An integrated course is full-time education, therefore you will NOT be able to be classed as unemployed.

Well, it may not be regarded as normal full-time education but, to claim unemployment benefit you MUST be available for work if it is offered to you. What would you do then?

And I know someone who works for the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate who frequents these forums :} :D

Cheers

Whirls

Ok, I get that. So, how about housing benefits? Would I be able to get my rent payed remembering that there would also be my wife and 2 kids?

You are only entitled to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit if you are on Income Support, Job Seeker's Allowance or Incapacity/Disability benefit. In order to qualify for one of these, you apply to the DWP through your Job Centre. Once that application is successful, you apply to your local council who will pay the HB/CTB. The two organisation DO talk to each other.

IF you are not entitled to IS/JSA etc., then no HB/CTB.

Cheers

Whirls

Yeah, but surely the wife would be entitled to all of that?

Depends on why she isn't working? And whether she can and will work?

Quite simply, it's up to you what you do, whether legally entitled or not but there are plenty of ways in which to find out your true entitlement. I suspect you are asking whether you can get away with it nor not!

Cheers

Whirls

The name of this forum Is "Professional Pilot's Rumour Network", the emphasis being on "Professional", no doubt some people will do ATPL home study and claim income support or job seeker's allowance. You are not allowed to do a university course and claim benefit. The only concession of being a full time student is free council/community charge and I dont know if an integrated ATPL will be regarded as an approved course. Students at uni cannot claim housing benefits. The upshot of all this is if you try and sign on, get caught and prosecuted this will not be regarded as being very "professional" and may jeopordise your job prospects in the future.

She wouldn't be working because she would have a toddler and a baby to look after. So she wouldn't get the dole but would she still be entitled to income benefit as well as child tax credits?

Not at all. I simply want to know what we would be legally entitled to. I find it hard to believe that the government would leave us broke when we have 2 small children and no income.

The reason that I am asking this on this forum is because I would've expected some people to have been in the same situation during their pilot studies.

Basically housing benefits etc are means tested and you have to declare savings, bank details, stocks and shares owned by you etc. If the DWP sees c£50k sitting in your bank account (and legally you'd have to declare this), I don't think it would be conducive to getting any benefits.

Look here mate - if you can't sufficiently plan for your financial future, you are not going to get any of my taxes to support yourself. The government will not support you if you leave the workforce of your own choice to undertake a course of study. Likewise unemployment benefits are not available to stay at home wives - with the exception of some tax credits.

The tax system is designed to encourage you to work, which your wife should be doing if you need more money - simply the childcare support while working is far more attactive than sitting at home.

Before you jump at my neck about your right to bring up your children in the manner you choose - think again. You have made the choice to go to Cabair - and good luck - but consider the conseqences before eating up my tax receipts.

Gents,

I am a little concerned that JediDude is getting a slightly hard time for asking a reasonable question. I too have been pondering the same issues of 'benefits' whilst undertaking full-time flying training.

As a current serving RAF ground crew bloke who is due to leave within the next year at the end of my agreed term (not PVR!), I have been paying what seems to me like a lot of tax for a lot of years. As such could I ask that the likes of Lucifer refrain from automatically viewing the receiving of state benefits as being the receiving of his taxes and consider the possibility that the individual might merely be 'taking back some of what they have already put in'.

Fair enough Corrona but it is simple to find out your legal entitlement; you go the Citizens' Advice Bureau, the Local Authority, the Job Centre and ask.

However, the point some of us are trying to get across it that it is highly unlikely that any full-time student (whether with stay-at-home wife and kids) will be entitled to any state benefit.

If someone decides to prevaricate on the truth and receive said benefits, then on their own head be it.

An aviation forum is NOT the place to be asking about entitlement to state benefits; that should be the place of the organisations mentioned above. Now whilst I am currently a Government Auditor working on Housing Benefit claims and am reasonably au fait with the rules, it would be professionally remiss of me to give any individual advice.

Cheers

Whirls

er, by asking these questions what exactly do you think I'm doing?

I never said I needed more money, I just want to find out what I'm entitled to.

Both my wife and myself have worked for over 10 years and contributed our fare share of tax. I don't see the problem in getting a little back for a year especially when there are single mothers around who have a much sweeter life than myself for doing not a lot.

JediDude I was in this situation a few years ago while I did my training.

Strictly speaking you will not be able to claim JSA(jobseekers allowance) as you are not available to work whilst training. As for council tax benefit, as has been posted here, why not give your local job centre a call they will advise.

Your wife may possibly be able to claim JSA but she then must be available to work and there are childcare allowances available. She can also work part time and still claim JSA, up to either 16 or 24 hours a week I believe. The benefit paid reduces the more part time work she does.

Stay at home mums cannot claim because they choose to stay at home, it is of little consequence that you have paid vast sums into the system. The system is set up to encourage people back in to work, if your wife finds part time employment so does someone else ie: the person who takes on your childcare.

The day you finish your training and are finally unemployed JSA is available, believe me the jobcenter will not be able to help you with any aviation related work :ok: :ugh:

A common fallacy is that just because you have paid tax for many years you have any right to expect anything back personally. The tax pays for education, the NHS etc thats what you are getting back.

People have to take responsibility for the choices they make and not expect others to bale then out.

There is no comparison between someone choosing to become a professional pilot and a teenage single mother.

From the professional pilot one is looking for good judgement and sometimes it beggars belief that people are prepared to commit to and spend £70,000 upwards for the prospect of being unemployed. There is a paradox there about judgement.