Why not do an Access course? You can complete your study in one year, and you will be learning alongside other mature students. Access courses qualify for an Advanced Learning Loan to cover tuition fees. If you complete the access course and go onto uni and complete the degree, your Access tuition fees will be wiped. If you don't manage this, you will need to pay the fees back. I think the repayment is similar to a student loan.
I'm not sure about maintenance loans, if there is any funding for this. People on JSA don't tend to lose their benefits because the hours are short enough.
I'm doing a course at City Uni and got on it through Access. However, you would need to call your department to see which courses are acceptable. For my course, they only accepted Access from City and Islington college, which was not my nearest provider. We covered bio, chemistry, epidemiology, study skills, maths, IT and either physics or psychology, and assessment was a mixture of exams and coursework. Attendance was 3 days per week. The course is intense, but so are A'Levels.
You won't need any particular equipment. Normal stationery, folders, scientific calculator. I couldn't manage without a computer, printer, USB, printer paper and supplies. You may need to buy books if you go for A'Levels?
We were really encouraged to have work experience or shadowing to put on the personal statement. This would particularly apply to SALT because it is so competitive.