The Student Room Group

Suspending/deferring the year? Loans...?

I want to defer my studies and retake the year in september again due to health reasons, I am assuming that I will not be eligible for maintenance loan payments or grants during the time. Also, I have already signed the lease that means I have to pay rent in my current accomadation until late july. Obviously if my loans stop, I will not be able to afford this, or other living costs either. And my landlord is typically a court judge so i don't want to get into her bad books :tongue:

so it would be nice if anyone else who has been in a similar position or knows anything on the subject could advise me! :smile:

I've read one thread from the beginning of january where someone said it's possible to receive housing benefit and JSA (but have to pay council tax), can others clarify that?

thanks for any advice
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 1
By deferring I believe that you can't get either student finance or JSA.

However, I'm only going by what I've seen a few people post on here (about the JSA side, I know for definite you wouldn't get any more from SF), I've never looked into it much myself, so don't take that as gospel!
Reply 2
phone student finance people.
im in the same position as you.
Reply 3
Original post by arbaaz
phone student finance people.
im in the same position as you.


I phoned my local council to ask about housing benefits and they said so long as a university place is being held for me (even if it is all the way in september), as it would be if I were to suspend my studies then I still count as a full time student and will not be eligible for housing benefits.

It's ridiculous really, I feel like I'm being forced to carry on and fail the year, in which case I may face being kicked out of uni. But it's the only choice I have else I'll be in serious debt without any means to pay my rent. Grr who designed this stupid system.
Reply 4
Original post by Lewk
I phoned my local council to ask about housing benefits and they said so long as a university place is being held for me (even if it is all the way in september), as it would be if I were to suspend my studies then I still count as a full time student and will not be eligible for housing benefits.

It's ridiculous really, I feel like I'm being forced to carry on and fail the year, in which case I may face being kicked out of uni. But it's the only choice I have else I'll be in serious debt without any means to pay my rent. Grr who designed this stupid system.


i know its really annoying. i might just drop out and then restart in a couple of years. as i can do my course my distance learning so it would take me 4 years rather than three years. and in the time off, i could travel, volunteer etc. absolutely no luck in getting a job... went to city centre to hand out my cv and none of the shops had vacanies for the forseeable future and the ones that did i have a lack of experience for. grrr its a catch 22 situation.
Reply 5
Original post by Lewk
.


Been as you would be taking the time out for health reasons this may make a difference. The best thing to do is definitely call student finance. The lines aren't too busy at the moment so you should get through easily, but it may take them a little bit to be sure.

If you aren't enrolled as a student I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to claim JSA if you can't find a job straight away. If you could find a job for maternity cover or something else temporary that would be the ideal kind of thing for you. Otherwise, if you're still enrolled then hopefully you will be able to continue to get the finance for this year.

Good luck,

xxx
Reply 6
Original post by kpwxx
Been as you would be taking the time out for health reasons this may make a difference. The best thing to do is definitely call student finance. The lines aren't too busy at the moment so you should get through easily, but it may take them a little bit to be sure.

If you aren't enrolled as a student I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to claim JSA if you can't find a job straight away. If you could find a job for maternity cover or something else temporary that would be the ideal kind of thing for you. Otherwise, if you're still enrolled then hopefully you will be able to continue to get the finance for this year.

Good luck,

xxx


This isn't true - upon checking, deferring students (who are essentially "freezing" their education, not withdrawing) aren't eligible for benefits, of any kind - including housing benefit and JSA.
Reply 7
Original post by Shani
This isn't true - upon checking, deferring students (who are essentially "freezing" their education, not withdrawing) aren't eligible for benefits, of any kind - including housing benefit and JSA.


Where did you check?
Reply 8
Original post by Shani
This isn't true - upon checking, deferring students (who are essentially "freezing" their education, not withdrawing) aren't eligible for benefits, of any kind - including housing benefit and JSA.


Oh yeah, I suppose thinking about it you are still gonna be enrolled, just not currently in education.

:frown:
Reply 9
Original post by Lewk
Where did you check?


Various uni websites where they explain what happens when you defer. Some go into more detail than others but a smile google search brought up hundreds of results.
Reply 10
Original post by arbaaz
phone student finance people.
im in the same position as you.


Thought I'd share with you that I saw a student adviser today at my university and she said that student finance give you a 60 day 'digression' period where you will still get funding as soon as you sign off as sick with the registry office at your uni (you don't have to submit evidence to student finance during that period) but if you want any longer, then you have to submit evidence to student finance, where they give up up to 26 weeks maximum of funding whilst your course has been suspended.

She also said that you can still get employment support allowance and then go onto getting JSA & housing benefit if you are successful with that. And that there is another option where I can apply for the 'Learning Fund' from the university (maybe yours will have something similar). So there's plenty of options really, people & advisers just never seem to know the rules with such specific circumstances.

But anyway you should see an adviser yourself really if your uni has a student advice service (preferably one who knows their stuff).
Reply 11
Original post by Lewk
Thought I'd share with you that I saw a student adviser today at my university and she said that student finance give you a 60 day 'digression' period where you will still get funding as soon as you sign off as sick with the registry office at your uni (you don't have to submit evidence to student finance during that period) but if you want any longer, then you have to submit evidence to student finance, where they give up up to 26 weeks maximum of funding whilst your course has been suspended.

She also said that you can still get employment support allowance and then go onto getting JSA & housing benefit if you are successful with that. And that there is another option where I can apply for the 'Learning Fund' from the university (maybe yours will have something similar). So there's plenty of options really, people & advisers just never seem to know the rules with such specific circumstances.

But anyway you should see an adviser yourself really if your uni has a student advice service (preferably one who knows their stuff).


that's good to hear :smile:
thank you for teling me that :smile:
i shall talk to an adviser asap and see what they say as well :smile:

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