Hi, newbie here hoping someone can help as I seem to be struggling to find out.. and suspect the answer will be no, but noone has said a flat no to me yet, so still investigating.

I am 2 years into my 3 year funded PhD and it has become necessary for me to apply for a suspension basically due to mental health issues really and am planning on suspending for 4 months in the first instance. My industry funders have confirmed that they will not fund me for this period (fair enough.. wasn't expecting them to). This obviously isn't a decision I have taken lightly but am concerned that this basically leaves me with no income for this period of time and am wondering if I might be eligible for any support from elsewhere, benefits etc during this time or not because I will still be registered as a student? Has anyone done this or know?, student finance at my uni and CAB have not been particuarly useful atm.

I am trying very hard not to think about the money side of things as in the great scheme of things of what is going on right now thats pretty unimportant, I have savings but would pretty much use all of them up to fund myself during that period and feel a bit old to call on family but will do if necessary it just gets a bit complicated.

I have not been officially signed off by a doctor so to speak, as I dont need to be but am pretty sure if I was in a proper job I would be and hence receiving sick pay and alike, it seems a bit of a bummer if I am not entitled to anything, I'd get another temp job but that kind of defeats the object of me trying to sort my head out and I don't think that would work.

so any thoughts much appreciated!