To think this plan won't work

[atthebeach]

As well intentioned as it is?

DSis (36) - started an MSc two years ago and didn't finish it due to ill health. She's just found out her contract wasn't renewed at work.

She's decided to complete her MSc and for money in the meantime wants to get a job but thinks if she can't find one she can claim JSA.

She can't - as a student - or can she?

If it's a full time course, no. If it's a part time course that allows her to look for FT work then, maybe?

But she can claim JSA up until the MSc start date, if she plans to rejoin at the start of the next academic year?

When I left education, there were some circumstances that you could claim in as a student - I think part-time students could claim, but you did have to be available to work, and that meant signing to say that you'd give up your studies if a position became available that clashed with the hours you studied. You also had to prove that you were looking for work and applying for jobs as normal.

Any financial help she gets to do with studying will be taken into account, too.

It's quite nuanced for students, so it's probably worth her speaking to the job centre first. Most of the benefits calculators don't work for students because eligibility is such a pain to work out.

I think that it is part time, certainly in terms of hours although whether or not it is considered part time for this reason, I don't know.

The course has started now - she wouldn't be doing it come September.

I am sure her uni would have most up to date info.

I wouldn't have thought so, to be honest - she hasn't claimed benefits previously and she has (I think) a rather dreamy and vague version of "well I'll work part time but if not it's fine ..."

Frustrating!

Only if she is studying 16 hours a week or less.

Most full-time students of my acquaintance have part-time jobs. They don't usually pay well, but just about well enough to live as a student (i.e. rather frugally). Sorry, I don't know about the JSA question, but I would imagine that most people finishing a masters degree would need to work part-time hours unless they're independently wealthy or have funding for their education.

She needs to find out how many hours she needs to do to complete...

If it's a taught masters I understand the rules are similar /same to anyone doing a undergraduate degree.
I think it is a bit more cloudy if it's purely research... She could be for example, tell them she is doing less than 16 hours writing her dissertation... And still have time aro6bd any paid work to write up

This depends on what sort of masters she is doing