What financing is there for a full time student parent?

[alice93]

I shall be having my first child in January of my second year of a full time degree (international politics). Currently, due to to my parents income, I receive the minimum loan and absolutely no grant. My parents give me the money I would receive from the government if I had parents that earned nothing and this won't change once the baby comes.

I live with my partner who is also a student doing the same course. But he is a non-eu citizen so his finances are slightly different!

I'm quite confused about what you get as a student parent? I have heard a possibility that I will get the maximum grant and loan because I will no longer be a dependant on my parents as I myself have a dependant. Is this correct?

I know about the Child Benefit, the Childcare grant. But what else is there? And will they want to assess my partner's 'income'? It's not really income though it's just student loans and grants from his norwegian government..

You should now be assessed as independent as you have a child. This means you should get the full grant and loan, plus depending on the income of your partner (speak to student finance to see what the want exactly but I had to provide financial info for partner for 2010/11 tax year but this may be different for you as your partner is also a student).

Depending on income there is also;
Adult dependent grant (up to 2.5k)
Childcare grant (up to 85% of costs / weeky max £155pw)
Parent learning grant (up to (£1500)

Also, don't forget tax credits if you are working.
I'm not sure whether housing benefit would be applicable.

There's lots of useful info on the student finance website, an there is likely to be a student services officer at your uni that can help - probably the mature students officer, it is at my uni anyway, who has all the info on childcare etc locally.

We got nothing extra - just loans for the fees and living allowance.

My income (24k) is too high to qualify for any help with childcare or anything.

We get a bit of child tax credits, but not much more than we got when he was in work to be honest.

Good luck!

I got full loans and grants - because you have a dependent to care for.

Also got most of my rent paid, child tax credit and child benefit.

Thanks for the replies guys :)
pingulingo What is the Adult Dependant grant? I've never heard of that...

ChimeForChange How was your rent paid? As in through the grants and things you were given or on a housing benefit type thing? My accommodation in student private renting as the uni town I am in only have a select list of accommodation that students can live in (and this is in the private sector!)

Here's the link to the adult dependant grant www.sfengland.slc.co.uk/full-time-study/new-students/what's-available-in-201314/extra-financial-help/adult-dependants'-grant.aspx

Rent would be paid through housing benefit if eligible and applied for through the local council. Your university may have a list of approved private providers but I can't see why you couldn't choose to rent anywhere you liked though?. Does your uni have accommodation suitable for children?