how do you live off student loans if it all goes on rent

The_One_Who

I know that on my student loan form there is a thing about filling in about other dependents. Now, I don't know how significant it is but if they ask for it they may take it into consideration somehow. I'm not entirely sure though.

Oldernotwiser

The_One_Who wrote: »

I know that on my student loan form there is a thing about filling in about other dependents. Now, I don't know how significant it is but if they ask for it they may take it into consideration somehow. I'm not entirely sure though.

You are quite correct about this, each other dependant child reduces the assessable household income by £1100.

In addition, if you have more than one child in HE at the same time then the parent's contribution is split between them.

The_One_Who

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

You are quite correct about this, each other dependant child reduces the assessable household income by £1100.

In addition, if you have more than one child in HE at the same time then the parent's contribution is split between them.

Thanks, I knew it was something like that but wasn't sure about amounts or anything. I do remember reading something about the parental contribution being split though.

Oldernotwiser

Celifein wrote: »

Why do people keep assuming that dependent children aren't taken into account? It's not like the government has hid this information. Took me all of a minute to find this:


http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/ApplyingForFinance-NewStudents/DG_10034857

Presumably because they think it makes for a stronger argument if they ignore the facts!

SuziQ

Lokolo wrote: »

You chose the uni. You could have looked up costs there and then. You chose to live off rice for weeks and weeks. :T

My accomodation last year was £2285 (in halls, all bills paid etc.), this year £2475 without bills. Which means my loan would cover it (my grandparents are loaded so they pay it for me! woo!)

It depends where you go and how you spend your money.

Very easy to preach to others when you are in a privaledged position re your grandparents!

My daughter couldn't choose a Uni with cheap living costs as only 2 Unis in britain do her exact course.
Her accomodation is almost £5,000 which swallows both her loan and most of her grant. I am currently living totally on benefit with little prospect of getting back to work as I am awaiting major surgery,so my help will likely be confined to regular food parcels.
Many students are unable to find work nowadays-especially in areas with a high immmigrant population such as where my daughter will be going. I have friends living in that area and they are themselves struggling to find work.

I know my daughter is sensible and will be doing her utmost,to survive best she can on her money,find work and to get the best degree she is able to. It makes me very sad that costs vary so wildly up and down the country whilst only certain areas like London have increased loans etc,and that Scottish students are having it so much easier-presumably as we are subsidising degrees north of the border.

bandraoi

Once a child has reached 18, a parent has no legal obligation to support them. They are entirely separate financial and legal entities.

Calculating any government funded provision on the basis of the parental income is therefore wrong. I suspect that if you were to take a test case to court, or to the European court they would uphold this.

What most parents do and what most parents feel is irrelevant.

The_One_Who

SuziQ wrote: »

I know my daughter is sensible and will be doing her utmost,to survive best she can on her money,find work and to get the best degree she is able to. It makes me very sad that costs vary so wildly up and down the country whilst only certain areas like London have increased loans etc,and that Scottish students are having it so much easier-presumably as we are subsidising degrees north of the border.

Simply not true. The Scottish government gets a fixed lump of money and what they do with it is up to them. They have chosen to spend it on higher education. This means that there is less money for other public services. Also, Scotland pays in more than its fair share of money to the UK Treasury.

Scottish students get a lower loan/bursary than those in England, Wales and N Ireland. The maximum I could get is £4,500 whereas those south of the border can get £6,000. There are certain areas of Scotland (Edinburgh and Aberdeen come to mind) where the cost of living is hardly cheap.

Oldernotwiser

bandraoi wrote: »

Once a child has reached 18, a parent has no legal obligation to support them. They are entirely separate financial and legal entities.

Calculating any government funded provision on the basis of the parental income is therefore wrong. I suspect that if you were to take a test case to court, or to the European court they would uphold this.

.

I don't think that there's any law that says that when you're living with someone that you HAVE to keep them if you're working and they're claiming benefits. However, if the non working partner claims means tested benefits then those benefits will be based on the total household income. The principal of assessing students on parental income seems to me to come into the same category.

tufty1964

has anyone who's applied for this sept, 1st year students, heard whether or not they have got their student loans? my son applied ages ago and hasn't heard yet, he goes in 3 or 4 weeks?

Bennifred

tufty1964 wrote: »

has anyone who's applied for this sept, 1st year students, heard whether or not they have got their student loans? my son applied ages ago and hasn't heard yet, he goes in 3 or 4 weeks?

It may be worth contacting your LEA on Tuesday to chase this up?