Spouse ILR- Non-employment financial requirements

[tallojani]

Our situation is rather complicated but i hope to receive good advice from members here as usual.

Wife's due ILR soon (entered UK 4th April 2014) eligible to apply in March i believe, our financial situation is not straight forward, i will do my best to explain. Hoping to submit application in April.

I am a nursing student, receiving NHS bursary £9600 p/a (£12712 with childcare cost), i'm in my final year of studies, qualifying in August 2019, last bursary payment will be coming in July 2019. For last visa extension we used my bursary and my part-time employment wage (24 hours p/week at minimum wage) to meet financial requirements. However, i no longer work, gave up my job end of August to focus on my last year of studies and wife does not work. I receive child tax credit and child benefit for our son.

I look after someone else's child, i am the only guardian the child has in this country, i get child tax credit and child benefit for him, Social services encouraged me to apply for a special guardianship order for this child which i have now submitted so hopefully soon i should be getting guardians allowance from social services. This will be on means-test and considering my financial situation this should be around £160 per/week (£8320 p/a). However, i will only be getting this for Feb, March and April, prior of application submission.

I'm aware of tax-free threshold £15800 that i have to meet/show.

My queries;

As we don't meet the financial requirements on bursary alone, can we use the guardians allowance?

If yes, What category does this come into?

How do i calculate the guardians allowance to meet shortfall? Do i use yearly figure (£8320) and add to bursary (£9600) giving a total income of £17920 meeting threshold?

What proof do i need to show in terms of special guardians allowance, would a letter from social services suffice?

Am i correct that child tax credit/benefit cannot be used to meet financial requirements?

The reason i left part-time job was to focus on my studies, i have now gone through the difficult times so if all fails i can go back to my part-time job. How would i use this to show that i meet financial requirements.

Her current visa expires in July 2019, would it better to wait and apply when i get a job letter as a nurse which will be in May but starting in September.

I hope someone is able to shed light on my queries. Thank you

[tallojani]

Anyone who can advise on this?