1. Aims of the workshop
To increase understanding of how student funding works for students with children
To improve knowledge of how funding affects benefits
To raise awareness of budgeting tools and apps
To raise awareness of different types of debt
To discuss issues facing student parents

2. Workshop plan Introduction and aims Icebreaker – Higher or Lower game
Thought sharing – financial issues for student parents
Jasmine - what funding can she get?
Jasmine - what benefits can she get?
Student income and benefits - card match game
Using budgeting apps - Studentparents.org
Debts – priority or not?
Single Parent Calendar

3. What student funding can she get?
Jasmine
What student funding can she get?

4. Jasmine – The facts
Jasmine is a single parent, she has two children aged 4 and 7.
She uses a nursery for her four-year-old for three days a week
She uses an after-school club for her seven-year-old for 2 hours on five days a week.
The nursery charges during the vacations, but the after-school club does not.
The nursery charges £60 per day. The after school club charges £5 per hour.

5. How much Maintenance Loan can she get?
Because Jasmine is a single parent she can get the rate of Maintenance Loan for students who are entitled to benefits
In 2017/18 it will be £9,609
Some of the Maintenance Loan counts as income for benefits, but not for tax credits

6. How much Childcare Grant can Jasmine get?
Nursery - £60 per day x 3 days x 52 weeks = £180 x 52 weeks = £9360
After school club – 10 hours a £5 p/hr x 30 weeks = £1500
TOTAL = £10,860 or £ per week average
Student Finance England will pay 85% of up to £ a week for two children in 2017/18
So Jasmine will get £ per week or £9, per year.

7. How much Parents’ Learning Allowance?
She has no other income, so she will get the full Parents Learning Allowance of £1,617 per year in 2017/18
Parents Learning Allowance does not count as income for benefits or tax credits

8. How much Adult Dependants Grant?
Jasmine does not have a partner or other adult dependant, so she will not get any dependants grant.
If she had a dependant who has income less than £3796 then she could get up to £2,834 per year
Adults Dependants grants counts as income for benefits and tax credits

9. What Benefits Can Jasmine Claim?
Jasmine pays £120 rent each week
She could claim Housing Benefit all year round
She can claim Child Tax Credit all year round
She can claim Income Support in the summer because she has a child under 5 years old
If her children were both over 5 years old she could claim Jobseekers Allowance over the summer.
Or, She can claim Universal Credit all year round
See Gingerbread JSA and single parents factsheet -

10. Income taken into account for benefits
Undergraduates
The Maintenance Loan is taken into account for benefits after the special support element is taken off, an amount for books, travel and equipment is disregarded, the remainder is divided by the number of weeks in the academic year and then another £10 is knocked off.
Postgraduates
The Masters Loan of £10,280 is taken into account, after 70% or £7,196 is knocked off for fees, a further £693 is disregarded, and the amount is divided over the number of weeks on the course, and a further £10 is disregarded.

11. Factsheets Student Finance England factsheets
Leeds Beckett

12. Budgeting Calculator designed for student parents is at:

13. Debts – Priority or Non-priority?
How to prioritise your debts:
prioritise-your-debts

14. …STOP PRESS…
Details of the new Childcare Payment have been released this week.
If you are earning over £120 per week you could get 30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds.
See