The Student Room Group

student finance for single parent!!

im wondering if anyone can help me or if anyone is in my shoes, im starting a physio degree course in sept and im totally confused about what im entitled to.
I know im entitled to the fees paid by nhs, but am i entitled to apply for anythin from SFE or just NHS? Also im not sure of which bursaries and grants are classed as income and which ones are not so i can work out tax credits and any other benefits. They seriously make this confusing!!! :s-smilie:
Original post by mel82
im wondering if anyone can help me or if anyone is in my shoes, im starting a physio degree course in sept and im totally confused about what im entitled to.
I know im entitled to the fees paid by nhs, but am i entitled to apply for anythin from SFE or just NHS? Also im not sure of which bursaries and grants are classed as income and which ones are not so i can work out tax credits and any other benefits. They seriously make this confusing!!! :s-smilie:


The simple answer is......its complicated. Tax credits don't take grants etc into account to work out what you are entitled to. So I get 15k of student finance (including childcare grant) but tax credits say I have 0 income.

Housing benefit is different though. They take your maintenance loan into account, but not your special support grant (which I get as a single parent)

you won't be able to work it out yourself, the calculations are complicated

I get £111 per week housing benefit rather than £120 as my weekly allowed amount is less than what I actually get. Ie I 'earn' slightly more than Leeds council say I need to live on, so they deduct a little from housing benefit.

As a student I get, £60ish child tax credits, £20.30 child benefit £111 housing benefit (entitled to a 2 bed house for me and my son) and then student finance
Reply 2
ah thanks for that, ive heard that students are exempt from council tax, is that right? so including the child tax creds, child benefit and housing benefit(to pay for rent) you still get the student finance on top of that? sorry if i come across as being nosy but im in the same situation and looking on direct.gov site its makes it more confusing! i just want an estimate as to what il be living on as will be giving up my part time job to go uni full time (even tho that only pays £520 a mth) but with the work load and looking after my 5yr old son im not going to be able to carry on working. so i dont want to be worse off!!
Reply 3
Original post by mel82
im wondering if anyone can help me or if anyone is in my shoes, im starting a physio degree course in sept and im totally confused about what im entitled to.
I know im entitled to the fees paid by nhs, but am i entitled to apply for anythin from SFE or just NHS? Also im not sure of which bursaries and grants are classed as income and which ones are not so i can work out tax credits and any other benefits. They seriously make this confusing!!! :s-smilie:


Along with the sound advice above, I just wanted to point out that whilst doing an NHS course, with an NHS bursary, you can claim a reduced rate maintenance loan from SF.

A maintenance grant would be classed as income, however, a special support grant (which single parents usually qualify for) doesn't. But - as you will be getting an NHS bursary, I'm don't think you'd get either, and am not sure whether the NHS bursary is counted as income, or not. However, as the bursary is so low, your income with the bursary included should not negatively affect any tax credits award (it would be below the threshold at which income reduces your entitlement).
Reply 4
hi thanks for your advice, ive checked that tax credits doesnt take into any loans/bursaries as income but housing benefit does. it states that even if you dont take the maintenance loan out its still classed as income which is a bit ridiculous and according to nhs im entitled to a couple of things that isnt classed as income.aaaarrrghhhh!! think i will just apply for all that im entitled to, see what they allow for me then go from there. i cant be worse off then i am now, i pay full council tax and only get £20 towards £65 rent on a part time wage. i just want to be able to afford all the books i need, etc

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