LEA extra info for student loan application

mark1024

I'm applying for student finance and sent off the form to my local LEA as instructed on the Student Finance Direct web site. (technical reasons stopped me applying on line)

After receiving back my art ID, and nothing more I phoned SFDirect to check the status, but was told the local authority was awaiting more info. To cut a long story short I found out today that LEAs can demand more information that is requested on the form and guidance notes. They want my P60s going back to 2005. This is a huge, unexpected pain, which has caused great delay.

Nowhere else does student financing guidance make reference to student income for the past three years, only the parents/partner. (I'm obviously a mature student) I can scarcely believe they can make up the rules, but any mature students applying might want to check their documentation.

Cheers

MrsManda

I'd ask the LEA precisely why they want P60s going back so far and where it says in their procedures that they need it. Student loans are only based on the last financial year's income.
Have you had funding before or applying for any special circumstances?

I'm married so my husband is my 'sponsor'. He only needed to provide his last P60 and the only extra information the LEA wanted was a letter from my doctor because I'd had funding from the SLC a few years ago but dropped out due to illness.

Check with them why they need it as it may be just a mix up (a lot of people including myself have had a bit of a fight with LEAs this year)

mark1024

Well I did ask them why they needed the P60s when I went down to the council drop off desk last week. I received no sensible answer. In fact I would go as far as to say that they were quite defensive. I was blamed for not handing the correct documents in with the form.

It was explained to me that when one picks up the PN1 forms in person from the council office an extra sheet is added to the pack. This apparently sites the extra evidence. Unsurprisingly they had run out of these sheets last week.

A letter finally arrived today asking for copies of Passport etc (which were of course included in the original application) as well as 'Proof of activities from April 2005 such as P60s, P45s'

As per my original post, the council is asking for information which, to my understanding, is not required for the student funding application. I will endeavour to find out their reasons, but it certainly does not appear to be any kind of mix-up. I will follow up on this, and quite possible take up any complaints procedure available to me, should it come to that. There have been other issues, but I am sparing you the detail.

The telephone number on the letter (from the council) is for Student Finance Direct. They told me they didn't have a clue why the information is being requested.

Helix

Are you over 25? This is what Student Finance class as being a mature student. Universities often class mature students as being over 21. If you are under 25 then they will want the P60s as proof you have been supporting yourself over the last 3 years otherwise they would need to base the assessment on your parents income.

If you are over 25 then they should only require your P60 from the current year.

mark1024

I'm 41. This is my point - they will not process my application without the evidence.