Categories: future-plans, uncertainty, finances, incompentency, madness
Tags: State benefits, Honesty, Durham University, JSA, Jobseeker's Allowance, Madness, Theology
Date: 22 July 2010 15:18:41
Life got even more ludicrous today.
I've been waiting for my Jobseeker's Allowance to come through and it's taken nearly two months to discover the problem - my theology course. I need this sorted to have the piece of paper to take to the council to claim my housing benefit, so it is very important.
When I first signed on, I made the mistake of being honest about doing my theology course. The rules say that anything involving sixteen hours or more study time per week constitutes full-time study (which seems silly to me - a bit like adult prices starting from age twelve) and thus would mean one is not entitled to benefits. Now, my course involves one (at its peak two) evening classes a week of two-and-a-half hours each. Even then with private study hours matching contact hours, I have only been doing ten hours per week study at most.
However, as I discovered recently when trying to use a computer in a postgraduate-only room in the university, they (Durham University, who validate my theology course) have registered me as an undergraduate (despite me technically still being a postgraduate, though as I have been viva-ed already, I'm not any more). What's more, they have me down as a full-time student.
Therefore, I find myself in a fix. What counts in the eyes of the law is the title, not the reality. Thus, being registered as a full-time student, I officially do sixteen hours plus in a week, by definition, even though this does not match the reality. The implication is that the money I was hoping to get paid will not appear as the course only finished yesterday and it's only from today that I am not a full-time student, not when I made my claim after my PhD viva.
It seems crazy to me that a desire to be honest and upfront could cause so many issues. I stand to lose about £400 in JSA and another £310 in housing benefit as a result of this. The theology course people are refusing to send a letter to the Job Centre explaining the reality of the situation, or that seemed to be the gist of the phone conversation I had this morning. I don't know if the Job Centre will accept there was an honest misunderstanding, or whether I'll now be accused of making a false claim.
Moreover, this was money I was planning to use for a deposit on a flat when the time comes to move to start my job, whichever one that ends up being. I've already taken out a loan from my bank, so I don't think borrowing more is an option, so if I need to find a deposit and first month's rent, plus meet the cost of moving, I could be up shit creek without a paddle unless maybe my employer can help, but of course they have no such obligation. My parents may be able to help, but that's also a case of 'wait and see'. I would have been much better off and had far less stress if I had lied, which surely is wrong!?!
Ever feel the walls are closing in? There's only one thing to sing at a time like this, on the basis that anything is better than a nervous breakdown:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1loyjm4SOa0[/youtube]