Help With Student Loans - HERE!

magicdogsbrain

Hello,

I am a parent - my son is hoping to attend University in September (he is currently completing his A levels). He is currently trying to apply for a student load but neither myself no my wife can sign in to the online application.

My son has indicated that we (his parents) will fill in our financial details- we both tried and it just says that we already have a login.

We were both students many years ago - so perhaps we do have a login. We called up and they gave us our reference numbers and said they would email our details. We have not received anything - I can only think the customer service person was just having a laugh with us.

What can I do now - I cannot log in to add my financial details and if I call they dont help - I guess he will have to complete the application as a non-means tested application right?

Poolie

It could be the email addresses they have for you and your wife are old?

magicdogsbrain

Poolie wrote: »

It could be the email addresses they have for you and your wife are old?

We called them recently. They gave us our reference numbers and we gave them both our new email addresses. The customer service person told us we would receive emails with our "secret answer" (or whatever) - but neither of us has received any such email.

I could understand if one of us failed to get an email - but now we are completely stuck.

I will call them again I guess.

Does anyone know the date when the application has to be in? Is it likely that his initial payment in September will be late because of this?

Helix

magicdogsbrain wrote: »

We called them recently. They gave us our reference numbers and we gave them both our new email addresses. The customer service person told us we would receive emails with our "secret answer" (or whatever) - but neither of us has received any such email.

I could understand if one of us failed to get an email - but now we are completely stuck.

I will call them again I guess.

Does anyone know the date when the application has to be in? Is it likely that his initial payment in September will be late because of this?

31st May is the deadline for getting it in time for the start of term. You can complete the details on paper as well by downloading and printing the PFF2 form from the website. Sometimes the call centre end up telling you to do this anyway as its easier than trying to fix the problems with the website.

Taiko

Also worth checking junk mail folder, just to be safe.

magicdogsbrain

Thanks for your help.

Looking at the PFF2 form, there is a question that I do not understand...

Section 5 income deductions...

Q1 Did you pay any private pension contributions?
Total amount you paid...

Do they mean any money purchase pension? I have a private SIPP and a company scheme that I pay towards. Why would they only want my private pension - I claim tax relief by adjusting my tax code for both pensions - so I dont get it.

magicdogsbrain

Also - is there somewhere that just gives you the full details of what you can get with each income level?

EDIT - I found it...

figures based on a student starting in 2010/11 or 2011/12 who is living away from home and studying outside London
Household income Maintenance Grant Maintenance Loan Total for 2010/11 or 2011/12
£25,000 £2,906 £3,497 £6,403
£30,000 £1,906 £3,997 £5,903
£34,000 £1,106 £4,397 £5,503
£40,000 £711 £4,595 £5,306
£50,020 £50 £4,925 £4,975
£60,000 No grant £3,564 £3,564

magicdogsbrain

I spoke to the nice man at customer services about #2195 and he has reset my details - they had the wrong email address (my first name with 2 p's). My wife had registered the correct email address so they asked her to send in a paper application.

As for #2198 - they said that I should only include any private pensions and not anything to do with work. I fail to understand this because it is treated in exactly the same way as a private pension for tax.

MalD

My income puts me in the over £60k household income bracket, so according to this I am expected to provide support to my kids who will only get the minimum maintenance loan of £3654, but I have debt problems (currently in a DMP with Payplan) - is there any other help available or do I just have to tell my daughter she has to work and pay her own way, or not go to Uni?

magicdogsbrain wrote: »

Also - is there somewhere that just gives you the full details of what you can get with each income level?

EDIT - I found it...

figures based on a student starting in 2010/11 or 2011/12 who is living away from home and studying outside London
Household income Maintenance Grant Maintenance Loan Total for 2010/11 or 2011/12
£25,000 £2,906 £3,497 £6,403
£30,000 £1,906 £3,997 £5,903
£34,000 £1,106 £4,397 £5,503
£40,000 £711 £4,595 £5,306
£50,020 £50 £4,925 £4,975
£60,000 No grant £3,564 £3,564

Lokolo

MalD wrote: »

My income puts me in the over £60k household income bracket, so according to this I am expected to provide support to my kids who will only get the minimum maintenance loan of £3654, but I have debt problems (currently in a DMP with Payplan) - is there any other help available or do I just have to tell my daughter she has to work and pay her own way, or not go to Uni?

Debt's don't go against income. So no.