Youngest going to UNI (UK)

[InTheWrongRoom]

My youngest is going to University this year.
Considering the academic year is on average 6 mths out of the year (broken into both elongated and smattered bits and bats); how am I supposed to finance keeping our HOME for her for the other (broken up bits) of the remaining 6 months?
I am a single parent and receive benefit help due to an illness that makes it impossible to work in what most would consider to be a normal type of occupation. This also means it will be financially impossible to keep a home for her to return to for half the year.
It is quite inconceivable that I am the only Mum in this position but I am seriously struggling to find any help, suggestions whatsoever as to how others manage this predicament.
I have spoken to family and friends and they all say the same thing .. "you cannot be the only one" and "this is her home ... no-one can expect you to have to move into a one bed flat when she is going to be home for half the year"? " where will you both sleep?" etc.
I cannot seem to find any help whatsoever as to how I am meant to keep a home for her for the time she is not at university.
Students have to live with the bare bones of their belongings at best and should be concentrating on their (very expensive) studies - not whether they have a home to go to for half of the year for the duration of their studies.
Any help, advice or indeed ANY information at all would be most welcome.
[It would seem my Mumsnet name is more appropriate than I ever thought!]
Thanks in advance.

Has she considered living at home while studying? Is the extra cost due to the bedroom tax OP, as her room would be classed as empty?

She will get max loans for fees and tuitions so you wouldn’t need to contribute. Probably could apply for a bursary too as well.

She won’t be home for 6 months. Theee terms are longer than that. Why on earth would you not keep a bed for her? She has one now I assume! Everyone keeps a bed for their student DC. Even people on benefits. She could get a holiday job to pay for home expenses. She will also get full loans for university tuition and maintenance and if she doesn’t get a decent job she’ll never pay it back, so you won’t pay anything for her. You do sound a bit mean not to keep her bed available!

I don't understand what you mean OP

Are you saying that you will lose some of your benefits once she is a student ?

It’s not very clear from your post op why you think you won’t be able to keep her room?

Is this due to loss of benefits?

Many students stay at their uni lodgings most of the year as many rentals are for a full year, so that could be one way forward

If it is a case of housing benefit, are you sure your student is classed as no longer living at home whilst they are at university?

What is the financial difference between now and then that you cannot sustain her home? You should get council tax discount for example. Presumably she will have a student loan. Could she find pt work? What of her siblings?

to namechanger
Thank you for that and that would be a great idea and she did actually consider that. The best course for her is too far away to stay at home and I encourage her to stretch her wings. She cannot be home forever ... the issue is for her to have a home to come back to until she has completed her studies to achieve her goals .

Accommodation in the first year is for 42 weeks usually, most private rentals (for years 2&3) start straight after term ends in the first year and you pay year round so where a parent cannot provide a home students just stay at university (surely you could have a sofa bed in a one bed flat though). Yes your benefits will end for her but as a low income student her loan will be the full amount and there's bursaries available too (those on middle incomes actually struggle more because we have to find £5k per kid per year and no surprises, we don't have it this my dd lives at home). Students have long holidays to work and employers like McDonald's for instance let them work in 2 locations

Can you explain a bit more about what you're saying OP, in terms of loss of money?

Thank you everyone for such a quick response - I have not tried this before ..
So in an attempt to reply to some:

• It is BECAUSE I want to keep a HOME for her that I posed the predicament I am in - that was the point in asking for suggestions
• Yes, the reduction in benefit to keep the home we are in now will be completely unsustainable
• it is not just a case of keeping her room - its regarding keeping the home altogether
• she will be classed as not living at home
• I want her to have somewhere to come HOME to when she is not studying and
• Yes she will get a job to help toward her studies

daydreambeliever - point taken regarding middle income - I do understand that entirely and thankyou. I am not averse to change it was just a case of trying to find out how others have managed. I have mobility issues and finding a place suitable is not easy

I am guessing that you are renting so probably can't have a lodger? (and/or that wd have similar impact on yr benefits) I appreciate it wd mean your dd sleeping in the living room, but it would still be 'home'.

Bear in mind that it is quite likely that after 1st yr she will be renting for the full 12 months so won't necessarily 'need' to come home, - though I appreciate she may well want to

Are you sure a first year in halls is not counted as resident at home, as they do not have a permanent residence.

This link https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/cuts-to-housing-benefit-for-social-housing-tenants/amp

Says students living away from home are exempt as long as they come back every six months.

So in reality all you'll lose is CB, and that should be made up in what you'll save in food.