Income support & students

sue311

I am on income support due to a long term illness.
I am not receiving anything for my daughter because she is away at Uni.
When she finishes her first year in June, will she or I be able to claim anything for her because she wont have a job and if so will it affect my housing benefit.

buff-tom

She can claim Jobseekers allowance from when her course OFFICIALLY ends (I put that in capitals not to be rude but because it is important) the rules around claiming are quite clear that you cant claim unless the course has officially ended this is usually about a month to 6 weeks after students go home. She will need to be looking for full time work (over 16 hours per week for benefit purposes) to qualify.

Hope that helps.

sue311 wrote: »

I am on income support due to a long term illness.
I am not receiving anything for my daughter because she is away at Uni.
When she finishes her first year in June, will she or I be able to claim anything for her because she wont have a job and if so will it affect my housing benefit.

ohreally

sue311 wrote: »

she wont have a job and if so will it affect my housing benefit.

Sorry to sound blunt, she will be expected to get a job and tbh i would expect her to get a job and to contribute to the household expenses - unless there is a valid reason for her being unable to work.
As a student, she's not unemployable.

Oldernotwiser

Surely she'll want to get a job in the summer? Even quite basic work will give her skills that will boost her CV when she graduates. You have a reason to be claiming benefits; she doesn't. Don't let her slip into the mindset of expecting the state to support her.

healy

I dont think she will be able to claim anything between the two years of Uni because if this was the case there would be many students claiming JSA in the Summer break.

sue311

I didnt think that anyone would employ her for just about 10 weeks, knowing that she would leave again when it came time to go back to university.
I am still a little unsure about how it will affect my benefit or how I will be able to support her if she cant get a job for the holiday but thanks to all who replied, I am new to this game at least I know what the possibilities are now, Thanks a lot.

Gemmzie

People always employ students over the summer as a lot of their main staff go on holiday, get her to sign up with a temping agency.

Oldernotwiser

sue311 wrote: »

I didnt think that anyone would employ her for just about 10 weeks, knowing that she would leave again when it came time to go back to university.
I am still a little unsure about how it will affect my benefit or how I will be able to support her if she cant get a job for the holiday but thanks to all who replied, I am new to this game at least I know what the possibilities are now, Thanks a lot.

The vast majority of students work over the summer and companies recruit them to cover for the holiday period. She should be applying for these jobs now as it may be harder to get something if she waits until she comes down.

You're really approaching this from the wrong angle; the question of benefits doesn't come into it and neither of you are likely to be able to claim anything. Why should you?

(You're not really new to this, your elder daughter's been eligible to work in the holidays for a couple of years now, as is your 16 year old. Your daughter will be well aware that most of her friends will be working through the summer and she shouldn't expect to be kept, especially as you're on benefits.)

sue311

Can I please ask Oldernotwiser what you meant by that last comment.
I have only been on benefit for twelve months after suffering with the same illness for 19 years so I do still indeed feel a bit of a novice where the benefit system is concerned.

Yes my daughter has friends who work but firstly, they stayed at a local University where as my daughter had to go away for her course and secondly, their parents are not on benefits, so it wouldnt have affected them.

You say that she has been eligible to work for a couple of years now, I take it that you mean from the age of 16, well I am sorry but I havent encouraged them in the past (before I was on benefits) and I wont encourage them now to get a job while they are studying for A levels.

My eldest daughters best friend started a course at a sixth form college and then dropped out after getting used to earning money during the holidays, she is now selling mobile phones, another lads ambition all through school was to join the army, he is now working full time in a sandwhich bar, a great career move that was.

So thank you for your comment but I think I would prefere to struggle on, I dont want my kids to end up on the scrap heap thank you.

dmg24

Why does working during the summer mean that you will 'end up on the scrap heap'?!! I always used to work during the summer, all it taught me was how to get on in the real world.

Oldernotwiser is spot on with this, there is NOTHING to stop both of your children working during the summer.

Scarlett1

Sue I think that you should encourage your children to work as it sets them up for adulthood and gives them experience as well as responsibility for earning their own money. I worked at mcdonalds at 16 whilst I was at college, not only did I look forward to the wage I also had an excellent social life, Studying does not mean you cant do other things, my sister was able to hold down a part time job whilst at Uni studying for her degree, it was only towards the end of her 3rd year that she had to give the job up as she needed the extra study time, places like supermarkets, retails shops and fast food places always take on students, just a thought

Going back to your housing benefit, I would imagine you would have a non-dependant deduction of around £7.40 per week even if they are not working, best bet is to contact the housing benefit section to ask.