BUDGETING FOR STUDENT LIFE2010/11

BUDGETING FOR STUDENT LIFEThe information in this booklet is primarily based on full time UK students studying in 2010/11 on undergraduate courses. The budgeting advice is based on a 39-week academic year.

Starting university is exciting – meeting new friends, settling into a new home, writing your first essay. It also involves getting used to a whole different budget. For those coming straight into higher education from school or college it can be daunting to receive so much money in one go. For students giving up a full –time job to come to university it can be a worrying time making sure the mortgage or rent and childcare are all paid for. This booklet aims to help you plan your new budget before you start at Leeds Trinity, so that you won’t have to worry about your finances and can concentrate on studying and having fun!

Student IncomeMost students receive their student income from loans and grants from the government. Our Student Finance leaflet gives you a ‘quick guide to fees and funding’ and a ‘checklist’ to make sure you have done everything you need to.

Student ExpenditureHere are some of the things you will need to pay for while you are at university:

RentIf you live in halls of residence you will be charged accommodation fees. If you live in a private rented shared house (e.g. in Headingley or Horsforth) you will be charged rent. If you live in your own house you will need to budget for paying the mortgage/rent payments on your student income. If you live with your parents they may charge you a weekly or monthly fee (known as ‘board’). How much your rent costs you will depend on your circumstances – check out our example budgets for some estimated costs. You can find out information on Leeds Trinity hall of residence accommodation fees at www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/services/accommodation. You can find out the average costs of renting a property in Leeds on the Unipol website www.unipol.org.uk/leeds

Utility BillsHousehold utility bills are for electricity, gas and water. If you live in Leeds Trinity halls of residence your accommodation fees include these utilities. If you live in a private rented property or your own home you will be sent a bill from the utility suppliers. Students living in a shared private rented property are advised to budget at least £15 a week to pay all their utility bills.

TravelIf you live in Leeds Trinity halls of residence then your travel costs will be minimal as you can walk to all your lectures. Leeds Trinity offers a free shuttle bus for its students that runs around the nearby area. So, if you do live on campus you might want to consider whether its worth bringing your car with you, if you have one, as you would have the running costs of the car and it will cost you around £390 (2009/10 prices) to park your car on campus. For those travelling from the West Yorkshire region by bus and/or train you can purchase a Student Plus Metrocard for £17 a week or £62.50 a month which gives you unlimited travel on most routes (www.wymetro.com/TicketsAndPasses/YoungPeople/StudentPlusMetroCard ). Students can also apply for a 16 – 25 rail card (even if you are over 25) for £26 a year (www.16-25railcard.co.uk).

TIP: Most students undertake a 6 week placement (in a work environment) or school-based training (SBT) depending on which course you are studying. As you have to travel to your placement/SBT everyday you may need to budget for higher travel costs for those 6 weeks.

Books and other course costsRemember, your tuition fee (usually covered by your tuition fee loan) does not cover things like books, USB sticks, paper, pens, printing credits, hiring equipment, trips etc. You will need to budget for these as well. This can be tricky as quite often you will need to pay out a lot of money for books and other course costs at the start of the academic year. If you budget for £10 a week then you should find you have more than enough, even if you have to spend some of this up front. Many students feel they need a laptop so they can study at home, however, Leeds Trinity has excellent IT facilities and study rooms for students.

Food and Household Goods Everyone will have to purchase some food and household goods. If you have never lived away from home before it may be new to you to think about buying toothpaste, toilet paper, bin bags and cooking oil as well as food. As a guide, students are advised to budget £35 a week (for a single person) for food and household goods. If you live in Leeds Trinity halls of residence you may have some food costs included in the price of your halls (students in catered halls receive a food allowance and can eat some meals in the dining hall from their food allowance) so your food budget would be small, but you will still need to purchase some items.

TIP: Remember to bring some pots, pans and cutlery with you to university.

TV Licence Students, like everyone else, are required to have a TV Licence. You are not covered by your parents’, the university or your friends in the house next door. If you live in halls of residence you will need your own TV Licence. If you live in a private rented property you will usually only need one TV Licence between all of the tenants. A TV licence costs £145.50 for the year or you can pay for it quarterly (www.tvlicensing.co.uk).

TIP: If you don’t have a TV Licence you are breaking the law and could face a fine of up to £1,000.

Contents InsuranceFor just a few pounds a week you can insure all your favourite items – ipod, laptop, TV, playstation etc so that they can be easily replaced if you do have the misfortune to have them stolen. Endsleigh offer insurance deals specifically for students (www.endsleigh.co.uk). If you live in Leeds Trinity halls of residence you will have some contents insurance cover included in your accommodation costs but you may wish to register for extra cover for items such as laptops or bikes (www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/accommodation). Make sure you check the terms and conditions when purchasing contents insurance.

1

BUDGETING FOR STUDENT LIFEThe information in this booklet is primarily based on full time UK students studying in 2010/11 on undergraduate courses. The budgeting advice is based on a 39-week academic year.

Starting university is exciting – meeting new friends, settling into a new home, writing your first essay. It also involves getting used to a whole different budget. For those coming straight into higher education from school or college it can be daunting to receive so much money in one go. For students giving up a full –time job to come to university it can be a worrying time making sure the mortgage or rent and childcare are all paid for. This booklet aims to help you plan your new budget before you start at Leeds Trinity, so that you won’t have to worry about your finances and can concentrate on studying and having fun!

Student IncomeMost students receive their student income from loans and grants from the government. Our Student Finance leaflet gives you a ‘quick guide to fees and funding’ and a ‘checklist’ to make sure you have done everything you need to.

Student ExpenditureHere are some of the things you will need to pay for while you are at university:

RentIf you live in halls of residence you will be charged accommodation fees. If you live in a private rented shared house (e.g. in Headingley or Horsforth) you will be charged rent. If you live in your own house you will need to budget for paying the mortgage/rent payments on your student income. If you live with your parents they may charge you a weekly or monthly fee (known as ‘board’). How much your rent costs you will depend on your circumstances – check out our example budgets for some estimated costs. You can find out information on Leeds Trinity hall of residence accommodation fees at www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/services/accommodation. You can find out the average costs of renting a property in Leeds on the Unipol website www.unipol.org.uk/leeds

Utility BillsHousehold utility bills are for electricity, gas and water. If you live in Leeds Trinity halls of residence your accommodation fees include these utilities. If you live in a private rented property or your own home you will be sent a bill from the utility suppliers. Students living in a shared private rented property are advised to budget at least £15 a week to pay all their utility bills.

TravelIf you live in Leeds Trinity halls of residence then your travel costs will be minimal as you can walk to all your lectures. Leeds Trinity offers a free shuttle bus for its students that runs around the nearby area. So, if you do live on campus you might want to consider whether its worth bringing your car with you, if you have one, as you would have the running costs of the car and it will cost you around £390 (2009/10 prices) to park your car on campus. For those travelling from the West Yorkshire region by bus and/or train you can purchase a Student Plus Metrocard for £17 a week or £62.50 a month which gives you unlimited travel on most routes (www.wymetro.com/TicketsAndPasses/YoungPeople/StudentPlusMetroCard ). Students can also apply for a 16 – 25 rail card (even if you are over 25) for £26 a year (www.16-25railcard.co.uk).

TIP: Most students undertake a 6 week placement (in a work environment) or school-based training (SBT) depending on which course you are studying. As you have to travel to your placement/SBT everyday you may need to budget for higher travel costs for those 6 weeks.

Books and other course costsRemember, your tuition fee (usually covered by your tuition fee loan) does not cover things like books, USB sticks, paper, pens, printing credits, hiring equipment, trips etc. You will need to budget for these as well. This can be tricky as quite often you will need to pay out a lot of money for books and other course costs at the start of the academic year. If you budget for £10 a week then you should find you have more than enough, even if you have to spend some of this up front. Many students feel they need a laptop so they can study at home, however, Leeds Trinity has excellent IT facilities and study rooms for students.

Food and Household Goods Everyone will have to purchase some food and household goods. If you have never lived away from home before it may be new to you to think about buying toothpaste, toilet paper, bin bags and cooking oil as well as food. As a guide, students are advised to budget £35 a week (for a single person) for food and household goods. If you live in Leeds Trinity halls of residence you may have some food costs included in the price of your halls (students in catered halls receive a food allowance and can eat some meals in the dining hall from their food allowance) so your food budget would be small, but you will still need to purchase some items.

TIP: Remember to bring some pots, pans and cutlery with you to university.

TV Licence Students, like everyone else, are required to have a TV Licence. You are not covered by your parents’, the university or your friends in the house next door. If you live in halls of residence you will need your own TV Licence. If you live in a private rented property you will usually only need one TV Licence between all of the tenants. A TV licence costs £145.50 for the year or you can pay for it quarterly (www.tvlicensing.co.uk).

TIP: If you don’t have a TV Licence you are breaking the law and could face a fine of up to £1,000.

Contents InsuranceFor just a few pounds a week you can insure all your favourite items – ipod, laptop, TV, playstation etc so that they can be easily replaced if you do have the misfortune to have them stolen. Endsleigh offer insurance deals specifically for students (www.endsleigh.co.uk). If you live in Leeds Trinity halls of residence you will have some contents insurance cover included in your accommodation costs but you may wish to register for extra cover for items such as laptops or bikes (www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/accommodation). Make sure you check the terms and conditions when purchasing contents insurance.

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Other expenditure On pages 1 and 2 is a guide to ‘essential expenditure’ for most students. However, in addition to all these things remember you will probably be paying for: • TV,Internetandlandlinephonebill–althoughthisisnotanecessaryexpenditure(likegas, electricity and water) most students choose to have a TV and Internet provider supply them with these services which have to be paid for monthly, which usually include landline rental as well. You could cut these costs down by purchasing a freeview box (so a smaller one-off cost), not having a landline (as most students use mobile phones now) so you only have the monthly cost of the internet to pay for. If you live in Leeds Trinity halls of residence the internet is usually included in the cost of accommodation • ClothesandLaundry–evenifyouarejustpurchasingthebareminimum(e.g.wintercoat) you will need to spend some money on clothes and other personal costs such as haircuts. Remember, you may need to purchase some clothes for your placement or School Based Training. If you are entitled to a bursary (www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/studentfinance) then you could use the first payment of this in February to contribute to these costs • Otherbills(e.g.mobilephone).Ifyougetacontractmobilephone(whereyoupaylinerental and any other costs monthly) then make sure you budget for this and have the money in your account when it is due to be debited. If you have a pay-as-you-go phone see if you can get any deals (e.g. top up £10 a week and get unlimited texts) • Leisurecosts(e.g.gymmembership,sportsclub/society’sclubmembership,‘going-out’ costs). What you spend on these things will depend on your circumstances. If you get a part- time job while you are a student to supplement your income, then you may have more money to spend on leisure costs

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MONEY MANAGEMENT TIPSHere are some bits of advice to help you maximise your income, minimise your expenditure and plan a comprehensive budget for your first year of university:

• Getapart-timejob.Moststudentshavetoworkpart-timeinordertobeabletoaffordtolive.In fact, the government expects that most students will contribute to their own budget by working part-time. The Jobshop at Leeds Trinity can offer help and advice on finding part-time work. Visit www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/jobshop for further information. If you already have a part-time job ask if they have a branch in the Leeds area that you could transfer to

• Vacationwork-ifyouhaveapart-timejobandstayinLeedsoverthevacations,mostplaceswill be able to offer you extra or even full time hours, especially in call centres, or in shops and bars during busy periods. If you go home for the vacations enquire at your local jobcentre (www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk to find your local centre) about part-time work available on a temporary basis

• Ifyoureceiveamaintenancegrant(orspecialsupportgrant)aspartofyourstudentfundingand you are studying a full-time honours degree then you should also receive a bursary from Leeds Trinity of £1,000 or £500. This is paid in 2 instalments in February and May. For more information on Leeds Trinity Bursaries please visit www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/studentfinance

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• Yourfirstinstalmentofstudentfundingispaidtoyouwhenyouhaveregisteredontoyourcourse in the first week at university. This means that you will usually not receive any funding until the end of the first week (known as fresher’s week) so make sure you bring a bit of money with you for the first week

• StudentFunding–yourmaintenanceloanandanymaintenancegrantarepaidinthree instalments (usually at the start of each term). Make sure you know when these are so you can budget accordingly

• Ifyourstudentfundingassessmentrecommendsacontributionfromyourparentsorpartner discuss with them the best way for them to make this contribution to you. (e.g. weekly, monthly or a lump sum). If you live in Leeds Trinity halls of residence your parents can pay towards your accommodation direct to Leeds Trinity. For more information contact the Finance Department on 0113 2837311

• Ifyouhavetopayforhealthcarecosts(glasses,prescriptionsetc.)makesureyoucompleteaHC1 form first to see if you are eligible for any financial assistance from the NHS. Forms are available fromtheStudentHealthortheStudentSupportCentreatLeedsTrinity

• TakeadvantageofbeingastudentwithyourNUScard.YourNUScardgetsyoudiscountsinlotsof shops (e.g. Topshop), the cinema (e.g. VUE cinemas), and eating places (e.g. Pizza Hut)

• Ifyoudon’tyetahaveastudentbankaccount–openone.Visitthefollowingwebsites,whichoffer advice on student bank accounts, and information on what the various banks offer: www.bba.org.uk www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking You will need your own bank account to have your student funding paid into. Student accounts offer interest free overdrafts and usually an incentive for opening an account, e.g. £50 cash, free 16-25 railcard

• Avoidusingcreditcardsifpossible.Ifyourbankoffersyouacreditcardwithyourstudentbank account then take it but only use it for emergencies

ADVICE FOR ADULT LEARNERS AND STUDENTS WITH DEPENDANTS• Acommonstudentfinancemythisthat“Iamamature/independentstudentbecauseIam21”. Entitlement to student funding (all of the maintenance grant and part of the maintenance loan) will be assessed on your parents’ income until you are 25, not 21. There are some exceptions to this, for example if you have a child, if your parents are deceased or you are in the care of your Local Authority, or if you have been financially supporting yourself for three full years before the start of the course. There are some other exceptions and you can read about all of them at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

• Inadditiontothemaintenancegrantandmaintenanceloan,ifyouhavedependentsyoumaybe entitled to some supplementary grants from Student Finance England (or similar if you are from Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales):

• TheChildcareGrantisagranttoassistwithchildcarecosts(onlyforregisteredorapproved childcare) while you are studying. You can receive up to £148.75 a week for one child and up to £225 a week for two or more children. This is a means-tested grant so how much you receive depends on your circumstances and household income. It is paid in three instalments (at the same time as your maintenance loan is paid) and you do not have to repay this grant

• The Parents Learning Allowance is a grant to assist students who have children and are on a low-income. You can receive up to £1,508. This is a means-tested grant so how much you receive depends on your circumstances and household income. It is paid in three instalments (at the same time as your maintenance loan is paid) and you do not have to repay this grant

• TheAdultsDependentGrantisagrantforstudentswhosespouse/relativedependsonthem financially. You can receive up to £2,642. This is a means-tested grant so how much you receive depends on your circumstances and household income. It is paid in three instalments (at the same time as your maintenance loan is paid) and you do not have to repay this grant

• TheSpecialSupportGrantispaidINSTEADOFtheMaintenanceGranttostudentswhohavean underlying eligibility for means-tested benefits (i.e. lone parents, students with certain disabilities). You can receive up to £2,906. This is a means-tested grant so how much you receive depends on your circumstances and household income. It is paid in three instalments (at the same time as your maintenance loan is paid) and you do not have to repay this grant. The advantage of receivingtheSpecialSupportGrantratherthantheMaintenanceGrantisthatJobCentrePluswill notcounttheSpecialSupportGrantasincomewhencalculatingyourentitlementtomeans-tested benefits.AlsotheSpecialSupportGrantisnotpaidinpart-substitutionfortheloanlikethe MaintenanceGrant,soyoureceivemoresupportoverall

• For further information on these grants please visit www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

• Ifyouareputtingyourchildinchildcareforthefirsttimeduetostartingyourcourse,orifyouwant to move your child to childcare closer to Leeds Trinity, you can find advice on choosing a childcare provider at www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Childcare

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• Yourfirstinstalmentofstudentfundingispaidtoyouwhenyouhaveregisteredontoyourcourse in the first week at university. This means that you will usually not receive any funding until the end of the first week (known as fresher’s week) so make sure you bring a bit of money with you for the first week

• StudentFunding–yourmaintenanceloanandanymaintenancegrantarepaidinthree instalments (usually at the start of each term). Make sure you know when these are so you can budget accordingly

• Ifyourstudentfundingassessmentrecommendsacontributionfromyourparentsorpartner discuss with them the best way for them to make this contribution to you. (e.g. weekly, monthly or a lump sum). If you live in Leeds Trinity halls of residence your parents can pay towards your accommodation direct to Leeds Trinity. For more information contact the Finance Department on 0113 2837311

• Ifyouhavetopayforhealthcarecosts(glasses,prescriptionsetc.)makesureyoucompleteaHC1 form first to see if you are eligible for any financial assistance from the NHS. Forms are available fromtheStudentHealthortheStudentSupportCentreatLeedsTrinity

• TakeadvantageofbeingastudentwithyourNUScard.YourNUScardgetsyoudiscountsinlotsof shops (e.g. Topshop), the cinema (e.g. VUE cinemas), and eating places (e.g. Pizza Hut)

• Ifyoudon’tyetahaveastudentbankaccount–openone.Visitthefollowingwebsites,whichoffer advice on student bank accounts, and information on what the various banks offer: www.bba.org.uk www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking You will need your own bank account to have your student funding paid into. Student accounts offer interest free overdrafts and usually an incentive for opening an account, e.g. £50 cash, free 16-25 railcard

• Avoidusingcreditcardsifpossible.Ifyourbankoffersyouacreditcardwithyourstudentbank account then take it but only use it for emergencies

ADVICE FOR ADULT LEARNERS AND STUDENTS WITH DEPENDANTS• Acommonstudentfinancemythisthat“Iamamature/independentstudentbecauseIam21”. Entitlement to student funding (all of the maintenance grant and part of the maintenance loan) will be assessed on your parents’ income until you are 25, not 21. There are some exceptions to this, for example if you have a child, if your parents are deceased or you are in the care of your Local Authority, or if you have been financially supporting yourself for three full years before the start of the course. There are some other exceptions and you can read about all of them at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

• Inadditiontothemaintenancegrantandmaintenanceloan,ifyouhavedependentsyoumaybe entitled to some supplementary grants from Student Finance England (or similar if you are from Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales):

• TheChildcareGrantisagranttoassistwithchildcarecosts(onlyforregisteredorapproved childcare) while you are studying. You can receive up to £148.75 a week for one child and up to £225 a week for two or more children. This is a means-tested grant so how much you receive depends on your circumstances and household income. It is paid in three instalments (at the same time as your maintenance loan is paid) and you do not have to repay this grant

• The Parents Learning Allowance is a grant to assist students who have children and are on a low-income. You can receive up to £1,508. This is a means-tested grant so how much you receive depends on your circumstances and household income. It is paid in three instalments (at the same time as your maintenance loan is paid) and you do not have to repay this grant

• TheAdultsDependentGrantisagrantforstudentswhosespouse/relativedependsonthem financially. You can receive up to £2,642. This is a means-tested grant so how much you receive depends on your circumstances and household income. It is paid in three instalments (at the same time as your maintenance loan is paid) and you do not have to repay this grant

• TheSpecialSupportGrantispaidINSTEADOFtheMaintenanceGranttostudentswhohavean underlying eligibility for means-tested benefits (i.e. lone parents, students with certain disabilities). You can receive up to £2,906. This is a means-tested grant so how much you receive depends on your circumstances and household income. It is paid in three instalments (at the same time as your maintenance loan is paid) and you do not have to repay this grant. The advantage of receivingtheSpecialSupportGrantratherthantheMaintenanceGrantisthatJobCentrePluswill notcounttheSpecialSupportGrantasincomewhencalculatingyourentitlementtomeans-tested benefits.AlsotheSpecialSupportGrantisnotpaidinpart-substitutionfortheloanlikethe MaintenanceGrant,soyoureceivemoresupportoverall

• For further information on these grants please visit www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

• Ifyouareputtingyourchildinchildcareforthefirsttimeduetostartingyourcourse,orifyouwant to move your child to childcare closer to Leeds Trinity, you can find advice on choosing a childcare provider at www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Childcare

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• Ifyouarecurrentlyinreceiptofmeans-testedbenefitsthenitisimportantthatyoucontactyour local Jobcentre when you receive your student finance entitlement letter from Student Finance England. Means-tested benefits are affected by your student status and your student income:

• Full-time students are not entitled to claim Job Seekers Allowance • Some full-time students (lone parents; students in receipt of certain rates of Disability Living Allowance) can apply to claim income support, although quite often due to the student funding income taken into account, there is no entitlement • Some full-time students (lone parents; students in receipt of certain rates of Disability Living Allowance) can apply to claim housing benefit, although quite often due to the student funding income taken into account, entitlement is reduced • During the summer months you should make an application for reassessment of your benefits as student income is not counted during this time • For further information and advice on what student income should be counted when your benefits are assessed please contact Leeds Trinity’s Student Adviser studentfinance@leedstrinity.ac.uk or tel 0113 283 7173 or visit www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits for more information

• Studentstatusitselfandmoststudentincomedonotaffectyoureligibilityfortaxcreditssoif youhavechildrenensureyoumakeaclaimforChildTaxCredits.Studentsmaybeabletoclaim WorkingTaxCreditsifyouare16orover,havechildrenandareworkingmorethan16hoursa week, or if you are 25 or over and working more than 30 hours a week. Visit www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits for more information

• Full-timestudentsareexemptfrompayingcounciltax(forthefulldurationofyourcourse, including the vacations). This means that if there is just you in the property then the council tax bill would be £0. If there is you and one other person over the age of 18 in the property then there would be a ‘single-person discount’ on the bill of 25%. If there is you and two or more people over the age of 18 in the property there would be no discount on the bill. Other rules apply if you have two properties. If you live in the Leeds, Bradford or Wakefield area Leeds Trinity will let your council know that you are a student once you have registered onto your course. If you live outside theseareasyoucanaskfora‘CouncilTaxExemptionLetter’fromRegistryservicesonceyouhave registered onto your course

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• Ifyouarecurrentlyinreceiptofmeans-testedbenefitsthenitisimportantthatyoucontactyour local Jobcentre when you receive your student finance entitlement letter from Student Finance England. Means-tested benefits are affected by your student status and your student income:

• Full-time students are not entitled to claim Job Seekers Allowance • Some full-time students (lone parents; students in receipt of certain rates of Disability Living Allowance) can apply to claim income support, although quite often due to the student funding income taken into account, there is no entitlement • Some full-time students (lone parents; students in receipt of certain rates of Disability Living Allowance) can apply to claim housing benefit, although quite often due to the student funding income taken into account, entitlement is reduced • During the summer months you should make an application for reassessment of your benefits as student income is not counted during this time • For further information and advice on what student income should be counted when your benefits are assessed please contact Leeds Trinity’s Student Adviser studentfinance@leedstrinity.ac.uk or tel 0113 283 7173 or visit www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits for more information

• Studentstatusitselfandmoststudentincomedonotaffectyoureligibilityfortaxcreditssoif youhavechildrenensureyoumakeaclaimforChildTaxCredits.Studentsmaybeabletoclaim WorkingTaxCreditsifyouare16orover,havechildrenandareworkingmorethan16hoursa week, or if you are 25 or over and working more than 30 hours a week. Visit www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits for more information

• Full-timestudentsareexemptfrompayingcounciltax(forthefulldurationofyourcourse, including the vacations). This means that if there is just you in the property then the council tax bill would be £0. If there is you and one other person over the age of 18 in the property then there would be a ‘single-person discount’ on the bill of 25%. If there is you and two or more people over the age of 18 in the property there would be no discount on the bill. Other rules apply if you have two properties. If you live in the Leeds, Bradford or Wakefield area Leeds Trinity will let your council know that you are a student once you have registered onto your course. If you live outside theseareasyoucanaskfora‘CouncilTaxExemptionLetter’fromRegistryservicesonceyouhave registered onto your course

HELP AND ADVICELeeds Trinity Student AdviserT: 0113 283 7173E: studentfinance@leedstrinity.ac.ukwww.leedstrinity.ac.uk

Student Finance EnglandT: 0845 300 5090www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

Students from ScotlandT: 0845 111 1711www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

Students from WalesT: 0845 602 8845www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

Students from Northern IrelandT: 0845 600 0662www.studentfinanceni.co.uk

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Example Budgets Here are some student budgets. These are just an example and yours may differ in many ways. Remember – the ‘money leftover for other expenditure’ has to cover everything above in the ‘other expenditure’ list (above) and all the other things you want to purchase / pay for and do. The budget is based on the 39 weeks of the academic year. During the summer months many students undertake full time work to pay for their living costs during the vacation.

Details of students, income and expenditure

Lucie Samantha (Sam) Phil Ishrat Rob

Age 18 27 21 18 19

Course Primary Education Psychology Sports Development and PE Media and Marketing ChildhoodStudies

Household Income Lucie is under 25 so her funding is based on her parents income. Her parents are divorced and she lives with her mum and her mum’s partner. Both incomes are counted

£34,000 Sam is a single parent of 2 children so no-one is required to provide their financial details in support of her funding application

£0 Phil is under 25 so his funding is based on his parents income.

£60,000 Ishrat is under 25 so her funding entitlement is based on her parents’ income

£45,000 Rob was under the care of the Local Authority so he is not financially dependent on anyone

£0

Maintenance Loan £4,397 Sam gets a higher loan as she receivestheSpecialSupportGrant

£4,950 £3,564 living at home’ rate of loan £3,648 £3,497

Maintenance grant £1,106 As as a single parent Sam is entitled to theSpecialSupportGrant

£2,906 £0 £381 £2,906

Other grants £0 Sam receives the Parents Learning Allowance (£1,508) and a ChildcareGrant(£5734.95)

£7,242.95 £0 £0 £0

Other income £0 Housing benefit (£103 a week) £4,017 The government expects that Phil’s parents will contribute to his income (around £1,386). They pay this money direct to Phil’s landlord. He also transferred his job to the Leeds Branch earns around £50 a week

£3,336 She earns around £25 a week working part-time

£975 £0

Total income for academic year £5,503 £19,116 £6,900 £5,004 £6,403

Cost of rent Lucie lives in Leeds Trinity halls of residence with her own bathroom and cooks for herself

£4,095 Sam rents a property for her and her children which costs £120 a week

£4,680 Phil lives in a shared rented private property. His rent is £63 a week

£2,457 Ishrat lives with her parents and they charge her ‘board’ every month of £150

£1,349 Rob lives in Leeds Trinity Halls of Residence (catered en suite)

£4,500

Cost of utility bills Included in accomodation fees (above)

£0 Sams pays her electric, gas and water bills monthly which costs £115

£1,034 Phil puts aside £15 a week to pay the bills when they arrive

£585 Included in her ‘board’ £0 Included in accommodation fees (above)

£0

Cost of travel Lucie pays a bit out every week for travel but her main expense is travel home (£65 a time). Lucie likes to go home once a month

£975 Sam has a car. In an academic year she has to pay for petrol, MOT, Tax, insurance and other running costs and car parking at Leeds Trinity

£1,429 Phil buys a student plus metro card every month

£562 Ishrat is allowed to use her parents car to get around, but has to contribute £30 a week petrol and pay for being on the insurance

£1,755 Rob buys a student plus metro card every month

£562

Books and other course costs £390 £390 £390 £390 £390

Food and household goods Lucie spends about £35 a week £1,365 Sam has extra food and household goods costs as she has two children to provide for as well

£2,730 Phil spends about £35 a week (£5 of which goes into a household kitty to buy shared household goods)

£1,365 Ishrat has food and household goods incluced in her ‘board’. So she only needs to spend a bit on food (around £10 a week) when she is out of the house

£390 Rob has a food allowance included in his accommodation fees, so spends around £10 a week on food and household goods

£390

TV Licence Lucie’s grandparents buy her a TV Licence as a ‘going away’ present

£0 £145.50 Phil shares the cost of the TV Licence with his 5 other housemates

£29 Included in her ‘board’ £0 £145.50

Contents Insurance Included in accomodation fees (above)

£0 £80 Phil gets extra cover from Endsleigh to ensure his laptop even if he takes it out of his home

£95 Included in her ‘board’ £0 Included in accommodation fees (above)

£0

Additional expenditure £0 Childcare-DuringtermtimeSamputs her children in childcare 3 days a week. It costs £36 a day for her 1 year old, and £280 a month for her 3 year old (the government covers the remaining cost due the ‘free early learning funding’)

£6,747 £0 Ishrat wants a laptop to help her with her studies but knows she is going to get a Leeds Trinity Bursary of £500 so saves up the payments of this and buys one in May

£0

Money leftover for ‘other expenditure’

-£1,322 £1,880.45 £1,417 £1,120 £415.50

Additional income or bursary Leeds Trinity Bursary of £500 Leeds Trinity Bursary of £1,000 and child benefit and child tax credits

Leeds Trinity Bursary of £500 Leeds Trinity Bursary of £1,000

9

Example Budgets Here are some student budgets. These are just an example and yours may differ in many ways. Remember – the ‘money leftover for other expenditure’ has to cover everything above in the ‘other expenditure’ list (above) and all the other things you want to purchase / pay for and do. The budget is based on the 39 weeks of the academic year. During the summer months many students undertake full time work to pay for their living costs during the vacation.

Details of students, income and expenditure

Lucie Samantha (Sam) Phil Ishrat Rob

Age 18 27 21 18 19

Course Primary Education Psychology Sports Development and PE Media and Marketing ChildhoodStudies

Household Income Lucie is under 25 so her funding is based on her parents income. Her parents are divorced and she lives with her mum and her mum’s partner. Both incomes are counted

£34,000 Sam is a single parent of 2 children so no-one is required to provide their financial details in support of her funding application

£0 Phil is under 25 so his funding is based on his parents income.

£60,000 Ishrat is under 25 so her funding entitlement is based on her parents’ income

£45,000 Rob was under the care of the Local Authority so he is not financially dependent on anyone

£0

Maintenance Loan £4,397 Sam gets a higher loan as she receivestheSpecialSupportGrant

£4,950 £3,564 living at home’ rate of loan £3,648 £3,497

Maintenance grant £1,106 As as a single parent Sam is entitled to theSpecialSupportGrant

£2,906 £0 £381 £2,906

Other grants £0 Sam receives the Parents Learning Allowance (£1,508) and a ChildcareGrant(£5734.95)

£7,242.95 £0 £0 £0

Other income £0 Housing benefit (£103 a week) £4,017 The government expects that Phil’s parents will contribute to his income (around £1,386). They pay this money direct to Phil’s landlord. He also transferred his job to the Leeds Branch earns around £50 a week

£3,336 She earns around £25 a week working part-time

£975 £0

Total income for academic year £5,503 £19,116 £6,900 £5,004 £6,403

Cost of rent Lucie lives in Leeds Trinity halls of residence with her own bathroom and cooks for herself

£4,095 Sam rents a property for her and her children which costs £120 a week

£4,680 Phil lives in a shared rented private property. His rent is £63 a week

£2,457 Ishrat lives with her parents and they charge her ‘board’ every month of £150

£1,349 Rob lives in Leeds Trinity Halls of Residence (catered en suite)

£4,500

Cost of utility bills Included in accomodation fees (above)

£0 Sams pays her electric, gas and water bills monthly which costs £115

£1,034 Phil puts aside £15 a week to pay the bills when they arrive

£585 Included in her ‘board’ £0 Included in accommodation fees (above)

£0

Cost of travel Lucie pays a bit out every week for travel but her main expense is travel home (£65 a time). Lucie likes to go home once a month

£975 Sam has a car. In an academic year she has to pay for petrol, MOT, Tax, insurance and other running costs and car parking at Leeds Trinity

£1,429 Phil buys a student plus metro card every month

£562 Ishrat is allowed to use her parents car to get around, but has to contribute £30 a week petrol and pay for being on the insurance

£1,755 Rob buys a student plus metro card every month

£562

Books and other course costs £390 £390 £390 £390 £390

Food and household goods Lucie spends about £35 a week £1,365 Sam has extra food and household goods costs as she has two children to provide for as well

£2,730 Phil spends about £35 a week (£5 of which goes into a household kitty to buy shared household goods)

£1,365 Ishrat has food and household goods incluced in her ‘board’. So she only needs to spend a bit on food (around £10 a week) when she is out of the house

£390 Rob has a food allowance included in his accommodation fees, so spends around £10 a week on food and household goods

£390

TV Licence Lucie’s grandparents buy her a TV Licence as a ‘going away’ present

£0 £145.50 Phil shares the cost of the TV Licence with his 5 other housemates

£29 Included in her ‘board’ £0 £145.50

Contents Insurance Included in accomodation fees (above)

£0 £80 Phil gets extra cover from Endsleigh to ensure his laptop even if he takes it out of his home

£95 Included in her ‘board’ £0 Included in accommodation fees (above)

£0

Additional expenditure £0 Childcare-DuringtermtimeSamputs her children in childcare 3 days a week. It costs £36 a day for her 1 year old, and £280 a month for her 3 year old (the government covers the remaining cost due the ‘free early learning funding’)

£6,747 £0 Ishrat wants a laptop to help her with her studies but knows she is going to get a Leeds Trinity Bursary of £500 so saves up the payments of this and buys one in May

£0

Money leftover for ‘other expenditure’

-£1,322 £1,880.45 £1,417 £1,120 £415.50

Additional income or bursary Leeds Trinity Bursary of £500 Leeds Trinity Bursary of £1,000 and child benefit and child tax credits

Leeds Trinity Bursary of £500 Leeds Trinity Bursary of £1,000

10

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The information in this booklet can be supplied in alternative formats upon request.Please call 0113 283 7150 or email enquiries@leedstrinity.ac.uk