Single parents have no place in our society

[ad2996]

Does anyone else agree with my statement?

I am a single parent and am completing my 2nd year of study at University. Last year, I received help from housing benefit to cover my living costs. However, this year, I moved over to Universal credit during the summer break. As I was claiming, I was expected to find work, something I believe is fair. But due to the ridiculous childcare costs that need to be paid before an individual can claim for help with that, I could not afford to work.

Since beginning my 2nd year at University, due to being moved to Universal credit, my income of £9,300 is considered to be too high to receive any type of support. How many people would agree that £9,300 is enough for a parent and a child to live on? For reference, this is equivalent to working 40 hours a week for £4.40 an hour.

I am by no means somebody who wishes to have 'money handed to me on a plate', however I do not find it acceptable that I am, in essence, being forced to quit my studies, find a low paying job and struggle. Hence why I feel that I am being punished for being a single parent.

Could you complete your degree part time via the Open University while working, OP?
I’m not sure it’s reasonable to expect the benefits system to fund adults to do an optional degree course instead of working to earn a living - it’s intended to be a safety net to help people with no job at all.
Education is designed around students going to uni straight after school, which is what happens for the majority.
Wanting to do a degree later in life to improve your own prospects is laudable, but I think it should be down to the individual concerned to arrange funding.

You can get help with nursery fees. As for the whole single parents thing, this has nothing to do with being a single parent. I know plenty of happy well off single parents. This is about being poor.

I hear you.
My daughter discovered she was 32 weeks pregnant in her 3rd year of a 4 year course. As she received a student grant she was only entitled to child benefit and a child care grant which covered 80% of childcare costs. It was only recently I discovered that there were a couple of times she had to choose between food for herself or sanpro. She is fiercely proud and independent and I know she hated having to ask her father and me for money but without our financial help she could not have completed her studies.
Single parents should be helped to complete their education. It is a waste of potential to drop out of study. The outcome is so much better for you, your child and the economy if you can find a well paid career as a graduate.

You won't be at university for 40 hours a week though so you can work part time as well, up to 85 per cent of your child care costs will be paid for.

You aren’t being punished for being a single parent, but trying to do a full time degree while looking after a little one maybe expecting too much.

I can vouch for the OU being a brilliant compromise. Or can your family help? Can you transfer course and move back in with your mum temporarily?

53Babdoc why do you not think it is reasonable? I'm sure I could contribute much more to society in the next 50 years or so by earning a degree with a little bit of help, than I would working in a fast food restaurant and receiving help from the NHS from the anti depressants that I would be needing.

I have also been looking for part time jobs since I have been studying. These are extremely hard to come by, considering I do not have much flexibility. Also, the reason for continuing with my education is because I have no qualifications or experience for any employer to consider hiring me.

As I stated, in order to benefit from the childcare grant, I must have over a grand in savings to pay the costs upfront, something I am never going to be able to afford while living on a very low income.

If I had a partner, which I did when my child was younger, I would be absolutely fine and able to work/study.

A graduate would earn more and pay more tax than someone without a degree. It seems only sensible to encourage that outcome for a single parent.

53Babdoc I am not asking for my degree to be funded. I am simply asking for a small amount of help so I am able to afford to live, while I develop a career.

Another problem with working part time - I will not be better off due to my maintenance loan being reduced in accordance to what I earn.

If you’re studying full time and claiming UC- your student income will be taken in to account but you shouldn’t be expected to find work. You would be put in a different group and have no requirement to look for work. Have you tried the entitledto calculator to make sure the calculations are correct?

Yes, the entitled to does not work for students and I have checked with UC and they have regarded my income as being too high unfortunately.

First off, as a former lecturer, well done. Mature students were among my brightest, most motivated and hard working students. They were a joy to teach and I remember all of them fondly. And as a single parent I know how bloody hard it can be to juggle childcare and work.

I have no time for this "university is a finishing school for the 19 year old children of the middle classes" attitude. (I'd like to move back to a much smaller percentage of the population going to university on full fees and maintenance grants, but I don't suppose that will happen).

Practical thoughts:
Does your university have a subsidised nursery?
Has it got a hardship fund?
Could you pick up any tutoring for GCSE or A levels that you could do in the evenings from home after your DC is in bed?

Don't write off the part time idea. It might actually make the difference between finishing your degree albeit over a longer timescale and dropping out.

You can ask your university for hardship funds in order to qualify for the childcare grant. Also ask them, or the students union, for a full benefit check.

You're also either not claiming something, or not being totally upfront here. Your maintenance loan is £8,944. Plus student parent allowance - £1,700. Plus child benefit - £1,100. So almost £12k.

Your part time earnings are not considered when calculating your maintenence loan. Only the earnings of a partner.

The OU is no longer an option for people on UC. I tried to continue my degree after becoming a FT carer, your PT tuition fee loan is counted as income.

your PT tuition fee loan is counted as income.

That's incorrect. Your maintenance loan counts as income for UC purposes, not your fee loan. Unless you're talking about the PG loan in which case 25% of it counts as income.

38BarbaraStrozzi Thank you for your understanding. I hadn't thought of tutoring before, so I will be considering that as an option.

Don't mind the other PP's who are passing judgements about studying in University. They are probably just jealous that they don't have the courage to leave their job and embark on something bigger- like bettering yourself and going into further education.

I've heard of an MP supporting a single parent at uni to argue that the loan should not be considered as income as it's actually a debt that you have to pay back.

The other option is to speak with your uni support services to see if they have any funds. I was a single parent and full time student, didn't work, and got a substantial amount from my uni to help.

That seems so wrong as your income is a loan that will need to be paid back. If you were earning £9k through working then I’d guess you’d be entitled to a top up? How old is your child?

It seems bonkers that they’d be happy to support you in a low paid part time job forever but if you try to do anything to improve your situation then all support goes. My friend had a similar situation years ago, she was a single parent her youngest was under 5 so she was entitled to full benefits but she decided to do a 1 year teacher training course which has now lead to her having a career as a teacher and not needing any top ups, but all help stopped while she was doing her teacher training and she had a year of struggling.