A SINGLE mum who has just passed her degree today called for more support for lone parents who want to get back into education.

Alison Ashton, 31, of Intack, Blackburn, left school with no qualifications at the age of 16.

Now she has graduated from Edge Hill College of Higher Education, Ormskirk, with a 2:1 BA Hons in primary education with maths.

She wants to encourage more adult learners to follow suit without having to fight for benefits they are entitled to.

Throughout her studies, Alison, has had to juggle the responsibilities of bringing up her son, six-year-old Connor, while relying on council benefits from Blackburn with Darwen Council.

She said: "Despite being on income support and a full-time student, the council kept telling me I was not entitled to any housing benefits. My financial situation was becoming so bad that I thought I would have to give up on my degree after the first year, simply because I could not afford to be a student.

"This is when I went to the Citizens' Advice Bureau, who told me I was eligible for housing benefit and to get back in touch with the council.

"The worrying thing is that I know of other people who have left education or think that they cannot do a course because they too have been told there will be no help for them.

"Surely if people are trying to better themselves and secure a future for their family they should be given some assistance from the council."

After a year fighting for her claim, Alison said she initially received £8 a week in housing benefit, which after further complaints was raised to £18.

Alison went to Blackburn College to do GCSEs in 1999, aged 26, then stayed on to do A-levels before applying to Edge Hill with the hope of becoming a teacher.

She added: "It has been a long, hard slog to get to this position, but now I have so many more options than before. I hated school but learning as an adult is different."

Coun Frank Connor, executive member for citizens and consumer rights at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "The council has a number of ways of supporting people entering into formal education or returning to employment.

"We are always willing to discuss any benefit issues direct with claimants."