Anyone know if a lone parent can claim either Income Support/tax credits whilst on a full time course?

[allgonebellyup]

The course is an NHS full time professional training course, and i will be receiving (hopefully) an NHS bursary to help me.
I'm unsure though, whether i can claim either Income Support or tax credits during this time?
Have tried calling both NHS and Inland revenue but neither were sure!!

Contact your local jobcentre plus and make an appointment with a Lone Parent Advisor. When I was in your situation I did this and they were fantastic. They went through everything and applied for benefits I didnt even know I was entitled to on my behalf. They will appoint you your own advisor that you can go and talk to at any time.

Mavis- yes i was considering being an Ed Psych but have realised tis probably out of my reach!

tiffany- i get that much money through working!!
and tax credits for being a lone parent, plus maintenance, so its actually nearer 29k.

Aha - thought it was you

im about to do a full time course and recieve income support and child tax credits they explained that i can get a fees only bursary and stay on my benefits or go onto the full bursary and my benefits would stop and the woman said id end up with less than iv got just now which isnt alot.

I manage a care service - it sounds to me as if OP is doing nurse training. We usually have a few trainee nurses doing weekend shifts and bank work tohelp us out because they can't live on the bursary alone - have you conisdered some part time work like this?

You won;t get TCs UNLESS you work 16 hours a week. now Dh does that self employed in his bedroom of an evening but it's a slog 9also a student, not single aprent but am carer). remember though that teh entire benefits system will change in 2013 so there is no certainty at all to be had.

Aren;t the PGCE courses going to student loan / grant? Websites say they are. So not a bursary but some income.

Peachy you don't have to work to get Child Tax Credits.Its Working tax credits that you have to work at least 16 hrs.
OP take a look here hope it helps.

I did a FT degree when I was a lone parent and I got child tax credits throughout the year, and income support during the summer vacation. I got housing benefit which covered 50% of my rent during the academic year (and 100% during the long holiday). You should get a council tax exemption form as a FT student.

Your situation will be slightly different because yours is an NHS bursary and mine was an undergrad grant+loan. I got additional grant payments on my student finance and I'm pretty sure you can get them with the NHS bursary as well - check all the forms to make sure you're getting any extra allowances. It will be more tricky with your mortgage as you can't get housing benefit for a mortgage. You can get help through income support but only after you've been on it for a certain period.

Get in touch with the student services department at your uni and ask them to help work out your entitlements. Make sure all your paperwork is in order as it does get complicated - jobcentres often calculate it incorrectly so it's best to know what you're expecting, then you can ask them to review it if you think it's wrong.

Your uni will also have a discretionary fund, it's provided by the government but it's not guaranteed for any student (it was called Access to Learning when I was studying). Lone parents will be in one of the priority groups, I had to provide all my financial details and three months' bank statements and I'd get about £1500 every year.

I also took an interest free overdraft from my bank's student account, it had a £2000 limit and remained interest free until I paid it off gradually as a graduate.

mmh you are right; for us it is the WTC that make a difference between covering expenses and not though. not that Dh wouldn;t work anyway but YKWIM. It's my experience that if a student can manage 16 hours a week work, if a parent, then life gets rapidly easier from a financial perspective.

Access funds are a saviour but always be aware that they have a habit of running out raidly so apply early in an academic year

Hi im a single parent plus a student and you cant claim income support during term time but during the summer months you can but they go on your student loan i know this as i sign on to income support for the summer months till im back at uni but then if you are getting a bursary from the nhs im not sure wether or not you would get it but i get my rent 86 pounds a week plus rates, get full tax credits and child benefit

I know someone in you situation and i know she got tax credits, about £50 a week for 1 child but that was a few years back. I'm not sure about income support tho