Written by John Kruse, one of the leading experts on Bailiff Law, this consumer friendly guide is essential reading for anyone who comes into contact with a bailiff.
The book is easy to understand and clearly explains the rights
a bailiff has, and also what they cannot do when collecting debts and repossessing goods etc.
I am going to be starting a university course in may, and have been told I should check with jsa as to my entitlement as I would not be available for work.
My question is - as a family man with a wife and 2 children, what other benefits would I be entitled to, in order to support us.
I am receiveng child tax credits of 84 per week, but this is no where near enough to live on.
it is an open university course, but it involves at least 16-20 hrs per week study, which I could manage and still be available for work, but the next step of the degree course involves longer study and would cause a work problem.
There is no applicable benefit - other than student loans, which are different for OU courses. I would speak to the OU student finance and also you own benefit advisor.
can you not claim income support?
it seems a bit odd the government are commited to providing training, yet expect you to borrow to survive when you have a family!
can you not claim income support?
it seems a bit odd the government are commited to providing training, yet expect you to borrow to survive when you have a family!
so how then are you expected to keep a house and a family whilst studying, the maximum student loan is 3370 per year.
It seems we are being shafted by the government once again.
If I was a drug abuser I would be entitled to live off the state forever, but when you try to get on in life and be totally self sufficient after 4 years even pay your own pension, you get penalised!
You can work part time, can your wife work as well?
Is it possible to take a mortgage payment holiday, reduce to interest only?
You will still be entitled to tax credits and child benefit, and any financial award the OU makes.
I live in a rented house, looking into it I may lose entitlement to housing and ct benefit, although with dependant children I do beleive the rules are slightly different.
provided I can expect an income roughly similar to jsa and child tax credit, then I will continue, but its a struggle at that, but there is a goal.
if I cant expect to have that level of income as low as it already is, then I will not go on to complete the degree, and will probably burden the system for many years, not just now but in retirement.
If it's an OU course you could still claim JSA as long as you can demonstrate that you are available for work, OU courses are designed to fit around work and you could theoretically study evenings/weekends so I would argue that you are still available and therefore entitled.
Don't worry about the next stage of the course until you get there.
I did OU courses many years ago and managed to turn my life around, I now earn decent money so it can be done. Good luck.
I have been doing my OU degree for the last 3 years, and am taking a 60 point course starting next month, with similar hours per week to study. Mine will also get a heavier workload once I start to work on my project.
You would still, in theory, be able to be "actively" looking for work, even though this may only end up being part time, so your JSA shouldn't be affected. The two together (p-t work and OU study) may encroach on your home life for a while, so an understanding family helps too! However, lots have gone before you and come out the other side with their sanity intact!
Also, if you've already qualified for financial aid towards paying your course, you'll automatically get the £250 grant about a month after starting, and you can apply for the "Access to Learning Fund" which can help towards other costs you can't meet due to financial hardship (although you won't be able to apply until you have actually started the course).
I have applied to ou for the fee grant, and it said on the form I would be entitled to the course grant of £1050 because I am on jsa/ housing benefit etc.
It also mentioned other grants, and further funding as I live in wales, but I dont want to get loads of money in grants and then lose a load of jsa and have to budget all the grant money to live on weekly because I'm crap at budgeting and I will end up in 2 months or so with no money!
From what I've read, they cannot count the course grant as additional income, as it is expected to be used for course related purposes (books, travel, materials, etc), not general living costs. Any other grants or bursaries that are to help with course related costs (you can check whether they are for specific costs, or general living costs usually in the info they provide before you apply) cannot be taken as inceme, either.
So you should still be able to claim HB and CTB, and JSA if you can show you are willing to rearrange your study if you need to go for an interview or begin working. The jobcentre may find it hard to get their head around it, but they will have to.
JSA and university course
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by WOOD73
