WIBU to go on benefits to study a Masters degree?

[mummypiggg]

I'm currently working a job I absolutely love (social care related) but even at the highest level would not be able to ever live comfortably or buy a house. I can literally cover rent and bills/food and I'm left with about £50 a month if I'm lucky. I know many people live like this but it doesn't feel like much of a life, and I'd love to be able to save for a rainy day.

I did look at starting a masters after finishing my BSC but was really excited to get into work and received an offer a week after submitting my dissertation.

I'm now a single mum with no financial or childcare support from DD's dad. I have no desire to meet anybody until my DD (9 months) is a little older and would like to set us up for a better future assuming we'll be alone if that makes sense.

The trouble is, the course I want to do includes work placements, and there's no way I'd be able to work the weekends or evenings as I wouldn't be able to get regular childcare and it would be the only time I'd get to spend time with DD.

In one way I feel that I'd be unfairly using the system, but on the other hand I think it would only be for a short time (I can complete the course in a year) and would pretty much completely change our lives. Would like to get some opinions before I make a decision..

It's a criminal offence and you could go to jail.

You wouldn't be spending much time with 'DD' if you did.

have you looked into what benefits you will get?
from memory students dont get that much as they can get loans

Do what you have to do OP. You have a plan and a goal so if benefits are a stepping stone I think it’s totally understandable. Plus your child sounds quite young still and you wouldn’t want to miss out or take on too much. Can you contact CSA for finicial support?

@SuckingDieselFella how would it be an offence?

CMS is not really an option, he was very abusive and he has only stopped contacting me in the last couple of months (no contribution since birth may I add) and it just wouldn't be worth the hassle for £7 a week

Thankyou, will look further into the loans!

Benefits (if they are like the nasty piece of work I spoke to) do not like people doing masters degrees. Yeah, you can do a sixth form level course, but not a Masters.

Yes you can’t have it all unless you pay for it. There are thousands of people facing benefits through no fault of their own. I think your attitude is very selfish, sorry.

It’s unlikely you’ll get full benefits as you won’t be actively seeking work. Could you potentially combine part-time work, working tax credits and study? Unfortunately, universities don’t usually offer financial support to masters students either. Childcare will cost a LOT too.

I did my MA as a single parent when my children were in school, and I worked part-time.

You wouldn’t be required to look for work with a 9month old, so from that point of view it’s fine. They will take into account the maintenance part of any student finance you are eligible for so you need to take the maximum loan you can, this will then offset your UC award.

I think that you wouldnt get benefits they would take your loan as income and expect you to live on that

What is the course in? Will it directly lead to a new career? If so I’d say go for it. Unfortunately Masters aren’t always valued by employers so I think you’d want to be sure of this before starting.

There are almost no benefits you can claim if you're a student. When I was doing my Master's we were entitled to child benefit (£20p/w) and absolutely nothing else.

@SuckingDieselFella

It's a criminal offence and you could go to jail.

You wouldn't be spending much time with 'DD' if you did.

Is it a criminal offence if the placement is unpaid though?

Would you consider a Master's in social work? In England they give you a bursary, contribute towards course fees and pay 80 percent of childcare so is one of the cheapest Masters to get. Google NHS masters social work. Once qualified you will never be out of work. It is not easy work but will give you a career if you can emotionally manage it.

You don't expect the father to contribute money or effort in the raising of his children, but you think it's ok to expect taxpayers to pay for all that plus your education? Yes, I think that's unreasonable. And how did you explain that you are giving up a job that is supporting you to claim benefits interned for people who cannot work. I'm not sure why the length of the course, assuming you can compete it in that time, had any relevance. Get a loan like others have to, or study part time and self fund.

It's a social work masters which I'd definitely need. I also work with social workers in my current role and have a really good relationship with quite a few of the managers so it would be almost guaranteed that I'd be considered for a role.

I understand that it may seem selfish but right now due to my income I'm only contributing a small amount of tax anyway so in theory I'd be paying back much more than what I'd be receiving over time.

Have you looked into this in any depth? You can likely claim child tax credits and some housing. You can’t (obviously) claim things like jobseekers. You won’t get much, and it certainly won’t cover even your bills let alone usual living costs.

Not unreasonable at all. These benefits are in place to support the children of students.

You will likely be able to obtain student loan, which although repayable, will make up the bulk of your income.

It is however very unlikely student loans will fund a masters though, these tend to have to be paid for, so your entire loan might have to pay for the masters. What would you then live on? What would pay your bills? The remainder of your rent? Food etc.

Depending on your course there may be scholarships or grants but it’s very unlikely you could fund a masters without any employment at all.

Would you mind sharing what your desired course is and what industry you’re in?

Do whatever you need to do to create a better life for your child.

I don't see it as selfish. You don't deserve criticism for wanting to better yourself and your circumstances. Ultimately, if you earn more you will pay more back into the system. It benefits society for people to be educated.

You need to investigate how you can finance a masters though. I'm not sure you can claim benefits as a student. There must be a way to do it. People do. You just need to work out how.

Good luck!

You need to check what elements of UC you'd be entitled to as a FT student. The Masters loan will have to be declared, and around £3500 is regarded as income for UC purposes. In other words whatever benefits you'll get will have this amount taken off. But most Masters fees are more than the £7500 you'll have left over from the loan....

You wouldn’t get enough to pay for the MSc I’m pretty sure.

Never mind living costs on top of....

I don’t think there are many benefits you can (legally) claim while studying.

It seems you can claim UC as a student if you have a child. However, do they assume that you take the maximum loan and then deduct that from your assumed income? When the DC were students their claims for free dental treatment were refused as the student loan, that they didn't take, were added to their allowance from us , and they were deemed as having too much income.
It appears to be the only time a loan is taken as income, and assume to be claimed.

The government site says "When working out your Universal Credit, any loan amount that is intended to cover tuition fees and other costs of study will be excluded.", so if the OP just got a tuition fee loan, none of that would be taken into account for UC and she could use all of it to pay her fees.