Dh going to uni aged 58 - worried about money!

[Meowsmol]

Dh had to stop working 3 years ago due to a disability, FND. He was high up in IT but can't do it as his hands don't work properly anymore.
He now wants to do a psychology degree looking at neurodiversity. he's thinking about some sort of business/ coaching thing.
He called me today to tell me he's been accepted onto the course and they'll help him with student finance.
We have 2 children 1 in last year of college in sept so looking at 2026 uni. She wants to do forensics and biomedical science. So will need a fee loan and maintenance loan.
Ds is starting college in September for a level.
I'm the only one working. Dh gets pip. But I can't see how we can make this happen.
We rent and my dm has recently been diagnosed with dementia and df has mobility issues.
My brain is broken.

This. ^ It is extremely competitive. But I wouldn't even suggest the OU. They're still going to cost money that the OP and her DH can't afford. I honestly don't think anyone over 50 should be allowed to do a degree, unless they fund it fully themselves. They shouldn't be having the tuition fees and maintenance loans handed out to them, knowing they will very likely never pay it back.

If he's interested in psychology and neurodiversity maybe he could get a part time job mentoring young people with autism or something?

Errrrmmmm...

You must be much younger than him if you have 20 years of work to go.

It’s a vanity project. He’ll only get state pension and you rent? Massive red flags. You’ll be paying for everything. If he can walk the dogs and do most of the cleaning there must be some job he can do even if it isn’t as well paid as his previous job. And qualifying at 61? Just absolute madness.

And as a previous poster said- how will he do assignments if his hands don’t work? And if there are aids to help, well couldn’t he use them in paid work? You are the only one earning. You rent. It just doesn’t add up.

I've just come back to this. It's got more responses than I thought.
I think I'm just frustrated. If it makes him happy then I don't really mind. I'm just concerned we might lose what little he gets.
For those asking about his pension I presumed he'd been paying int
o one but apparently he opted out. I have no idea why.
I believe he's thinking a degree can be funded rather than an online course I will have to pay for.
Also I'm in my 40s so do have 20 years left to go unfortunately.

He's taking the piss, OP.

If he's well enough to do a degree he's well enough to work.

He's made zero provision for his financial future and all the burden is going to fall on you.

I just noticed that you're renting. I really hope you're in social housing rather than the grim and rather terrifying world that is the current private rental sector because if it's the latter then being a pensioner isn't going to be an easy experience, put it that way. And please don't rely on a potential inheritance, especially considering the current health of your parents.

I totally understand your frustration.

But I do think you should seriously entertain the idea that as a family you may be financially better off with him studying (and added non-financial benefits to his well-being).

There are a load of posters focussing on it costing money. I and some others don’t think that’s the case. It’s worth getting some real answers.

OK, but even if he somehow manages to get the taxpayer to fund his vanity project, if he's well enough to study for a degree he's well enough to be working and contributing. There is an opportunity cost to him doing this which is currently not very obvious because he's choosing not to work.

I understand that you are focussed on wider society, cost to the tax payer, getting people off benefits, people should repay their student loans etc. Totally valid viewpoint.

However I think OP should look at it from the point of view of the net impact on her family.

He might be capable of working but how many employers do you think are falling over themselves to employ people knocking 60 with a disability?! It’s hard enough for anyone fully fit to get work at the moment, the job market is brutal.

Sorry but this sounds so selfish of him on many levels.

I am looking at it from that point of view and tbh I can't see one.

The man is on PIP. He can’t work.

You can claim PIP and work, it is not an out of work benefit.

Well then he can't do a degree either, can he?

That's not how PIP works

Are you quite well?!

Thousands of students with disabilities and additional needs participate successfully in higher education with various adjustments. My HEI is especially good at it. Ability to participate in learning is completely different to work.

If you are capable of studying for a degree you are also capable of doing a sedentary job.

When I went to uni we were told to treat our studies like a full time job.

My current job is certainly no more strenuous than doing a degree.

Yeah, people who are claiming benefits that aren't eligible for must be looking at this form the same angle, if it benefits the family then why not tell the half truth to get it. This is just so wrong.
Why would he want to take student loan that 1. He is not willing to pay back and 2. It is highly unlikely studying psychology at this age will result in any sort of career.

This. Nobody’s listening though.

Why would he want to take student loan that 1. He is not willing to pay back and 2. It is highly unlikely studying psychology at this age will result in any sort of career.

Why should he give a flying fuck about paying his loans back? I certainly don't.

He could work privately my partner is 62 and he is constantly learning and earning. I don't believe education is pointless at any age. I am not sure if he will earn as much as he thinks he will. Neurodiversity training has to be given to staff and they do need to hire private agencies to teach it. That's where ops husband comes in. He won't need much capital to run his business. I think it's a good idea he can teach right up until he's 80 if he wanted to. As long as businesses keep hiring him. I know 75 year old whoworks for himself it's not unusual.

The op said he was going to work for himself set up a business. He could do online coaching or face to face coaching there is money to be made it's who ever is brave enough to stick there nose out.

I've just had a chat with him and explained my worry. He thinks training for adhd / autism might be a good idea and trying to support neurodiversity in the workplace would be good.
I have adhd ( diagnosed at uni) and we have an autistic child.