But if there are no loans available through the Open Uni then they should surely pay HB as long as I can claim either ESA or JSA, have I got that right? Thanks for your patience by the way, my head is all over the place with this! Antone, thanks for that. Can they not class me as fit for work if I start enquiring about uni courses?

Fletch, when you say it triggers HB, do you mean they won't pay? Also do you mind me asking whether you're doing a full time, part time or OU course? And are you working as well? I'm only asking because I didn't think you could get the extra living loan or grant for OU?

Haha. Thanks reallymadwoman, I'll look more into the OU and ESA/JSA route.

Thanks Fletch. It's the subject that interests me really. I've finally found something I want to do and I think I'd be good at, yet I can't do it because there is no support to do so. Seems ridiculous to me. No apology necessary! I appreciate the help reallymadwoman (love your name!), The OU course may be an option if I can stay on ESA whilst I do it. I didn't realise student funding was available for OU degrees. However to apply for that, they need my NI number, which means the benefits will probably be stopped anyway! But it's given me another option to look into, so thank you.

Thanks for the info Fletch70. I'll look at contacting the S.U. I won an ESA appeal around 12 months ago, which they said would be reviewed in 12 months, so I'm guessing it's due! I still don't feel fit for work but I very much doubt they will let me stay on it. Do you know of any other options if they won't let me stay on ESA? Estellyn, unfortunately the courses I need to do to go to uni aren't available as part time at my local colleges. I'm in contact with the uni and every alternative part time course I have suggested would not be enough for them. I'm very grateful for everyone's help. Matt.

Thanks for the reply. Student finance is available for a foundation year, but that is apparently what I need A levels to gain access to! Considering they are supposed to be encouraging people to go back into education, they make it incredibly difficult to actually do!

Hi. I'm 24 and looking to go back into education in September (by which time I'll be 25) to study Animal Behaviour. I was told by a university this week that I would need either A Levels or an Access to HE course to allow me to apply. There seems to be plenty of funding available for university students, but I can't seem to find any for full time college students, as you can not apply for student living grants/loans until uni. I am living away from home and have been claiming ESA for a while now, but that will be ending soon. I know I can get a loan to cover the cost of any course and exam fees (from 24+ Advanced Learning Loan), but does anyone know of any help with living costs, or even any benefits I can claim whilst at college to pay for rent, food, bills etc? I don't know if this is the right place to post this thread, or even if anyone here can help, but I thought it was worth a shot as CAG has been very helpful in the past, and I'm struggling to work out what to do now after being turned down by the university. Thanks. Matt.

Haha that's very true! I didn't realise Experian was so cheap. I'll get on to them and get myself a hard copy. Thanks very much for your help.

Hi Bazooka Boo. Thanks very much for your advice. Is there any way to check your credit file for free or do you have to go through someone like Experian? Also, does the time-barred thing still apply if they (either Nationwide or the debt collection people) are writing to me? I have had no contact with them for many years, but I thought MKPD would be more likely to carry on chasing me if they've "bought" the debt from Nationwide? I have to admit i'm quite surprised at multi-billion pound banks chasing me for £400 i never borrowed in the first place! Thanks again for your help.

Yes it is a £50 overdraft. The rest is charges. I'm not sure of dates, as i chose the 'burying my head' route and so didn't keep any correspondence from either Nationwide or the collection agencies. I believe the initial debt was owed in 2007/8. CAB did say they can find this out for me, but obviously it would involve contacting them on my behalf, which they said could just be bring unnecessary attention to my account!

Hi all. I received a letter this morning from Nationwide telling me my account "has been legally assigned to MKDP LLP and all future payments should be addressed to them." Nationwide (and a variety of debt collection people) have been chasing me for this for about 7 years. About 6 months ago I received a small amount of money, and contacted CAB to ask whether they think I should get in touch with Nationwide to pay off the debt. They advised that because I hadn't heard anything from them for around 18 months, I should "let sleeping dogs lie". I now find myself wondering what I should do now I have heard from them! I have struggled with mental health issues over the past 5 years (This is when they've been at their worst) but am working hard to rectify them at the moment, and I don't want to start being hounded as this could affect my recovery. I don't have the full amount (Just over £400) to pay them now, or i would consider paying it them in full just to make them go away. However I would struggle, and probably fail, to keep up with a repayment plan as i'm on benefits at the moment and am already struggling to pay bills etc. Aside from not being able to afford it, I am morally aggrieved at having to pay this money at all! All of it is bank charges because I went a few quid over on a £50 overdraft when I was 17! I acknowledge that I should have paid the initial charges, but £400+ does seem a little steep considering I didn't actually lend anything! So, I decided to get some advice from you lovely lot 1. Should I make any contact at all, or continue to do what I have been doing and hope they go away eventually? 2. If I do get in touch, are these companies usually willing to accept a reduced amount if you pay straight away? (I have about £200 in savings but I don't know whether that would be enough to satisfy them.) 3. Is there any way to get debts that consist mainly/wholly of charges written off on the grounds of it causing unnecessary additional stress? After all I don't actually owe them anything. (Or on any other grounds?) 4. Is there anything else you can think of that I may have missed!? Thanks very much for any help you can offer.

Thanks Nystagmite. Do you know whether my new claim will go through or whether i need to apply again? Also, does this letter mean that the tribunal has only just let them know the outcome of the hearing, So i won't owe them these last 2 payments?

Hello, First off thanks to everyone who helped me on CAG through the ATOS assessment and appeal process. Unfortunately, despite your tips and advise, i still had my appeal swiftly refused. Ok please bear with me here as i want to include as much info as possible! My ATOS medical was carried out on the 9th January 2012. I scored nil points. The decision to stop my ESA was confirmed by the DWP on 30th January 2012. I then appealed this and continued to receive regular payments until my hearing on 9th August. Before the hearing, i went to my local CAB, who advised me to re-apply for ESA immediately after the hearing, if it was refused. It was of course refused, so i reapplied a few days later via post. Now, i have recieved 2 unexpected ESA payments since i reapplied, so i assumed everything was ok with my new claim, and payments would just carry on as normal. However i have now received a letter stating that my ESA has been stopped from the 22nd August 2012 (But the last payment i received was on the 4th September?) I am now concerned that i will not receive any further payments. Does this mean my new claim will be dismissed as my old one was still active? Or will my new claim still be processed? If this is the case, does anybody know what happens to payments, i.e will they continue as normal? HB has also wrote to me saying that this has also been suspended. I'm just sick of them all to be honest. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks muchly.

Hi, I'm told you cannot appeal any decisions if your do not attend the assessment without good reason. If she did call beforehand then she my be ok. However she may very well have her payments stopped until she does attend. To be on the safe side, i would contact the job centre to explain the sitution. I'll leve the number below for you. Sending any supporting evidence of her condition may help also, it certainly can't do ny harm! JobCenter Plus: 08456088503 (press option 3 if you don't want to listen to them jabber on!) This number also works, and does not cost a fortune: 01942 (Wigan) 626001. Hope this helps.

Oh ok that's handy to know Lee thanks. They have actully offered to put something in their internal mail for me before, but they didn't scan it in. Will get on to that this afternoon