Can I go to uni as a single parent?

[BobbyRhude]

DH and I are going out separate ways. I'm going to be a single parent with 4 dc.
I'm going to have to claim UC as my only income. I'm meant to be starting uni in September. Does anyone know if it will be possible to survive financially. I understand you can't get UC and Uni maintenance loan as one cancels out the other. I'm struggling to get any form figures because DH still Ives here until he finds some way of saving up to move out.
If I can't go anymore I'd like to know asap so I can't start looking for a school time job and work out if I can keep the house or not. Please be gentle, I'm a fucking mess.

4 dc is a lot to juggle but that's a separate issue.

I did uni a 2nd time as a single parent but that was 20 years ago.

Things have changed a lot since then

My advice would be to speak to the uni welfare or financial advice depts or your local councils welfare advice dept - the latter would apply whether you're going to uni or not

No harm in speaking to as many people as possible also see if student union can advise.

That's the financial side

It's not just loan there is other help too even now find out as much as you can before deciding

How old are your kids OP? Agree with the first poster too.

How reasonable is your ex will he pay you CMS? And help with the kids?

I'm 35 and he's very reasonable. It's an amicable split but he will have to privately rent somewhere so whilst he will pay whatever I ask he will need to cover his bills. (currently we're in fair rent scheme housing association)

Sorry, saw it was how old are the kids, not me!

They're 7/9/15/17. 17yo received high rate PIP for both mobility and care and is in college.

I see. To answer your question though it's hard to say... its all relative.

But if your doing something like nursing where you have to be on placements that include shift work along side your uni work too I would say NO it's not doable.

I will speak to the uni and the see if any of the financial charities can advise me. Keeping our home has to come first and then uni.

It looks like you can claim UC as a degree student with children. I assume you'd have to cover most of your bills and expenses with your maintenance loan and grants, but they will possibly top up your rent. Try the Turn2us calculator below as a general guide and ring/e-mail UC and ask where you stand.

www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-students

www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Full-time-students-and-benefits/How-much-Universal-Credit-will-I-get

Work out what you might receive from student finance on the calculator below. You can claim a parent's learning allowance grant for your children and a grant for most of your childcare costs on top of your maintenance loan. Some healthcare courses also offer a small bursary. Plus you will be exempt from council tax if you're the only adult in the home.

www.gov.uk/student-finance-calculator

And you would also be (I assume) given some maintenance from your ex for the children, albeit a small amount, it all helps. I think it could be doable. Even if your degree is in healthcare, your ex (and maybe family?) could take their share of the childcare when you're on placement out of normal working hours.

Good luck.

Should be doable financially. UC won’t take all of your student loan, so you should on balance be a little better off. You could also be eligible to have some of your childcare covered costs, if you use a registered provider etc. Be careful of your Carers allowance, as you lose eligibility if you study more than a certain number of hours. You should also be able to start claiming UC before DH moves out, provided you have arranged your lives as separate people - separate finances, bedrooms, living as housemates not partners etc.