Carers Allowance and College

tiamai_d

My son (3 next month) gets middle rate DLA.
I get CA and don't work.
Husband works full time.

I have found a college course I want to do (and have applied), there is no reason why I should not be accepted.

It is 19-20 hours per week so I am still entitled to CA.

Son is presently in a pre-3 nursery, but I would be looking to get him into the nursery at the college while I am in college.

I also have an older child (6) in primary school.

Would I be entitled to funding to pay for the course and/or funding towards childcare (mainly the nursery for the younger child)?

Has/is anyone in this istuation? How do you find it?

mummytofour

You should be able tp keep carers as the restriction on that is 21 hrs of study.
With regards to childcare, carers allowance does not entitle you to help with child care. Is your college course at a 6th form or further education college?
If 6th form there is funding avalible via carer to learn if further education college then you will need to contact them about childcare help, the chances are that it will be a no especially if you family does not get working tax credits.

Just to say I am at college at the mo and have my childcare paid for Via care to learn, I am doing an Access course at a 6th form as for me this was the only way I could get my HUGE childcare bill paid ( jumping up and down as I am sooo happy that I have had this chance) I am off to uni in Sep and if it were not for the childcare being paid this year I never would of been able to get as far as I have, a HARD slog but worth it! I also get carers as a I have a child with special needs.

Good luck and I hope you can get funding one way or another.

tiamai_d

Thanks Mummytofour.

We do get CTC and WTC.

The course is a National Certificate and is a 1year access course to the HNC course.

I will have a google for care to learn.

I figure I can just about manage so long as I don't have to pay for the course.

Like you I am really looking forward to doing it. It's a couse I am really interested in rather than one I 'could use later on'. I'd hate to have to give it up because I don't get any financial help.

lil_me

http://www.slc.co.uk/about%20student%20finance/index.html

http://www.slc.co.uk/about%20student%20finance/products%20and%20services/tuition_fee_support.html

All of those go off income/outgoings criteria, my partner qualified to have all of his course fees paid when doing his HNC but went off income which was very low at the time.

The college should have a student welfare office, if you ask in there about support. Even if your income means you don't qualify (won't know until you do the sums etc) there may be funds available within the college to help....

As was mentioned Carers Allowance shouldn't be effected if it's part time study, the cut off point is 21 hours or more.