Furthut Education and ESA? Help!!

[crazygirl90]

As some of you may know, I am currently on ESA and waiting for a tribunal hearing. Assuming I win that and I stay on ESA...what happens if I go back to college?

I read that people in Income-related ESA have to come off it unless they also claim DLA (which I don't) and contribution-based people can stay on it. When my mum was at our jobcentre last week she explained the situation and they said there was no reason why I should have to come off it.

I just phoned them and have been told I will have to come off it. There are disability advisors and she has passed my number on and they will give me a call soon, as they know more than she does.

 

I'm 20, I've been on it since April 09. I went to college when I was 16 but left early, without any full level 3 qualifications. The course I may be doing will be full time. It starts this September.

 

I know there is the Adult Learning Grant and possibly other help, but that only goes towards travel costs (and it'll be about £50 a week, it is quite far but it's my nearest college that does that Animal Management National Diploma, and I have decided it is definitely what I want to do as a career, so it's not my fault it will cost so much!).

 

I use my ESA mainly on living costs. I give most of it to my mum towards rent and bills etc, I often pay for my own shopping to help her out (up until now she was also signed off and on ESA so we've both been struggling). And I have my mobile phone which I've got as low as possible (£10 per month).

So I can't physically afford not to have ESA! How am I supposed to live? Unless I forget the college idea, but why should I? This will hopefully be the start of a career I have always wanted, I'm not missing out on the chance.

 

Does anyone know any more about this? I'm really anxious (and angry) about the possibilty of losing money I pay towards living, just because I'm doing something good and going into education!

[HadEnough]

Hi. I don't know the answer but will be awaiting replies as this will effect me also

[honeybee13]

CG, is there anyone at the college offices who might know about this? I don't what they'd be called these days, but there always used to be someone, possibly Student Welfare in my day.

 

HB

[crazygirl90]

I've got an interview on 23rd June so I will ask then, and in the meantime I should hear from the advisors at the Jobcentre. But I just thought I'd ask on here in the meantime as I'm quite anxious!

I phoned my CAB but they're not open today, I checked online and I can phone tomorrow from 11am so I will.

[ErikaPNP]

When a person is "recieving education" they are not entitled to ESA (IR) paragraph 49091 condition 7 Chapter 41 unless they are also receiving DLA (paragraph 41551)

 

What constitutes education (for income related allowance) is outlined in the legislation here

[crazygirl90]

Thank you for that, although it's a bit confusing to me! Where it says about courses being funded by Learning and Skills Council for England. I have no idea if my course is, hopefully CAB will know when I speak to them tomorrow, if not the college definitely will so I'll find out at my interview next week.

 

But if I win the tribunal, that is proof I have limited capability for work, therefore they can't say to me "If you need money to live off, you'll have to find work." can they? That defeats the whole point!

 

I'm really worried, it's more my mum I am worried for than me. She has just started a job and will be better off financially for it, plus we are soon moving to a cheaper house, but she will still need money from me! And the council are always going on about how much I should be giving her because I'm over 18 blah blah blah, they don't seem to care that I can't give her the amount they expect me to, because I don't physically earn that amount!

They tell her I should pay her about £200 a month. Well that would be all my benefit!

 

I have wondered if it's worth me applying for DLA, as quite a few people with ASDs seem to, even people on the milder end of the spectrum. I might be elegible for the lowest care rate. Another thing to ask CAB tomorrow! But again it all comes down to embarrassment, but being 100% honest, no I often can't take care of myself, and a lot of the questions on the DLA application do apply to me. It's just embarrassing and a little upsetting to admit, and I don't really want the hassle of applying for that, after everything ESA have put me through! But at the moment, it looks like I may have to (which I know sounds wrong/bad), otherwise I won't have money to live off if I get onto this college course!

Edited June 14, 2010 by crazygirl90