What help am I entitled to?

MrsSimsy

Hello,

I'm hoping some of you helpful people might be able to point me in the right direction!

I am self employed as a sole trader and my last 2 years net figures are around £23,000 each year. My husband is also self employed as a sole trader and his net income is around £3,500 each year. We have a 1 year old and the only benefit we receive is child benefit.

I start college next week as a full time student (I'm retraining to be a teacher!) This is a 1 year access course and then I'll go on to do my degree-all being well.

We've applied for Universal credit and have had the initial meeting, only to be told that we're probably not entitled to any help as I'll be a student (although still working the same hours as I currently so, fitted in around the course) and my husband doesn't earn enough. He can't work any more hours as he does the bulk of the childcare. We can't afford to send our son to nursery for any more days. I just wondered what we do next?

Thank you.

welshmoneylover

MrsSimsy wrote: »

Hello,

I'm hoping some of you helpful people might be able to point me in the right direction!

I am self employed as a sole trader and my last 2 years net figures are around £23,000 each year. My husband is also self employed as a sole trader and his net income is around £3,500 each year. We have a 1 year old and the only benefit we receive is child benefit.

I start college next week as a full time student (I'm retraining to be a teacher!) This is a 1 year access course and then I'll go on to do my degree-all being well.

We've applied for Universal credit and have had the initial meeting, only to be told that we're probably not entitled to any help as I'll be a student (although still working the same hours as I currently so, fitted in around the course) and my husband doesn't earn enough. He can't work any more hours as he does the bulk of the childcare. We can't afford to send our son to nursery for any more days. I just wondered what we do next?

Thank you.

Can you keep working or find a pt job around your course?

calcotti

Are you getting student loans?

[Deleted User]

Have you tried one of the calculators like turn2us or entitled2 ?

MrsSimsy

Thanks for the replies;

I will still be working around the course, I was concerned about an income drop though as I'll be fitting work in around the studying.

I have applied for a loan to cover the cost of the course but I'm not entitled to any other assistance as our household income is £5k over their threshold.

I have look at turn2us which suggested we could claim child tax credits and get up to 80% of our childcare costs back, only to complete the forms and attend the interview to be told we're probably not entitled to anything. CTC have been replaced with universal credit in our area.

[Deleted User]

With a combined income of £26, 500 I wouldn’t of thought their was anything you could claim.

You should be entitled to child benefit and CTV though.

What about an advanced learner loan to cover the cost of the course?

[Deleted User]

CTC*

(Won’t let me edit)

poppy12345

MarkN88 wrote: »

CTC*

(Won’t let me edit)

That's not possible in a full Universal Credit area and the OP has stated their area is full UC.

[Deleted User]

Oops yeah sorry I’ve misread.