PT studying while on PIP and ESA

yumzone

Hello there,

I am looking for advice as to whether i can do a part time course at college of 8 hours per week whilst claiming ESA and PIP.

I get high rate care and mobility for pip and I'm sure I'm on income based ESA.  
Like a lot of people I'm waiting to be migrated to universal credit.

I have studied gcse maths and English in the previous two years and haven’t stopped to think once about the situation with benefits???  Both were 3 hours a week

Last year i completed a pre access course and this September im really hoping i will be able to go onto the access course which is 8 hours a week?

I understand that things will change if and when i decide to go to university .. the new course is at a local college and is part time.

Any thoughts would be appreciated

BridgetTheCat

I can’t speak to ESA but your PIP should be unaffected if your care and mobility needs remain the same. When it’s reviewed I’d suggest emphasising how PIP helps you study and improves your chances of employment. 

For info I still get PIP even though I have a university degree and work full time.

teddysmum

There must be rules for how much work or study you can do while accessing ESA, on the Government site. This will not affect PIP unless you do things which you denied being able to do in your application.

have you considered the Open University for a degree ? That is done from home ,where you when you choose, provided that your assignments are in on time. There are locally based tutorial sessions, which are optional and a summer school for two of your courses .(You can get excusal from these for medical reasons, including pregnancy, but I  went to mine as I enjoyed them.)

I  went to Durham and Sterling for my summer schools, both in lovely surroundings and I was able to hear a lone piper practising up in the Sterling hills and stayed right in the old area of Durham, near the cathedral, in accommodation made up of a block of ancient houses, with my room being in a house that belonged to the parents of the late Queen Mother.