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..

Could you wait until your child is at school? How will you pay for childcare? You will see very little of your child. You are being selfish not to wait.

When my dd did her master's she could not get a loan. I paid half and let her borrow the other half.

@caringcarer I work full time 9-5 anyway so I can't see there would be much of a difference.

It's not selfish to not be able to afford to stay at home. I would love to be a SAHM until school but unfortunately I'm not in a position to be.

Your DD must have had different circumstances, I will be able to get a loan

On another note, I have just done the turn2us benefit calculator on my current circumstances and it says I am eligible for £230 per week!!!

Is this likely to be correct?

Can the entitled to/turn to us calculator manage calculations including UG or PG student finance?

@mummypiggg

On another note, I have just done the turn2us benefit calculator on my current circumstances and it says I am eligible for £230 per week!!!

Is this likely to be correct?

Take it with a big pinch of salt

I’ve found it’s either totally accurate or massively, massively wrong

Never just a bit out

@ArriettyJones nope, just had a go but it just linked to a different page that wasn't much help

@mummypiggg

On another note, I have just done the turn2us benefit calculator on my current circumstances and it says I am eligible for £230 per week!!!

Is this likely to be correct?

Possibly, especially since you have high rent and childcare.

Put in an application for UC, the benefits calculator won't be 100% accurate but it is likely you will get some help based on having a low income.

Also apply for council tax benefit directly via your council, it is likely you will get a discount.

I’m sure the people calling you selfish are sending their kids to state schools and dutifully accepting their child benefit. Just do what you need to do, it’s not like you’re not going to be taking tax payers money if you don’t return to study so I don’t see what difference it makes. Just be sure to check the viability of what you are doing. Maybe consider an online or part time course if one is available.

Have you looked at open university courses?

I'm in Scotland so fees are paid, but I did a Masters in 2018, claimed student loan and UC, and I don't think the loan was taken into account. I informed DWP I was doing the Masters. Go for it OP. The best placed people to advise in this situation are DWP.

Social Work Masters here is 2 years, and includes placement and integrated modules and course work with Occupational Therapists. My best friend is doing it now. Placements are part of the prerequisite to register on the SSCC.

Also, I did a degree then Masters when my children were very young, my youngest is only 5 now, so I claimed childcare bursary also. You will see your children, it'll be full on and you need to be organised, but you won't be in lectures 5 days per week, FT courses differ per semester but usually classes 3 days per week, then you are expected to independently study. Go for it!

I can’t believe how many people are okay with this. The benefits system is to provide temporary support for those who have fallen on hard times. Get a loan!

@Dicotyledon

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.

Since the government's introduction of Universal Credit, it's been made extremely difficult to even do a sixth form level course.

I tried to do a vocational NC training course which would lead to a job. I was told that I'd still have to complete and prove 35 hours of work search per week and the real kicker - I'd have to be available to attend the job centre for appointments at any time, and if I didn't attend cause it clashed with college, I'd be sanctioned.

I couldn't believe it, so looked it up, and yes, it's in the legislation!!

They have made it extremely difficult for Mothers to access education, and no one seems to know about it.

You should be focusing on the dad paying his amount first.

I can’t believe how many people are okay with this. The benefits system is to provide temporary support for those who have fallen on hard times. Get a loan!

The VAST majority of claimants are in work or education.

Op have you checked if there are frontline LAs in your area?
thefrontline.org.uk/our-programmes/frontline-programme/

If you're eligible you are effectively paid a salary to train as a children's social worker. There is also a new social work apprenticeship scheme running in some areas where you can be paid to train. Definitely look at those options if you haven't already.

@SuckingDieselFella she doesn't need to be available for work with a 9 month old. You can claim UC without being expected to look for work when your child is that young.

This place is crazy these days! Op you would be completely unreasonable not to do it!

You must already be getting some UC as a single parent? Can you speak to someone there to get more info on what you'll be able to claim?

Get all the advice you can to make sure that you know exactly what you will be entitled to and then work hard and be the best social worker you can be

@Toilenstripes this is temporary. OP is trying to better her life. She's already said she can't get a loan. With a 9 month old child she is entitled to claim benefits and not required to look for work.

I think you’d be absolutely crazy to give up employment right now.

I also think you’d be surprised how many people juggle family responsibilities with intense degrees including placements (my own was in medicine) and still have to work to provide for themselves and their families.

Don't know enough about UC to comment but ask the fees and funding department of university you're applying to for info as well.

I think you should go for it. Easier to study/retrain now. Primary she childcare (wraparound from school) is often patchy in some areas.

OP I went to university as a single parent. I claimed beenfits at this time at a reduced rate because of my student loans. During the summer holidays, as I had a child I was entitled to claim the full amount of the entitlement as I had no income coming in. Still was not enough to live on and I had to use my savings to tide us over.

3 years on...I am now a qualified social worker. Ignore the people telling you to take out a loan, ridiculous considering you are taking out loans from student finance to live. Go for it. Me and my daughter were fine and we also got social work bursary which really helped!