Want to know what help I can get benefits wise with being a full time college student

beckylewis1983

I am currently studying full time at college and my partner is working full time. We have 2 children and I have just had to stop my contribution jsa claim due to studying. We recive child tax credits but not working tax ( i asume this is because my partner is on £300 a week after tax and ni contributions). I am now not recieving any money myself at the minute however I have bills myself which I need to pay . My partner pays all the household bills and his loan off with his wages and we are left with no money at the end of every month . Does anyone know what benefits we would be entitled to and how much they would be?
Thanks

Dunroamin

beckylewis1983 wrote: »

I am currently studying full time at college and my partner is working full time. We have 2 children and I have just had to stop my contribution jsa claim due to studying. We recive child tax credits but not working tax ( i asume this is because my partner is on £300 a week after tax and ni contributions). I am now not recieving any money myself at the minute however I have bills myself which I need to pay . My partner pays all the household bills and his loan off with his wages and we are left with no money at the end of every month . Does anyone know what benefits we would be entitled to and how much they would be?
Thanks

You seem to be claiming everything you're eligible for as long as you're getting the 25% discount from council tax and child benefit which you don't mention.

Could your partner renegotiate his loan of could you get a part time job?

BigAunty

You could enter your details into the Turn2us online benefit calculator to see if you'd be eligible for working tax credits following the loss of JSA, plus any housing benefit (if you are tenants).

Do you get any grants or bursaries, does your course qualify for a student loan?

The household expenses, including debt, are irrelevant to your benefit entitlements so if you aren't eligible for any further assistance, another option (apart from a part time job) is to download the MSE budget planner and work through the site to slash every cost.

beckylewis1983

Thanks for the replies.
I am currently looking for a job however childcare and studies are restricting what I can apply for. I have however applied for lots of jobs just not getting anywhere with them. Because im only doing a level 2 course (equivlent to 5 G.C.S.E's) I cannot apply for a student loan or bursaries. The main worry I have is that we are already £1300 into my partners £1500 overdraft limit . Which by the looks of we will not get out of for sometime now. I just feel a bit useless at the minute as I am not bringing any money in and feel a bit gulity about it all

BigAunty

Pop over to the Debt Free wanabee board and post a SOA (they'll tell you how to do this and they are probably a less judgemental group than this forum).

I don't know your position on benefits, and though I've given you a link to the Turn2us calculator, I'm not sure it's that good if one claimant is in full time education. There should be info on the HMRC website about working tax credits.

I only wanted to check about student loans because if you were eligible for one and chose not to take it, the household would be treated as if you still had it (doesn't apply to you anyhow).

But since your household is plagued with debt, then the MSE budget planner in conjunction with the Debt Info on the direct gov website and the DFW forum on this website.

heartbreak_star

Can you do surveys for pay? Swagbucks and things like that? The Up your Income board might be your friend.

HBS x

Dunroamin

beckylewis1983 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.
I am currently looking for a job however childcare and studies are restricting what I can apply for. I have however applied for lots of jobs just not getting anywhere with them. Because im only doing a level 2 course (equivlent to 5 G.C.S.E's) I cannot apply for a student loan or bursaries. The main worry I have is that we are already £1300 into my partners £1500 overdraft limit . Which by the looks of we will not get out of for sometime now. I just feel a bit useless at the minute as I am not bringing any money in and feel a bit gulity about it all

If you're only doing a level 2 course I doubt you have a great deal of private study so couldn't you get a job for a couple of evenings when your partner is at home?

dawn_rose

hiya just a thought are you your childrens main carers if so open an account in your name and hae the cb and ctc money paid into that it will save it from being swallowed up by the overdraft.