College funding for 19 year old

[lizj]

Hi

Is there anyone out there who can give me an answer to what should be a simple question?

Son aged 19 (AS and MLD) has had 3 years at FE college and has finally managed to attain Entry 3. He is now able to move on to a Level 1 course at the same college. BUT we are unable to find out whether this Level 1 course would be funded, or we would have to pay fees.

The system is complicated and no-one at college seems to be able to tell us. More Special Needs teaching would be free, and so would a Level 2 course, but no-one seems to know what happens to a Level One student after three years. The system seems to assume that at 19 he is at a higher level than he actually is.

He would also get free teaching if he was on JSA, but how can he claim JSA if he is at full time college????

[Kathryn]

You're right, it is complicated and things seem to be changing all the time. I think any first course up to A level is free up to the age of 25. I think numeracy and literacy level 1 are free for everyone but I'm not absolutely certain about this!

 

K x

[call me jaded]

I think he could claim Income support and access free education that way. The Turn2Us website will tell you and point you in the direction of other available grants.

[justine1]

I think he could claim Income support and access free education that way. The Turn2Us website will tell you and point you in the direction of other available grants.

Yes,if he is on benefits or a low income education is free.Places like Learndirect do Level1 and Level 2 and most cases it is free.The Direct gov website is very good I have used it to find out everything about student loans,childcare,benefits etc.It is very good.

[lizj]

I may be being very stupid, I have no experience of the benefits system, but I thought that full-time students could not claim Income Support?

[justine1]

I may be being very stupid, I have no experience of the benefits system, but I thought that full-time students could not claim Income Support?

Yes,actually that is right!Sorry.But if he isnt earning any money,they are likely to offer some financial help.Maybe not all the fee but most of it.Also if he is receiving DLA it will help prove his disability and again some or all fee will be paid.

 

My brother completed a college course a year ago and he paid the fee,afterwards he discovered as he received high rate DLA he didnt have to pay.

[Mumble]

I may be being very stupid, I have no experience of the benefits system, but I thought that full-time students could not claim Income Support?

I'm a university student - I don't know if the rules are the same for college and university. I've been told that as I receive higher-rate DLA I can claim whatever the allowance is for people currently out of work (sorry, got lost with all the names!) and also housing benefit.

 

[hsmum]

Hi,

 

I teach in a mainstram FE college and we do have students who have been with us for more than three years. Although I am not directly involved in funding, I believe what others have said in this thread already is true, if your son is in receipt of certain benefits (please check with Student Services to see which benefits apply), and/ot is doing a first course up to level 2, he will not have to pay. However, there are other things to consider. If your son is now working towards Level 1, he may be considering going on to a mainstream course (I am assuming he is currently on Foundation courses). If this is so, it would be a good idea to talk to the Learning Support Services at your college to make sure they are aware of the level of support your son may need. Furthemore, in the Foundation Departments of most colleges, class sizes are very small (an average of eight in a class with tutor and at least one support assistant). In mainstream classes, even at level one, the class sizes can be quite large.

 

I have to log off now, but I wish you and your son all the best.

Edited June 5, 2010 by hsmum

[lizj]

Thank you all, it seems that I was right about it being complicated!

I think I am going to have to go and talk to a few people who might have the answers. His tutor tells me that the introduction of the new "Foundation Learning Tier" (shrug) will make a difference. and also that the Government were planning to restrict FE spending to three years per student. She did not know if this also applied to SEN students.

If this does happen, I think that it discriminates against students with learning disabilites, who can take a lot longer to achieve passes. And is therefore a move worth challenging. Does anyone agree?

[call me jaded]

Well DS was 16 a month ago and his school placement continues in September. Just had a look at the Income Support for Disabled Students information leaflet (under Welfare Benefits) from Skill and it looks as though he's entitled to IS with a disability component too.

[Mumble]

Well DS was 16 a month ago and his school placement continues in September. Just had a look at the Income Support for Disabled Students information leaflet (under Welfare Benefits) from Skill and it looks as though he's entitled to IS with a disability component too.

It's changed now. Note the information given within that leaflet that:

From 27 October 2008, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) replaced Income Support and Incapacity Benefit. The information in this booklet applies to students who claimed Income Support on the basis of incapacity for work before the introduction of ESA.

 

For new claimants, the information in this booklet does not apply. However, there is something similar about disabled students claiming ESA.

 

[call me jaded]

Thanks for that Mumble. Funny that Skill has no ESA guide that I could see. Just read the Disability Alliance guide to ESA and he will probably qualify too.

[Mumble]

Thanks for that Mumble. Funny that Skill has no ESA guide that I could see. Just read the Disability Alliance guide to ESA and he will probably qualify too.

Have you got a link to the Disability Alliance guide? Something like that would be really helpful - I've got a bit confused going through all this with my welfare adviser.

 

[call me jaded]

Have you got a link to the Disability Alliance guide? Something like that would be really helpful - I've got a bit confused going through all this with my welfare adviser.

 

The link I found opens directly into a word doc

 

This is the bit that is relevant to my 16 y/o at special school (my bold):

 

11a. Full time students

 

If you are a student you can claim contributory ESA if you have paid enough national insurance (NI) contributions, or satisfy the rules for claimants under 20/25. You will still have to satisfy the limited capability for work test.

 

If you are aged 16, 17 or 18 you will usually be excluded from claiming contributory ESA if you are still at school or in full-time education of 21 hours or more a week. Lunch breaks, breaks between lessons, free periods, and periods of private (unsupervised) study or homework do not count. From age 19 there are no rules that limit the hours and type of study you can do.

 

When adding up the number of hours that you study each week, you should ignore ‘any instruction or tuition which is not suitable for persons of the same age who do not have a disability'.

 

You can only get ESA on grounds of low income (income-related ESA) if you are getting disability living allowance (DLA).

[Mumble]

The link I found opens directly into a word doc

Thanks for the link

I don't think I will qualify for the contributory whatsit. I need to talk this through with my welfare adviser.

 

[emmasmum]

We just found out about ESA from another parent.

 

My son has a rare chromosome disorder so it seems he can claim from his 16th birthday - he will be attending a SN course at college from September.

 

I'm shocked that DLA don't send something with the post 16 renewals.

 

 

[Kazzen161]

If they claim in their own right, it can affect the parents' benefits (eg child tax credit) and I think Child Benefit ceases.

[trekster]

Adult Learning Grants (ALG)

 

Image: ALG logo.If you are over 19 years old and have not previously obtained a full Level 2 or full Level 3 qualification you may be eligible for weekly payments of up to £30* through this scheme. To qualify you will need to have a low income. The weekly payments are intended to help with the costs you will meet at College such as travel, books and equipment.

 

Note. If you are in receipt of an ‘out of work’ benefit e.g. Income Support, JobSeekers Allowance or Incapacity Benefit you are not be eligible to apply.

 

For more information about this scheme visit www.direct.gov.uk/alg or call freephone 0800 121 8989.

*subject to eligibility

 

Learner Support Funds

 

If you or your family have a low income then you may be able to receive some financial support through this scheme. You may be eligible for an award to help towards costs such as fees, travel, equipment, materials, books and childcare.

 

Funds are limited so we recommend you apply early, read the guidance to see if you are eligible then complete the application form. If you don’t have copies of the financial evidence you can use Certificate of Income form instead.

 

**Found this on a local college to me website. Can you apply for EMA? Is he on certain disability benefits that are income based?

[trekster]

If they claim in their own right, it can affect the parents' benefits (eg child tax credit) and I think Child Benefit ceases.

 

That applied for incapacity type benefits so i think it would apply to ESA (if the college course would improve his work prospects then ESA might be permitted with the college course).

[trekster]

Yes,actually that is right!Sorry.But if he isnt earning any money,they are likely to offer some financial help.Maybe not all the fee but most of it.Also if he is receiving DLA it will help prove his disability and again some or all fee will be paid.

 

My brother completed a college course a year ago and he paid the fee,afterwards he discovered as he received high rate DLA he didnt have to pay.

 

If hes studying for less than 16 hours a week then he can claim income support, ive managed to do this on my so called "full time" courses.

[Mumble]

If hes studying for less than 16 hours a week then he can claim income support, ive managed to do this on my so called "full time" courses.

But isn't the definition of full-time more than 16 hours a week?

[trekster]

But isn't the definition of full-time more than 16 hours a week?

 

i was on a full time course but since i had classes of less than 16 hours a week i was able to claim

disability benefits and study.

[lizj]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I think I have got the answer from one of his older friends who is still at college at 21.

He said that courses were free so long as they offer progression to a higher level, and it is the first time you have taken a course at that level. So he would be funded for a Level One, unless he already had a Level One in another subject.

It was specifically tuition fees I didn't understand, and I already know about financial support on offer - he has had EMA for 3 years and should qualify for ALG if he does stay at college. We aim to keep him in education for as long as possible, as we don't hold out great hopes of him finding employment, and a life on benefits doesn't seem too attractive either.

Now the next problem is the extortionate bus fares to get him there...

[zenemu]

Thats great news Lizi

 

I wish their had been funding when I went to Uni. I've never been on benefits, and I ended up working two jobs because I didn't want a lot of debt when I had finished. A degree, two jobs and AS made for an incredibly stressful time.

[trekster]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I think I have got the answer from one of his older friends who is still at college at 21.

He said that courses were free so long as they offer progression to a higher level, and it is the first time you have taken a course at that level. So he would be funded for a Level One, unless he already had a Level One in another subject.

It was specifically tuition fees I didn't understand, and I already know about financial support on offer - he has had EMA for 3 years and should qualify for ALG if he does stay at college. We aim to keep him in education for as long as possible, as we don't hold out great hopes of him finding employment, and a life on benefits doesn't seem too attractive either.

Now the next problem is the extortionate bus fares to get him there...

 

My college funded the bus fares and some colleges fund taxis depending on disability.

[Mumble]

Now the next problem is the extortionate bus fares to get him there...

Would he be eligible for a bus pass from the local council?

 

[lizj]

He's had a taxi for school and college for 7 years now, which has been great. But now he has sufficient independent skills to manage on public transport (we think).

With regards to a pass, I think the rules vary from one council to another. At first he could get a pass because he had DLA. Then they tightened the rules. Now they only issue passes to people who are users of Social Services day care centres.