6th form financial help

Stephpoole

Hi all

Hope someone can answer my questions.

My son has been offered a place at Brockenhurst College's 6th form to start in September 2014, which he is really keen to accept

It will be very costly for me as a single mum to send him there (subsidised train pass alone is just under £1,000, and add to this all other costs..) but I really want to try my best to find a way as it is such a good college and that's his preferred choice.

There is financial help available however, I am not sure I would qualify. Basically it is available to households with a maximum income of £21,000. I know that they want to see payslips and evidence of other income (such as child tax credit).

My first question is: does anybody know if they will consider my gross or net salary? If it's my net salary, when added to child tax credit, I am under the £21,000 limit, but if they use my gross salary, when added to child tax credit, I will be over..

My second question is: if I don't meet the criteria (if they use my gross salary), I thought of asking his dad to complete the college financial support form as if my son lived with him as he earns less than me. However, the college wants to know who lives at that address and proof of income of the whole household. My ex lives with his girlfriend who has only met our son once in 2 years so is clearly not involved in his upbringing. Would her income be taken into consideration despite having no relationship with my son? If that's the case, their joint income would be well over the 21,000 limit.

Look forward to reading your replies

Thank you!

tomtontom

Household income is generally taken to mean gross income in this context. He cannot apply using his father's details because he does not live there. Even if he did, he would not qualify as it would be based on household income - obviously he would see the ex's gf a great deal more if they lived together!

Stephpoole

Arghhh.. I kind of thought that might be the case.. that's a right pain as I will be over by not much but will miss out on quite a bit more Thank you for your help.