Are students eligible for any benefits if they can't find summer work. 18 June 2018 at 2:10PM in Student MoneySaving 11 replies 1.6K views

DawnRose8

My daughter's home from Uni for the summer and has been flat out looking for a job since the end of May, with no luck so far.
If she can't find anything is there any chance she might be eligible for benefits?
I'll be paying the first payment on her accommodation tenancy in July and don't have much money for anything else.

k3lvc

DawnRose8 wrote: »

My daughter's home from Uni for the summer and has been flat out looking for a job since the end of May, with no luck so far.

Seriously ? In what area ?

I've a friend whose daughter (just about to start Y3) had a change of plans for summer over the weekend and she's secured 2 jobs this morning - immediate start, zero hour contracts but likely to average 50h per week across the 2

agrinnall

She can try the turn2us calculator to see if anything is available, but I havee a suspicion that maintenance loans are for 52 weeks and mean that JSA can't be claimed (which wasn't the case when I was an undergraduate, but that was many, many years ago).


https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou

comeandgo

Has your daughter walked about your nearest city? In our town and near city there are shops, hotels etc begging for full time staff.

[Deleted User]

agrinnall wrote: »

She can try the turn2us calculator to see if anything is available, but I havee a suspicion that maintenance loans are for 52 weeks and mean that JSA can't be claimed (which wasn't the case when I was an undergraduate, but that was many, many years ago).


https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou

This, nothing's changed. She's still classed as a full time student and receiving a loan to cover the whole year. So not entitled to any benefits

DawnRose8

Thank you.

DawnRose8

k3lvc wrote: »

Seriously ? In what area ?

I've a friend whose daughter (just about to start Y3) had a change of plans for summer over the weekend and she's secured 2 jobs this morning - immediate start, zero hour contracts but likely to average 50h per week across the 2

Yes, seriously.
Anything else you'd like to share, like what area YOU'RE in?
Thanks for the incredibly helpful and thoughtful reply.(!) I'll be sure not to share it with my daughter.

DawnRose8

comeandgo wrote: »

Has your daughter walked about your nearest city? In our town and near city there are shops, hotels etc begging for full time staff.

Yes, of course she has done this.
Thank you for telling me how easy it is to get work in your town.

DawnRose8

_shel wrote: »

This, nothing's changed. She's still classed as a full time student and receiving a loan to cover the whole year. So not entitled to any benefits

Thanks very much.

k3lvc

DawnRose8 wrote: »

Yes, seriously.
Anything else you'd like to share, like what area YOU'RE in?
Thanks for the incredibly helpful and thoughtful reply.(!) I'll be sure not to share it with my daughter.

No but a northern city with a high student population - forgive me for not feeling sympathy for a potential graduate who's already expecting additional state support but sometimes life's tough and real life is a wake up call

Assuming you're (and why are you rather than she) paying for her accommodation from July are there better options where she's studying than at 'home'

Spendless

k3lvc wrote: »

No but a northern city with a high student population - forgive me for not feeling sympathy for a potential graduate who's already expecting additional state support but sometimes life's tough and real life is a wake up call

Assuming you're (and why are you rather than she) paying for her accommodation from July are there better options where she's studying than at 'home'

With all due respect, that is quite possibly the difference. Areas that have high student populations have the job market geared up to them. That's not the case everywhere. Where I live, I know several people who have complained about the same thing in our town as the OP, they want you to have 100% availability of hours and you not leaving the job in the Autumn.

btw- we are also paying accommodation for our son who is going to Uni, because if we didn't he wouldn't be able to afford to go. He receives the minimum maintenance loan due to our household income and in many cases that isn't enough to pay the rent. I guess the OP may be in the same position!

OP - I would suggest your DD keeps quiet about being a student. No, it isn't playing fair but it's perhaps the only way she'll find something.