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..

You wouldn’t be unreasonable. I hope you manage to do it, I really do.

I had DD when I was 17 and claimed some benefits whilst I attended a Russell Group uni - I’m now a 40% bracket tax payer and am likely to be for many decades. From a contributions POV I think the maths stacks up.

I'm not a single parent, but we claim UC alongside income from DP's work. I've also just been accepted onto a Master's degree course. The Gov website is a bit confusing. They say they disregard all of the money intended to go towards education costs and then deduct from the remainder. Then in a second paragraph they say they take into account 30% of the PG loan.

Not sure why you're getting such sneery responses OP, or why pp feel the need to comment on something they clearly know nothing about!

I definitely think you should go for it. Like you, my longterm options and earning potential are limited at the moment (my UG degree is in a humanities subject, and I have a small amount of admin experience) and the end goal is to become a more productive member of society and pay more into the system! And, of course, a better quality of life for you and your DC. Claiming benefits to which you are entitled in the short term is not immoral.

OP - more than likely you are eligible for UC now based on the amount you are earning and your very high rent. As you are working you would have no commitments other than to keep your account updated. Sadly lots of people on UC are working F/T. The only way to increase your earnings is to study for a further qualification which will increase your earning potential. If I was a Work Coach dealing with you (I wouldn't be because ironically you would be earning too much!) I would fully support your well thought out plans to improve your situation long term. It will ultimately get you off UC whilst doing nothing will most likely keep you dependent on UC for the foreseeable. Although with your attitude to getting on you would probably find another way to achieve. Your daughter is lucky to have you as a role model. Good luck.

You need to talk to the relevant people and find out what you are allowed to claim for. There are postgraduate loans that you can take out where you don't have to pay anything back for about a year after your course (the coop one). I got one from them and they are actually really helpful. There could be bursaries, grants that you're allowed to apply for being a single mum, you might even be able to claim some benefits although I doubt all. But you need to talk to the right people, not mumsnet. Ask the university for help before applying to find out what you can get. Good luck. 🙂

Mumsnet is a weird place at the moment where everything seems to be “illegal!” 🤷🏻‍♀️

Definitely go for it, and good luck! A year or two of significant state support is easily worth it when you will be doing a job absolutely vital to society for the following 40 years.

Do it of it leads to a real job - obviously qualifying as a social worker will lead to a real career, so definitely worth the investment. Don't listen to the nasty comments on here.

I believe you can get UC if you have a child. You can get a master loan and the part of the loan used for living expenses will be taken off the amount you are entitled to.

@Toilenstripes

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!

she isn't claiming job seeking benefits ffs.

Maybe people here don't realise that UC isnt simply a replacement for job seekers allowance 🤷‍♀️

OP go for it and good luck.

Not entitled to universal credit as a student unless you are disabled and claiming pip too 👍

The only issue I would pick up on is whether this decision is the best one to deliver your desired outcome. In the OP you have stated that you want to study to provide a better future for you and your child.

Social work is a worthwhile career. But it’s not well paid and it’s very demanding, emotionally and with your time. Unless you have a strong vocational draw to this career it’s not one I would head into just for the reasons you have stated. Even if this work is an area of Interest there are other options that don’t involve doing a masters that would take you to the type of salary you want. Like social prescribing or care coordination within the NHS. I would prefer the NHS as an employer than a local authority or charity.

I think you need to do more research on the option you have identified. As a pp pointed out the diploma is a 2 year ft course.

But you should widen your options as well.

@ArriettyJones

Also UC is for those who are actively seeking and are available to work

Wrong. It also replaced Income Support, ESA, Tax Credits and other payments.

so what you need is a maintenance loan. As well as tuition fee loan.

Also wrong. Masters Loans are one payment of approx £11k that is supposed to contribute to both tuition and living expenses but isn’t differentiated between the two. Thankfully OP clearly knows this but you shouldn’t fill the boards with incorrect advice.

I think what you missed is that Sparticus does know what a/he is talking about

MSWs attract a SW bursery from health and care, And it does have a contribution of approx £4K towards tuition fees and up to £5k living costs (adding non income and income related awards together) if you get accepted into one of the capped bursery places on the SW course - you'll have to talk to the uni course you apply to and put out in an application to SW bursery, it has PTA and Childcare extra element which aren't much and still have a shortfall. It comes from nhs health and care bursery as it is social care side of health and care.

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2019-07/Your%20guide%20to%20Social%20Work%20Bursaries%202019-20%20%28V2%29%2007%202019.pdf

You can take a masters loan out on top but bear in mind most SW course tution fees are around £8000-9000 so the masters loan at £11,320 doesn't give you much to live on if you're not also entitled to UC and can make you ineligible for other support such as childcare elements from SW bursery. UC is notoriously tricksy for claimants doing postgrad study as they do require 'seeking work' element to be eligible except in certain grounds.

It's far to complicated and dependent on your individual circumstance and the course- for anyone in here to give you good advice- you are better off going direct to those places for advice . You'll get people that 'half know' and are guessing and 'shouting down' the genuine PPs in the know, and confusing you.

@Itwasgoodwhileitlasted

Not entitled to universal credit as a student unless you are disabled and claiming pip too 👍

Bollocks.

I would really check this out. You may have an entitlement to benefit as a lone parent however they may look at your having made yourself unemployed as a negative and refuse. I would check with local CAB or do the pre application checks on GOV.

Why would the taxpayers fund your life choices?! Benefits are really important and should be only for people who are genuinely sick or have extreme life circumstances. You have a job.. If you want a degree do it in the evenings and weekends in open university or similar.

@Iwonder08

Why would the taxpayers fund your life choices?! Benefits are really important and should be only for people who are genuinely sick or have extreme life circumstances. You have a job.. If you want a degree do it in the evenings and weekends in open university or similar.

The majority of people claiming some sort of benefit are in work. Presumably you also object to the tax payer paying old age pensions, child benefit, student loans?

@mummypiggg I’ve not been able to load and read everything.
But what area of social work/social care are you in now?
Could you look at the frontline, think ahead or step up to social work programmes? They’re funded?
Alternatively could you see if your LA or neighbouring areas run a work based OU Social work course, or alternatively see if your work will support you to undertake the course?
My mum is head of SW for our local CCG and regularly keeps SW assistants or SC assessors on whilst they study with the OU, and swaps their departments so they get a range of experiences.

Yes you are being unreasonable. You chose not to take money via cms that’s up to you. However lots are in your position and make the decision to wait until their child is older before starting a masters, why can’t you?

I also don’t understand the bit about childcare. You could use holiday as placement time? I assume you already have childcare in place for the day time, why not see if your current employers could support in some way by giving you time off etc

Benefits are there to help those you can’t work, like everyone else you can, so need to carry on and do what you can round your working hours

Do it. Why not, because you dont have a partner you shouldn't be able to better yourself and make a better life for your little one? Bollocks. It's only until you get a better paid job from your qualifications. Go for it .

@Iwonder08

Why would the taxpayers fund your life choices?! Benefits are really important and should be only for people who are genuinely sick or have extreme life circumstances. You have a job.. If you want a degree do it in the evenings and weekends in open university or similar.

Aren’t children life choices too though? By your logic why would the taxpayers fund your kids/life choices?!

I advise a lot of my families on this, you’d get UC along side your maintenance loan, they’ll take any special support elements off and the parents learning allowance and what’s left they will divide by the amount of months your course is minus £110 pm for course materials.

So for example say you UC was £1000 and you ML was £11,000 you would take away the £1766 and £3773 PLA and SSE which leaves £5451 and say your course length and UC assessment dates amount to 8 months It would be a monthly amount of £681.37 then minus the £110 for course materials leaves £571.37 you then minus this pound for pound from your monthly UC which means your monthly award would be £428.62.

There would also be CM and CHB and council tax exemption so it would tight but you could make it work.

Student services can advise on anything else you may be able to apply for also.

Social Work is a protected title and a degree level subject. Not at all a ‘Micky Mouse’ degree, and not something you can ‘climb up’ the career ladder to reach without a social work degree or diploma...

Gahhh I misread! OP ignore me I totally missed where you wrote masters, clearly my brain farted and read something that wasn’t there!

You’d have less money because you’d have to pay your own fees but the principles of UC calculation remain the same so you could still apply them to the money you estimate you’d be entitled to?

Also have you broached having your employers fund the masters? In my trust after three years of being a SW they will find a masters in family law etc.

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
Duty this is the main issue? If you get a bursary, and you turn down work placements and you end up not graduating, couldnt they ask you to repay it?

Also, if your approach is a 9-5 job, and you won't take any other shifts, aren't you putting yourself at risk of not finding the right job after you graduate?

I really wouldn’t under estimate the danger faced, difficulty and face to face time spent with children and families being a SW. Additionally, SW’s are stood wholly accountable for their cases/children and anything that were to go wrong, by Social Work England. It’s a lot of pressure and a lot of responsibility.