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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To advise ds not to give up job for benefits

54 replies

Lallyhead87 · 02/09/2024 16:13

My Ds is starting a full time course.
The tutor has told him he should apply for a benefit allowance that you can only get if you are unemployed. My ds has worked all summer and is now working weekends, the tutor advised him he would make more if he got the allowance instead.
I've told him to keep working even though the others will "earn" more than him with the allowance. I think its good for mental health and social skills to be out and earning money.
AIBU?

OP posts:
Manyshelves · 02/09/2024 16:14

YANBU, that’s terrible advice

probster · 02/09/2024 16:16

i imagine your DS is telling you that this is what the tutor advised

but i doubt the tutor did

Your DS just wants to jack it in and go on benefits i’d wager

BeMintBee · 02/09/2024 16:17

I agree with you plus future employers will prefer an application with some job history and experience which will put him ahead of those who rely only on the allowance.

AgnesX · 02/09/2024 16:18

Out of curiosity, what has he been advised to do. How long is his course for and how long will this allowance last for?

MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira · 02/09/2024 16:19

I thought students weren't usually entitled to benefits unless they had children or disabilities

Original poster
Lallyhead87 · 02/09/2024 16:20

@probster no he was just telling me what the tutor said. He's happy to work at the weekend and I'm just happy the training is free.

OP posts:
WaneyEdge · 02/09/2024 16:20

Unless things have drastically changed, you can’t claim benefits while in full time education. You sign to say you’re available for work, they also expect you to spend 35 (?) hours a week looking for work and want to see evidence of this.

Original poster
Lallyhead87 · 02/09/2024 16:21

I'm in Ireland and it's a further education course for 1 year, if you are unemployed they switch you to this allowance. Means you can do the course and nor have to work or look for work

OP posts:
cardibach · 02/09/2024 16:25

Lallyhead87 · 02/09/2024 16:21

I'm in Ireland and it's a further education course for 1 year, if you are unemployed they switch you to this allowance. Means you can do the course and nor have to work or look for work

If the tutor’s info checks out and he’d really have more money not working I’d say he should give it up in these circumstances. It’s just a year so he won’t forget about working, it’ll give him time to focus on his learning and do sone independently and there won’t be a gap in his cv because he’s doing a course.
I don’t get this attitude that work is the only positive thing - and as for being good for mental health as per a PP…I despair. Work damages a lot of people’s mental health. A creative/physical hobby would do more for mental health and social skills.

BobbyBiscuits · 02/09/2024 16:26

I actually very much doubt that was what his tutor said. How would they know how much your son earned in his other work? He could be working in IT or as a scaffolder on £50 an hour in his spare time? Unlikely but still...
I think your son maybe just wants to quit work, has heard others on this benefit boasting about the 'free money' and wants a piece of it.
I'm guessing he's alleging it was advice from the tutor in order to get you to be more likely to agree. It is of course up to him what he does, as an adult. But you're doing the right thing by discouraging him from quitting work.
I'm not aware of benefits that are available to those in full time education. I guess it might be a new thing? But I very much doubt it's enormously generous.

probster · 02/09/2024 16:33

Lallyhead87 · 02/09/2024 16:20

@probster no he was just telling me what the tutor said. He's happy to work at the weekend and I'm just happy the training is free.

yes op

he was telling you

doesn’t mean the tutor did actually say this

and i’d wager the tutor would be horrified to think your son is saying he/she said such a thing

probster · 02/09/2024 16:34

when you say he’s “starting”

has he actually started?

Original poster
Lallyhead87 · 02/09/2024 16:35

He isn't lying about it! He told the tutor he has a weekend job, they said if he didn't have the job he would entitled to €232 per week so maybe should have a think about it.
Ds wants to work, he enjoys it

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 02/09/2024 16:35

Does he need to spend a lot of time rushing outside the actual teaching hours?

I wouldn't be encouraging him to do
Low paid work if it stopped him doing as well as he could in a good qualification.

Original poster
Lallyhead87 · 02/09/2024 16:36

@probster he started today

OP posts:
probster · 02/09/2024 16:36

Lallyhead87 · 02/09/2024 16:35

He isn't lying about it! He told the tutor he has a weekend job, they said if he didn't have the job he would entitled to €232 per week so maybe should have a think about it.
Ds wants to work, he enjoys it

well there’s your answer

he wants to work and enjoys it

how did the tutor tell him this? in person?

probster · 02/09/2024 16:37

he’s heard this from a fellow student
and saying it’s the tutor gives it gravitas to his mum

Original poster
Lallyhead87 · 02/09/2024 16:37

Yes in person today, he told him to fill out the forms anyway incase he changed his mind.

OP posts:
probster · 02/09/2024 16:38

is he friends with anyone doing the course who works?

probster · 02/09/2024 16:39

how much more would he “earn” with the allowance?

Original poster
Lallyhead87 · 02/09/2024 16:39

He doesn't know anyone else on the course.

OP posts:
probster · 02/09/2024 16:41

it is means tested

If you are dependent on your parent(s), your income (if any) is assessed together with your parents' income(s). This means you must give details of your parents’ or legal guardians’ income when filling out your application

probster · 02/09/2024 16:43

so your son told his tutor the family income?

Choochoo21 · 02/09/2024 16:46

I would make sure it’s right first.

If it is and he’s financially better off, then he might as well give up his job and focus fully on his studies.

Is it a job he can easily get back?

It is so important to work for MH and socialising but he’ll be doing a course which is good for both of those things too.

Unless it’s a once in a lifetime sort of job, then I’d definitely advise giving it up.

Not only will his classmates have more money than him but they’ll also have more time for their studies.
Him continuing to work is putting himself at a huge disadvantage, which could impact his end grades.

LoremIpsumCici · 02/09/2024 16:49

It depends on the course. Working while studying full time can scupper your chances at a high grade and then scupper a good post graduation job or top graduate course or top graduate internship.

What is the point of working all weekend when you should be studying, doing the coursework and so on? The allowance is presumably there so that rich students that don’t need work to live have less of an advantage over poorer students….allowing them to also dedicate their time to their studies.

It’s not quitting working to go on benefits, your OP is disingenuous. It’s quitting work to be a full time student and claim a student allowance for living expenses.