Any full time or part time students out there???

[naughtyorouttacontrol]

Just wondering how it works with finances for you? If you are full time can you claim any benifits or housing benfit?

If you work part time will you still get tax credits? And do you feel that you live and that is not such a struggle?

If you are a single mum then I believe you can claim benefits if you don't claim a bursary, Im not 100% sure though, thats what I was informed of.

If you work less than 16 hours you will get tax credits and you should be able to claim income support as well, anything over you'll lose income and gain working tax credits and childcare elements dependant on circumstance.

Try looking on the Tax Credits website as you can do an online checker on there as to what you'll get :)

Hope this helps. xx

I am a FT student and still get child tax credits, don't get working tax credits but think I would if I was working the 16hrs.

If the bursary is tax free (mine is) it doesn't count towards your income for ctc purposes, neither do any maintenance loans or grants.

Don't know how it works with other benefits tho.

If you are on a course which is eligible for student finance then you can get childcare support thru them at s rate of 85% which is better than the wtc 70%(?)

Also, full time students are exempt from council tax, which should save a few bob. Your student union should be able to offer advice and practical help if you need it.

Thank you all for replying, its all so confusung

I'm a p/t student and I get all the usual benefits, income support, housing and council tax. I get a grant from college to cover travel/books and I was exempt from paying fees due to being on IS.

At college I still claimed income support but at university you would lose that. However, the package of grants, parental allowance, loans etc with housing benefit and ctc mean that many LP at Uni are better off.
Look on WWW.DirectGov.UK for help.

I think if you are a lone parent at Uni you can get income support. I saw someone from the financial support at my Uni and they definitely said I can claim, but I fall down on other criteria.

I am about to start a part time degree at university. My induction is tommorrow and courses begin 3rd Oct. I have been told that I will be eligable for £265 a year to help with cost of books and petrol and that I should be able to get the majority of my fees paid for.

I work part time as well so will keep my usual tax credits and housing benefit entitlement. I just am worrying that working and studying will be a bit much as I also have a 30min drive each to uni, and a 7 and 5yr old.

Will be so worth it though when I have finished and will have the chance of a really great career.

You can claim housing benefit and CTC if you have children even if you are full time. I'm part time, but was full time before, doing a PhD so it's actually even more complicated than doing undergrad as you can get childcare funding for that (I am dependent on my ex paying for childcare, which is crap but seems to be working now).