Benefits as a student?

[Levi89]

Hi ladies,

I had a look on the appropriate websites regarding what or if I am entitled to anything at all with me being a student. I've worked all my days - infact I've worked since I was 13 - and this is the first time I've been out of employment.

I just don't know where to start?! Has anyone been in the same situation? xx

 

[Squeakz]

hi hun,

i was a student when i was pregnant/ had my son! (Uni??) we were entitild to housing benefit. Not normally allowed for students however we had exceptional circumstances.

Alsochild benefit and tax credits when baby arrived. also the student loan company will pay for childcare (up to a certain amount) in a child care grant that they have. If you need information please dont hesitate to pm me... x

 

[Froslass]

You can claim benefits, however they take your student finance ( if you have it) as income...

We are in the same situation - OH is a student, I'm on a gap year. He gets his bursary and loan which means we don't get any benefits...he does however work 16 hours a week which means he gets tax credits too - couldn't get by without those! Xx

 

[Squeakz]

when i was a student my oh was a student bot on an MA so he had no income rom loans/bursaries. they took by loan grant and bursary in to consideration and got child ben and housing ben! x

 

[Froslass]

Ah see they told us we were getting too much bursary to get anything..., we can claim during the summer when we don't get anything from saas x

 

[Squeakz]

ahhhh!!!! might depend on areas or something i dunno cos we got it all the time!! xxxxx

 

[Squeakz]

saas////??//

 

[Froslass]

Yeah I'm in Scotland, so we get a bursary for 10 months of the year and its awarded by the Studentds Award Agency Scotland (SAAS) xx we get the max cause we've got a baby, so we get £900 a month from them and PJs work combined so not entitled to HB x our rent is £450 a month and council tax is £160 gas and elec £100 which leaves us £200 for everything else x its doable but our tax credits reaally help xx

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk

 

[Squeakz]

ah ok makes more sense now to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i live in england so the procedures and entitlements and financial support appea to be different!! (scuse typos my keyboard really is shot) x

 

[Froslass]

Aww no worries - my phone is the same! Yeah in Scotland we don't pay tuition fees at all, (for your first degree only) so we're lucky in that! x

 

[Squeakz]

wish i didnt have tuition fees! should be grateful that it was before the increase tbh! Dont listen to me levi lol! ....

 

[dee_is_kenco]

Hey - Im a new member- This being my first ever post!

Im a scottish student too. I have just went into my second trimester of my 1st year of a 3 year degree in social sciencces but I want to do a 4th year to get my Dip Ed to be a primary teacher...

Anyways...I have been thinking of Babys and the likes recently and have sort of hut a confusion point lol.
I was thinking of starting to TTC around august for a may/june baby to fit in with my uni schedule and depending on how I feel to allow me to not have to take time out of uni. I would be 22 when I start to TTC so will be nearly 23 around birth....If I had to wait untill I finished uni I would be 24 going onto 25 before I TTC which would be fine but as its teaching I would like to try and secure a job first - that could potentially take another year with the way the teaching terms go and the main recruitment being during the summer months so If I miss out on the first year I graduate, Im out of luck till the following year. Then I wouldnt really wanna be wanting to take time out of a brand new career in teaching as soon as I get in the door. So in theory the way its working I would be nearing 30. Thats not something that I have ever wanted to do.

Sooo...Now im thinking that if I do it now then I will have made a start on my family, will have done it before the coursework gets even harder and I avoid having dissertations to do with a newborn baby etc.

How does other Uni mums cope with it? And Im also thinking how will I afford it?! My Fiance works for my Dad ( wage is buttons as he is a trainee atm.) and I live at home still (which can continue to happen for a while after baby is born) although I would really like us to have our own home as a family.

I know this is a long ramble that probably dosnt make much sense but my wee head is bursting thinking about all of this! And then there is the thought of the pain...thats another rant for another post on a different thread though haha.