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Original poster

Benefits when kids in further education

66 replies

Hueandcry · 18/10/2018 22:39

Please help me as I'm clueless. Single Mum, 2ds aged 16 & 19, Work 24 hours pw, low income. Ds2 left school this year & I've suddenly found myself not entitled to child benefit & tax credit & council tax benefit meaning a deficit of around £600 pm. Really struggling. Knew this would happen when ds turned 18 but expected to still be entitled while he was still in education (college). Anyone else in a similar situation?

OP posts:
Original poster
Hueandcry · 20/10/2018 03:54

So it seems I didn't understand they coukd apply for loans if they're living at home. Not sure how this works with being part way through the year but I will look into it. Believe me if i could be working ft I would be...

OP posts:
BarbaraofSevillle · 20/10/2018 07:32

Might it be that they can still apply for loans? That will be a great help.

And don't worry about student loans adding up to a huge chunk of debt, it should be thought of more like a graduate tax as you only repay when you earn above a certain amount and if your income falls for whatever reason, you don't pay.

Soontobe60 · 20/10/2018 09:03

Why can't you work FT then?

Original poster
Hueandcry · 20/10/2018 09:27

Odfod. If you realky are 60 soon you should have learned some manners by now. I'm not going to justify myself to you.
Thanks to the many posters who have given me helpful advice & despite yet another sleepless night of worry I'm feeling a bit more positive about things today

OP posts:
davisday · 20/10/2018 10:45

I don't think it's down to OP to work full time hours to support 2 adults through higher education. Definitely investigate what has happened re loans.

MyDcAreMarvel · 20/10/2018 13:36

I doubt loans would be available to under 18’s.

davisday · 20/10/2018 13:38

Student loans are available from 16. Thousands of students entering higher education are under 16.

Chocolatedeficitdisorder · 20/10/2018 13:42

If people are questioning SAAS rules, they have a very clear website. SAAS loans are available to those studying who are aged from 16-60 and on the following courses:

Validated first degree courses at universities and colleges in the      United Kingdom

Validated first degree courses at Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University College Cork, University College Galway and University College Maynooth

One year Higher National Certificates (HNC)

Some graduate entry degrees (excluding fees and bursary)

Two year Higher National Diplomas (HND)

Diploma in Higher Education

Certificate of Higher Education
donajimena · 20/10/2018 13:46

Good luck with the finance. I'm in Wales but I know people did apply late for finance last year but they did get it.

davisday · 20/10/2018 14:08

I don't think anyone is question what SASS do. Except that one poster who said they doubted a 16yo would get a loan. When they clearly had no knowledge of student finance at all.

flumpybear · 20/10/2018 14:09

If your children are in HE they should get a loan to support their accommodation, either withbyou, or you move to a smaller place and they live elsewhere- the former seems more sensible though.

I recall Scotland gets really decent benefits on some things, if you're home help for a parent are you getting this benefit ?

In real terms thoug, when my kids go to HE I'll be paying 9k each in fees, probably more by the , plus living costs so they can live in at university, I hope most of this will be loans (I'm 46 and still paying off my own student loans!) they can pay off latterly - having to pay for an education usually gives people more incentive to crack on and do it, and do it well too Wink

MyDcAreMarvel · 20/10/2018 14:16

I have plenty of knowledge thanks. I said I doubt, on that one particular aspect of student finance.

davisday · 20/10/2018 14:18

I have plenty of knowledge thanks. I said I doubt, on that one particular aspect of student finance.

It's a shame you had no knowledge about the thing you were commenting on.

It's like a waste of a post, followed up by more wasted posts. See it so often

'I doubt that....'

Absolutely nothing to back it up, it was just your opinion.

Student loans being for over 16's is pretty basic stuff, not sure what you knowledge of student loans is, but it's lacking somewhat right from the starting level.

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 20/10/2018 14:29

My DS2 is now 19 and living at home while doing an HNC this year leading to an HND next year. He gets a student loan for maintenance which is around £6,000 a year from SLC for a student living at home. This is in England though, so may be different in Scotland. DS1 is at uni and gets a maintenance loan of around £8,500 for living away from home.

I charge DS2 some 'rent' money for board, bills and clothes (he has ASD and doesn't cook or buy his own clothes) as while I work FT it's quite low paid and DS2 would have significantly more disposable income than me.

I did get a lot of negative comments when I said this on a different thread. Apparently I shouldn't 'take his maintenance loan,' even though it's being used to pay for his food, bills and clothes. Sigh. MN can be very judgmental at times.

davisday · 20/10/2018 14:31

ellen

I have one who is autistic and will be doing exactly the same. Otherwise I would be working to pay his living cost while he spent his entire loan online gaming!

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 20/10/2018 14:35

DS2 would spend it on quiz books. £6,000 would buy a lot of quiz books! Grin

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