The Student Room Group

Housing benefit & College

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Original post by mark_18
It also depends on your financial situation - if you're claiming any other benefits like JSA or ESA.

I had full housing benefit all the way through my access course because I was receiving ESA, I am single, 28 with no kids.

If you are claiming JSA then you might be able to claim housing benefit - but the jobcenter nazi's may make you attend work related activities and may even insist that you leave your course to take up employment if the opportunity comes along - This happened to two people on my course - one left to take up a job and the other quit claiming JSA because he wanted to finish the course and go to uni.


This is just one of the many reasons I hate the JobCentre so much. They actively stop people from bettering themselves and gaining qualifications that will enable them to get better jobs, more easily so that they can tick off a few more names on the JSA/unemployment lists and continue to generate a supply source for low-paid, rubbish jobs. At the sacrifice of the individual. My sister suffered similarly. My own experiences as a single parent, led me to believe that the current govt not only want to tarnish you with a bad rep for being in this situation, but they want to keep you down so they can keep kicking you. And if they can make you homeless without actually being "eligible, legally homeless", then extra bonus points for that one. I have struggled for 5yrs to raise my daughter on my paltry earnings but I refuse to take any benefits, not for the sake of the fellow tax-payer (sorry!) but because I refuse to have any dealings with those cretins.
Reply 21
They are terrible MollyApple and the great thing is that they have produced such a dominant rhetoric of 'undeserving benefit claimants' that enables them to alienate and dehumanize claimants who are eligible for state support and who have paid taxes or have family members who have paid taxes but are too ill to do so themselves.

I hope things improve for you!
Original post by Katy100
They are terrible MollyApple and the great thing is that they have produced such a dominant rhetoric of 'undeserving benefit claimants' that enables them to alienate and dehumanize claimants who are eligible for state support and who have paid taxes or have family members who have paid taxes but are too ill to do so themselves.

I hope things improve for you!


Dehumanizing is the perfect description. I try to tell myself that these are human beings too, but when they're treating you like something they've wiped off the bottom of their shoe, it gets difficult... I realise they probably hear every sob story going and get a lot of abuse too, but the system is a failure. Nevertheless I held a PAYE job for 12 years and when circumstances beyond my control left me without a job and trying to find work as a pregnant woman/mother (because we're just so attractive to employers...), I turned towards the system I thought was designed to help me for support to get back into work. Instead they made my existence feel even more miserable (which is the last thing you need when going through financially hard times and a painful separation) and I am still dealing with the feelings of worthlessness that they imbued in me. I was a very bright, intelligent and confident person before they converted me into a sub-standard, incapable citizen, now I constantly doubt myself and feel like I've failed at life. Its strength, hope, determination, my daughter and great, supportive friends that keep me going, I dread to think the effect it has on people who aren't so lucky.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by MollyApple
This is just one of the many reasons I hate the JobCentre so much. They actively stop people from bettering themselves and gaining qualifications that will enable them to get better jobs, more easily so that they can tick off a few more names on the JSA/unemployment lists and continue to generate a supply source for low-paid, rubbish jobs. At the sacrifice of the individual. My sister suffered similarly. My own experiences as a single parent, led me to believe that the current govt not only want to tarnish you with a bad rep for being in this situation, but they want to keep you down so they can keep kicking you. And if they can make you homeless without actually being "eligible, legally homeless", then extra bonus points for that one. I have struggled for 5yrs to raise my daughter on my paltry earnings but I refuse to take any benefits, not for the sake of the fellow tax-payer (sorry!) but because I refuse to have any dealings with those cretins.


Original post by Katy100
They are terrible MollyApple and the great thing is that they have produced such a dominant rhetoric of 'undeserving benefit claimants' that enables them to alienate and dehumanize claimants who are eligible for state support and who have paid taxes or have family members who have paid taxes but are too ill to do so themselves.

I hope things improve for you!


It's not the Jobcentre's fault, it's the Government's. You are a number & a cost to them; Your hopes, dreams, needs are not cared about at all.
I find it so unfair that there are people who play the system and live on huge amounts of welfare and get away with it, yet disadvantaged young people like me get literally just enough to survive, and severely restricted from getting into education - and they wonder why there are so many neets...
Reply 24
Original post by cheeriosarenice
It's not the Jobcentre's fault, it's the Government's. You are a number & a cost to them; Your hopes, dreams, needs are not cared about at all.
Definitely.

Original post by cheeriosarenice
I find it so unfair that there are people who play the system and live on huge amounts of welfare and get away with it,

This is what the government wants you to believe and why it has constructed a dominant 'benefit cheat' rhetoric, in reality very few people 'cheat' the system and loads of deserving people go without and the government justify it by labelling the deserving as undeserving.

I'm really sorry you're struggling financially too!
Original post by Katy100
Definitely.


This is what the government wants you to believe and why it has constructed a dominant 'benefit cheat' rhetoric, in reality very few people 'cheat' the system and loads of deserving people go without and the government justify it by labelling the deserving as undeserving.

I'm really sorry you're struggling financially too!


I agree, it's complete BS, and people who have never lived on benefits, don't realise how **** and unfair the system is, and, like you say, are encouraged to see claimants as scum of the earth.

Can I ask whether you had to claim benefits whilst going to college, as this is my dilemma.
Original post by Katy100
Definitely.


This is what the government wants you to believe and why it has constructed a dominant 'benefit cheat' rhetoric, in reality very few people 'cheat' the system and loads of deserving people go without and the government justify it by labelling the deserving as undeserving.

I'm really sorry you're struggling financially too!

I have never been able to work out exactly how these people actually do manage to milk the system to the degree reported in the press. Even with genuine need I had to struggle to get any help, it was deeply humiliating experience and almost ended up homeless due to incompetent HB officers. I suppose I am too honest and humble, I think they must go in telling brazen lies, no conscience whatever and bully their way through the system. That said, it must have been easier once. My sister went to JC when she struggled to find work after college, the advisor told her, at her age, the best way to get help and housing was to get pregnant. I kid you not. Really what hope is there for anyone with that attitude! Although bet they say the opposite now... or at least they should since we seem to be worse off.

Found yesterday, you can claim IS as a fulltime student while your child is under 5. Mine just had her 5th birthday, typical,lol!

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