Can both you and DP be students? Is it 'allowed'?

[BeehiveBaby]

I mean, is one of you expected to have a job re. claiming CTC, HB etc? I start an NHS funded degree in September and will get a means tested bursary and childcare grant. DH's work are being really unhelpful and he is wondering whether he should take the hint and leave. He would hope to get on an access course.

Is this a stupid idea given the imminent introduction of the Universal Credit system?

if one partner is claimin jsa then that partner cannot study as then wont be available for work, and he/she cannot study to improve prospects, but the partner who is not lookin for work and is sahp can study....

Wouldn't expect to claim JSA, no. I would be bringing money into the household via bursary but not acknowledged in CTC calculation I don't think.

There is hardly enough money to survive on your own with a bursary, even if they are giving you a childcare grant. If you both want to study you have to ensure you have enough money to survive as student parents.

Talk to the Student Welfare Advisor, s/he will be able to calculate how much benefits you could get as students. The benefits are not calculated on the same way as when you aren't.

Access course doesnt give you any rights to funding so would suggest he tries to do one part time/evening and then degree.

Partner can claim housing beneift with you as his student partner.

Thanks.

Both me and my DP are students on student loans and means tested grants. We both get the maximum finance because of having a dependant, plus extra for being parent, plus CB and £57 pw CTC, plus 85% of child care fees paid. DP also works part time and we could claim WFTC, also get housing benefit of £500 pm.

It's definitely doable, we manage well, he's on a 2:1 and I'm on a first at the moment, DD is 7 weeks old an demand BF (all the time!!) and we spend time playing with her when she's awake so it's not like we just do uni work and ignore her...

We were both students when we had ds, got all the funding, childcare, student parent stuff through student loans, got HB and CTC and Health Start vouchers. Obviously you can't get WTC or Job Seekers. You do have to think carefully about it though, the student funding alone will not cover you all financially and you can't rely on the benefits remaining as the are. Hard as it is you may be best waiting until you are finished with your degree for him to start studying.

We are both students. We get our loans and bursaries, but no benefits bar child tax credit. Housing benefit is tricky, as we own our house instead of renting we couldn't get anything, and I think it is changing for those that rent too. They do take bursaries into account as income (including the childcare grant!), so between us we went over the threshold for receiving anything, despite having no savings. We are still alive though, and the house hasn't been re-possessed! However, sometimes childcare have to wait to be paid, which is excruciatingly embarrassing. It is also difficult only having income three times a year, you have to budget very very very well, as it is easy to forget that there is nothing coming in between April and October.

The childcare grant, special support grant and parents learning allowance should be disregarded as income.

They should also disregard any bursary that you receive to cover childcare or course-related costs.

Sobs into keyboard at the three years HB I could have claimed!