Benefits while on a uni course

roz84
roz84 Posts: 40 Forumite
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in Benefits & tax credits
I currently work in the NHS as a band 2 healthcare assistant. There is a training opportunity to train for a band 5 position, this is a 2 year university course (DipHE). The deal is, my employer will pay my uni fees and pay me a salary of £10,000 a year while I'm training, which sounds great however effectively my income will be halved while I'm training. I am married but DH is also in a low paid job, he is going to look at retraining also.

Would we be entitled to tax credits (I don't think universal credit has been rolled out properly where we live yet) in this situation? Husband is on minimum wage earning between 12-14k currently. Currently we don't get anything as what I earn I think just bumps us up over the cut off. If there's no help available I wouldn't be able to do the course as there are things that need to be paid for!

Comments

  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 17,945 Forumite
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    roz84 wrote: »
    I currently work in the NHS as a band 2 healthcare assistant. There is a training opportunity to train for a band 5 position, this is a 2 year university course (DipHE). The deal is, my employer will pay my uni fees and pay me a salary of £10,000 a year while I'm training, which sounds great however effectively my income will be halved while I'm training. I am married but DH is also in a low paid job, he is going to look at retraining also.

    Would we be entitled to tax credits (I don't think universal credit has been rolled out properly where we live yet) in this situation? Husband is on minimum wage earning between 12-14k currently. Currently we don't get anything as what I earn I think just bumps us up over the cut off. If there's no help available I wouldn't be able to do the course as there are things that need to be paid for!
    It is no longer possible to claim tax credits because all areas are now a full UC area and have been since December 2018. Using a benefits calculator may help.
  • MovingForwards
    MovingForwards Posts: 16,918 Forumite
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    Fund it yourself PT and work FT?
    Ask your employer if they will fund it PT so you can carry on working FT?
    Take on extra bank shifts as a HCA?
    Ask you OH to get a PT job while you qualify, you take on extra bank shifts when you qualify so your OH can retrain?
    Cut back outgoings by about £300pm while qualifying?

    If you want to qualify as a nurse, you will find a way to make it work.
    Mortgage started 2020, aiming to clear it in 2026.
  • roz84
    roz84 Posts: 40 Forumite
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    The training post will involve working full time plus studying so not sure where that leaves room for extra shifts on top while still having time for my husband and children! I will try a benefits calculator
  • huckster
    huckster Posts: 4,820 Forumite
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    Would you qualify for student maintenance loans ? If you attempt applying for UC, they will want to see documents about the Uni Course and any student finance to help with living costs. You would need to show you don't qualify for such help, if that is the case.

    Based on limited information, I wonder whether you would be eligible to claim UC.

    University may have an advisior or can refer you.
    The comments I post are personal opinion. Always refer to official information sources before relying on internet forums. If you have a problem with any organisation, enter into their official complaints process at the earliest opportunity, as sometimes complaints have to be started within a certain time frame.
  • sammyjammy
    sammyjammy Posts: 7,380 Forumite
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    Your employer is being very generous, if you want it to work it will work, people make all kinds of sacrifices in their life to get what they want, its too years, I am sure your children and husband will understand and support you.

    If not let someone else have the opportunity.
    "You've been reading SOS when it's just your clock reading 5:05 "
  • LocoLoco
    LocoLoco Posts: 420 Forumite
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    roz84 wrote: »
    The training post will involve working full time plus studying so not sure where that leaves room for extra shifts on top while still having time for my husband and children! I will try a benefits calculator


    OP, are you able to find out what the actual course costs are? If your employer is 'paying' for the course but still expecting you to work the same hours for half your salary then it seems that you're paying 10 grand yourself (in real terms). So if that's the case I wondered if you can get a student loan for the course costs which you then pay back once you qualify (and presumably get a better paid job?) and you pay it back over a longer period (so you won't have to lose ten grand a year to do it). Just seems if they're going to halve your salary then you're paying ten grand a year to study on top of your job which seems a bit steep? x
  • sheramber
    sheramber Posts: 19,101 Forumite
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    Working full time for £10,000 is less than minimum wage.

    Or will your working' be practical training as part of your course with additional study, as any student would have, rather than normal hospital working.
  • xylophone
    xylophone Posts: 44,394 Forumite
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    Is the cost of this course £10,000 a year?
  • unforeseen
    unforeseen Posts: 7,280 Forumite
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    sheramber wrote: »
    Working full time for £10,000 is less than minimum wage.

    Or will your working' be practical training as part of your course with additional study, as any student would have, rather than normal hospital working.

    The op isn't being paid £10k to do her normal job. She is, in effect, being given a 10k bursary by her employer as the course is a full time course with a high practical/placement component. No different to a 3rd year nursing course which is 90%+ placement.

    So doing bank like a lot of nursing students would be the answer.
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