Help With Student Loans - HERE!

Lokolo

suzyQ wrote: »

Can anyone help, please?
I have 2 kids both at uni but they have been notified different maintenance loan/grant amounts based on our income for the coming academic year. Both are living away from home and are non-London based. My son will be starting his 2nd year in September and has been given a loan of £3586 and a grant of £1159. My daughter starts her 1st year in September and has been given a loan of £4502 and a grant of £896. Do you know why this would be, please? We could only think it could be that my son is a year ahead and maybe the calculations used are different or that it is because he started studying in 2008 and gets his loan via the local authority as opposed to Student Finance England.
Also, according to my online SFE account, our original P60s were returned to us on 5th August but we haven't received them yet. Should I be worried or does it take a while to physically send them out?
Any advice would be much appreciated. I did try phoning SFE but it was a disaster as the lady I spoke to seemed confused herself!

The bit in bold is the reason why.

Not sure about the P60s though.

MrsManda

I've no idea why the amounts are so different - did you make sure you put that you had two kids at university on both application forms?
Looking at the details about applying for the first time 09/10, and applying as a continuing student the amounts for grants and loans available are different:

1st time 09/10: £4950 loan, 2906 grant
Continuing 09/10: £4745 loan, 2906 grant

But I don't think this accounts wholly for the difference between your children's awards.
Your kids could try sending secure messages through their SLC accounts asking about it.

As for Royalmail they don't class a piece of post being lost until 15 working days after expected delivery (3 days after posting if it's 2nd post) so wait until then and if you've still not got it call the SLC and ask. If they're sure it's been sent, contact Royal mail.

jd87

Has anyone else had any problems with the student finance website? I made an application a week or so ago. My parents have received their letters asking them to log on with my Alias ID to support the application. When I log into my account the application I made doesn't show up, and when my parents log onto their accounts and go to support my application my name isn't in the list of previous applicants and if they try entering my Alias ID, DOB, etc it just comes up as incorrect.

verb_omen

Hey, I have a question about my grant entitlement.

I started uni in 2008 and received the Special Support Grant due to having been classed as incapable of work for 28 weeks prior to the course. My question is whether I am entitled to it again this year as although my health has not really changed I have lapsed with my sick notes (my doc, probably quite rightly, said I can't be classed as incapable of work if I am capable of study). I think no but the SLC sent me this year's notification with it on. Don't want to have to pay a big lump back if this is their mistake so any help would be appreciated

MrsManda

verb_omen wrote: »

Hey, I have a question about my grant entitlement.
I started uni in 2008 and received the Special Support Grant due to having been classed as incapable of work for 28 weeks prior to the course. My question is whether I am entitled to it again this year as although my health has not really changed I have lapsed with my sick notes (my doc, probably quite rightly, said I can't be classed as incapable of work if I am capable of study). I think no but the SLC sent me this year's notification with it on. Don't want to have to pay a big lump back if this is their mistake so any help would be appreciated

I don't think you're eligible for SSG, instead you'll be entitled to a Maintanence Grant. You need to fill in a Change of Circumstances form

student_advisor

verb_omen wrote: »

Hey, I have a question about my grant entitlement.

I started uni in 2008 and received the Special Support Grant due to having been classed as incapable of work for 28 weeks prior to the course. My question is whether I am entitled to it again this year as although my health has not really changed I have lapsed with my sick notes (my doc, probably quite rightly, said I can't be classed as incapable of work if I am capable of study). I think no but the SLC sent me this year's notification with it on. Don't want to have to pay a big lump back if this is their mistake so any help would be appreciated

Actually, the rules state that you can be incapable of work but capable of study as study has different requirements. I think maybe you should see your welfare advisor at uni.

Oldernotwiser

Have you been assessed as an independent student - ie, have you supported yourself from benefits or earnings (and been away from full time education) for a minimum of 3 years?

Lokolo

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Have you been assessed as an independent student - ie, have you supported yourself from benefits or earnings (and been away from full time education) for a minimum of 3 years?

Where the **** have you been!?

student_advisor

Colin_Poppshed wrote: »

Student_Advisor,

I'm 21 years old and live with my partner, we have no children. I have lived independently with her for 3 years and 4 months, and have had no contact with either parent for at least 3 years.
I am doing a 3 year degree course as of September and would like some advise on the maintainence grant, I have been told by my uni, and have indeed been sent a letter saying I am not entitled to a adult dependent grant which I already knew. College said I may have some entitlement on parental income but I have no clue on that, and neither will I most likely be able to find out.

Secondly how do I apply for this. Someone I used to work with said that they do it automatically but as it gets closer to September I'm starting to worry. Not helped by Royal Mails astounding ability to not send forms

You have said that you have been assessed as independent, so you should have been awarded £2906 maintenance grant & £3497 maintenance loan plus however much you're going to be charged in tuition fees. You may have only been awarded the loan so far as they are running behind.

If you have provided the required evidence to show your independence (i.e. P60s) this assessment should be reasonably quick, but in saying that there have been backlogs of around 8-12 weeks. You are automatically assessed for the grant - it won't have asked you if you wanted it.

Your college/uni should have an advisor you can go and see, they can check your application (if it was online) and any paperwork you've been sent, to make sure it's correct.

student_advisor

Does your notification say "financially assessed" or "not financially assessed" on the top?