Benefits whilst studying after redundancy?

LunaLady

If you studied part time, you would get your tuition fees paid but get no maintenance loans etc. That is what I am doing and I work around the 2 evenings I am at university.

FBaby

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

To be fair, the same could be said of anyone who chooses to study for a degree, there is no guarantee that there will be a job at the end of it.

But most people have to pay for it themselves and are not entitled to any benefits whilst they do so. It is their own risk.

However it is highly unlikely that they will be entitled to much in the way of means tested benefits, if anything, bearing in mind that he will be eligible for a student loan, and she is in paid employment.

Because otherwise, where would be the incentive for any 18 year old to go to uni and get a career before having a family?

zzzLazyDaisy

I am sorry, Fbaby, but I don't understand your comments.

OP will (almost certainly) be entitled only to student funding, plus any child related benefits they are entitled to once student loans, and wife's earnings are taken into account.

How does that place him in a better or worse situation that any other student?

kroeger

Yes, I am getting a really negative vibe for some reason from FBaby. I was not able to take advantage of Higher Education when I was 18 due to circumstances, surely you are not saying that you should only get one chance in your life to benefit from University or Higher Education?

FBaby

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

I am sorry, Fbaby, but I don't understand your comments.

OP will (almost certainly) be entitled only to student funding, plus any child related benefits they are entitled to once student loans, and wife's earnings are taken into account.

How does that place him in a better or worse situation that any other student?

Sorry, I must not have been clear. OP seemed to assumed that he might be entitled to full benefits if chosing to become a student. My comments were if that was indeed the case.

As you say, and OP is now realising, it is not the case and he won't be placed in a better situation. My last comment was to say that if it was the case, most would wait to have a family before taking on studying!

kroeger

To give some context I have three children, all living at home ages of 22, 17 and 10. The 17 year old is at college full time and the 22 year old currently unemployed.

FBaby

kroeger wrote: »

Yes, I am getting a really negative vibe for some reason from FBaby. I was not able to take advantage of Higher Education when I was 18 due to circumstances, surely you are not saying that you should only get one chance in your life to benefit from University or Higher Education?

Yes, there is probably a bit of bad vibes from myself because it feels as if you have decided now to retrain with the expectation of getting full benefits whilst you do so (reference to entitlement to IS). You had many years to study whilst you were working. Many people do so whilst holding a full time job, so yes, I do feel (rightly or wrongly) that you are seeing being made redundant and potentially claiming maximum benefits as the opportunity to now consider retraining.


I don't have any issue with anyone retraining at any stage, but expecting full benefits whilst they do so doesn't seem right to me, even more so if they have received a large redundancy payment (which is or isn't your case).

kroeger

I completed my HNC whilst in full-time employment at my own expense to further my career in the field I was working in at the time, only to be made redundant halfway through. I still completed the final year in my own time and expense. I have had to retrain or change career twice already and have completed many skill related courses in my second career even gaining two promotions along the way. You will not find me inflexible, unmotivated or expecting a free ride. Unfortunately I have been in the wrong place at the wrong time three times now.

miduck

I too would question the value of your chosen degree at your age. Are you happy/ able to go back to a low salary upon graduation? You will be going into an industry saturated with graduates, and your current experience is more likely to be a disadvantage in applying for the entry level roles on offer.

I am not trying to dissuade you from going back into education - I believe we should never stop learning. However I would question whether this course is the one for you - would it not be better for you to consolidate/ expand on your current knowledge, than start something completely new?

FBaby

kroeger wrote: »

I completed my HNC whilst in full-time employment at my own expense to further my career in the field I was working in at the time, only to be made redundant halfway through. I still completed the final year in my own time and expense. I have had to retrain or change career twice already and have completed many skill related courses in my second career even gaining two promotions along the way. You will not find me inflexible, unmotivated or expecting a free ride. Unfortunately I have been in the wrong place at the wrong time three times now.

OK, but if you've done this before, why aren't you prepared not to work at least part-time whilst retraining? When I first questioned it, you just answered it wasn't possible. Your initial post and then another one further down were querying about gaining full benefits (income support and the rest).

Your previous experience does indeed seem to show that you are not inflexible or unmotivated, but coming here to ask about gaining full benefits doesn't fit with this image either.