Help - reuniting with OH who is returning to college

hereigoagain22

Hi folks

I work in Council Tax and am usually pretty clued up but this one has stumped me!!

I have been seperated from my partner (the father of my 2 kids) since September last year. He lost his job shortly after the split and has been claiming JSA.

I work 16 hours per week and claim working tax credit and child tax credit. I live with my mother so don't claim any housing or council tax benefit. We are in Scotland if that makes a difference.

Now, I don't want to think too far ahead but trying to be a little prepared.

Over the past few weeks, myself and my partner have been reconciling our relationship and fingers crossed so far it is going well. He has been starting to stay a lot more at my Mums and I have been considering asking him to move in at some point in the future. This would have been fine as the amount I lose in WTC would be made up by his JSA so would be no better or worse off.

The complicated thing is - he has been accepted onto a full-time college course (18 months - Wind Turbine Technician) which starts on the 11th March. He can't turn this down - there are only 12 places and he was extremely lucky to be accepted, he has applied for every job going since September and this is his lucky break and chance to build a future.

He has been under the impression that as he got into the course through the jobcentre (they arranged the interview) that his JSA would continue but I have been trying to convince him otherwise. He's one of these people who never looks for proper information and everything is always in such a muddle with him.

So if we were to move in as a couple what would happen?

So far I have guessed this...

1) He will have to use student loans?

2) I will lose my working tax credit as I only work 16hours per week. Meaning I will also lose the 70% of my childcare which is paid (my childcare bill is 889 per month, my salary only 540) I will need to find 8 more hours work somewhere to be able to claim working tax credit as a couple? I already find it extremely difficult working and managing the 2 kids and not sure I could cope with this :-(

3) Would I be able to claim Income Support for myself and my partner if I felt that I couldn't continue to work?

4) Anything else I need to consider?

Thank you for any help and tips you can give xx

Icequeen99

How old are your children?

I would imagine that he wouldn't get JSA anyway, because your earnings would be too high even if he could continue claiming it (which he can't if he isn't available for work).

I don't know a great deal about IS, but unless you have very young children you wouldn't be able to claim it and he would still be subject to work seeking requirements as a partner.

You're right about tax credits as a couple, you need to get to 24 hours.

IQ

hereigoagain22

Our children are 6 months old and 2 years old. He wouldn't get income based JSA anyway, no. And he can't continue claiming JSA while not available for work so would have to claim student maintenance loans/grants?

I am sure I can claim IS if he is a full-time student as he isn't require to be available for work seeing as he is in full-time education. I can't afford to work unless I find more hours as my childcare costs much more than my salary. Even with the 70% from WTC at the minute I am still paying 60% of my salary to the remainder of childcare.

I am so upset at my partner for all this. I know he needs to take this chance but he never sorts anything himself and expects it all to be done for him. I've just phoned him and he has argued that the jobcentre has told him he will still be claiming JSA while on the course which I know isn't true. He told me he has this in an email from the job centre (I don't believe that the JC contacts jobseekers by email?) but wouldn't pass along his email password to show me it. He point-blank refused to discuss student loans etc. as is insistent that he will definately be getting JSA. I don't trust him with money at all and am thinking that this is all a stupid idea and I can never expect him to support us.

cockaleekee

Is there a reason he cannot continue to seek work whilst on the course? Most students work part time, and this would solve your problem.

You can continue to claim JSA whilst on some courses, but I would agree with you that it is unlikely in this case. The eligible courses tend to be short term and pretty basic.

Whatever happens, it would be a big mistake to give up work and claim IS - then when he has finished his course that will be two of you out of work, which would make for a pretty miserable existence.

shedboy94

hereigoagain22 wrote: »

Over the past few weeks, myself and my partner have been reconciling our relationship and fingers crossed so far it is going well. He has been starting to stay a lot more at my Mums and I have been considering asking him to move in at some point in the future.

How often does he stay over, because it sounds like you are back in a relationship and depending on how often he stays with you, you possibly should be claiming now as a couple, especially if TC's find out you are back in a relationship with the father of your children.

Dunroamin

He won't be eligible for student loans on a course like that.

zzzLazyDaisy

I apologise for this comment as I know it isnt what you have asked about.

But there seems to be a lot of mistrust between you and your partner, and you seem to want/need to organise him and sort him out. With two young children that doesn't seem to me to be a good foundation for an equal partnership (you are not his mother, and there must have been a reason for the split in the first place).

I wonder if you'd be better taking a step back and letting him sort himself out, start college, organise his own finances, and once you can see what funding is in place and how it is working out, then you can see where to go from there.

One other point - as far as I am aware student loans are only available for degree level courses.

cockaleekee

In another thread you mention that your OH has some welding work for the next six weeks. Would it not be better for him to fulfil that contract and see if it leads to something longer term?

Errata

I know he needs to take this chance but he never sorts anything himself and expects it all to be done for him

Let him take it, and learn to stand on his own two feet. It will be a very maturing experience for him which will be of benefit to his children if he ever moves in with you.

hereigoagain22

Yeah it would probably make more sense to do the welding work and see if it leads to anything. But he is adamant this course is the be-all and end-all of everything and wants to do it.

I think I'm thinking too far ahead and need to step back and let him get on with it. We don't even live in the same area, he has been staying every other weekend. I don't know anything about his money/job/course situation either so not exactly a great starting place. This is all so complicated in the space of a short few weeks, before this we were completely seperated, not in any contact at all (not seeing kids either) and I seem to have gotten back with him so quickly in the promise that he's changed, now stands on his own two feet etc. but I think I have realised he's still a compulsive liar. Lots of other stuff relevant to this but I think it's best for a relationships forum not MSE :-)

Thanks for all the replies everyone xx