now retrained as a quantity surveyor.
Good luck for your son and I hope is experiences will be better than my friends.