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Special support grant now I have a child?

Hiya
I am currently at Southampton university and have just had a baby boy! The university has given me some time off and have said to try to make lecturers one day a week and then home study for the remainder until I come back, but I fully intend to continue.

When I applied for finance I didn't even know I was pregnant so did not disclose this information and foolishly I didn't throughout my pregnancy either. I have my baby boy now and I am a lone parent. I need to start working out my income and what benefits (and how much) I am entitled too so I can get everything in to working order.

I have read that if you are a lone parent you receive the special support grant opposed to the maintenance grant (which I already get) apparently this is not taken in to account when working out benefits and does not reduce the amount of loan you get.

I am due to be paid by student finance on the 5th of this month. My question is how do I request for this to be changed? If I do request for it to be changed will the delay my student finance until they have reassessed the new amount? As last time I was reassessed (just for a change of universities prior to enrollment, I got paid 2 months late and with a baby now, obviously that would be a struggle)

Reply 1

Tiger Rag

First of all, congratulations!

You need to fill in a change of circumstance form.

Reply 2

lilyobz

Congratulations!,

But you're better off calling student finances to inquire rather than this forum.

Reply 3

parentlurker

congratulations on the birth of your child. You need to be looking at tax credits https://www.gov.uk/child-tax-credit/overview and there is a link to claim there. You can use the student finance calculator to get an idea of what else you may get https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/loans-and-grants

If you are nice and polite to student finance you will find they are helpful people and as they are just finishing up paying late applications this is a good time of year to be reassessed. However don't waste any time claiming benefits as these can't always be backdated, it would have been better to notify the change before the birth. Don't forget you can get free dental care for a year ater the birth. You may also get free vitamins or something, ask your gp or health visitor. You may also be abe to get housing benefit and if in doubt claim it.