Help With Student Loans - HERE!

redherring1

Hi , Unfortunately not. Social Work doesn't allow for Postgraduate loans , not in Scotland anyway

[Deleted User]

Kez200 wrote: »

I've been approached by a young lady who wants to go to University and has excellent A level results already. She says she thinks she cannot afford it and this is why. Can you confirm if my advice is right?

She was removed from one parent by social services aged 16. She is estranged from this parent but hoping to make re-connection as she gets older as she feels she is now no longer at risk. She went to live with her other parent and did A levels - her results were excellent (all academic course A grades). Soon after her results, she moved in with her boyfriend who has a good job and, along with her work in a supermarket, they are fully self sufficient in a rental property. However, if she were to go to University her wage would stop and it would be harder financially (although not impossible because they have some savings which had been earmarked for a house deposit).

If she goes to Uni in September 2019 (she is thinking of applying now to her local University and crossing her fingers she gets a late place as then she won't have to pay extra rental costs as they are settled where they are) they will have been self sufficient for 2.5 years. In addition, her step parent where she lived 16-18 refuses to sign any Student Loan paperwork.

So, I think the options are....

1. Wait and go to Uni in September 2020. Apply in normal round by January 2020. Get SL for tuition fees plus maintenance based on her boyfriend and her income because they will have been self sufficient for 3+ years If she gives up work for Uni which she will have to (or go part time) then this total is likely to be about £30k, or

2. Try to go September 2019. Get tuition fee loan plus the basic maintenance help only as her non-estranged parental unit won't fill out the paperwork as she hasn't been independent for 3+ years.

Am I right in my conclusion?

What status did she have when removed from her parent? Was she taken in to care or simply handed to the other parent? If she was a looked after child she would be entitled to full support and care leavers grants.

Kez200

Now, the answer to this I don't know. I will find out from her.

Where would I get access to information on the full support and care leavers grants?

Thank you very much for your guidance.

[Deleted User]

Kez200 wrote: »

Now, the answer to this I don't know. I will find out from her.

Where would I get access to information on the full support and care leavers grants?

Thank you very much for your guidance.

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/individual-needs/ucas-undergraduate-support-care-leavers

Couple of guides there

TheToddlersMinion

Hi everyone,

I am a single parent/mature student and volunteer. I have just completed my first year. I receive student finance as well as housing benefit and child tax credits. I was not planning on working during the 5.5 month break (just volunteering) as I felt it would mess up all of my finances. However, the company I volunteer for have just given me a fantastic job offer. It is completely flexible, including how many hours I do. I need some idea of how this job may effect my student finance, my housing benefit and my tax credits. I would be looking to work around 15 hours per week between now and September. From September, I would reduce this to around 8 hours.

It's a confusing situation and I am not looking for figures, the rate of pay would be £10 per hour and basically I just want to know the following:

Would it mess everything up to such an extent that it's not worth it?

Would I be significantly worse off taking the job?

Thankyou!

Kez200

OK. So she and her siblings just went to her Dad, to escape the step parent.

So, am I right in that she will be based on the basic allowance this year (the course is now in clearing so available) but next year having had 3 years independent - will be due maintenance etc based on her boyfriends income? Her boyfriend thought it was 5 years (and hes pretty switched on, so I am concerned I am wrong)?

sheramber

Kez200 wrote: »

OK. So she and her siblings just went to her Dad, to escape the step parent.

So, am I right in that she will be based on the basic allowance this year (the course is now in clearing so available) but next year having had 3 years independent - will be due maintenance etc based on her boyfriends income? Her boyfriend thought it was 5 years (and hes pretty switched on, so I am concerned I am wrong)?

You could try asking here
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=910

CJ_Glasgow

Hi can you help? I have been paying £7k Student since 2002 🤷🏽!♀️😩.
I have always earned over the threshold to repay and when I asked the Student Loans company for a break down of the years I have paid, the statements showed 3 different years where I according to SLC I Paid less than £100, but on average I had been paying £400 and in the last 3 years I’ve paid over £1000 towards my loan and still have a balance of £2300?????

I have argued with the Student Loans company that those years are not accurate and I have been told to go back to my employers and get written confirmation of what they paid. Those employers are no longer in existence and when I asked HMRC for details of what was paid for the years in question they said they no longer have a record of what they paid to SLC but they did confirm what I earned those years which was over £17k.

I’m struggling to be able to argue with SLC who said that they’re info is accurate and but they can’t detail which employers paid what.

How do I prove I’ve paid my loan off? How do get the financial regulator to check into my complaint? SLC have still not given me that information 4 months on from asking for this.

I’m stuck and frustrated that I’m still paying this loan 🤷🏽!♀️

sheramber

Do you have payslips showing how much you paid?

Savvy_Sue

Kez200 wrote: »

OK. So she and her siblings just went to her Dad, to escape the step parent.

So, am I right in that she will be based on the basic allowance this year (the course is now in clearing so available) but next year having had 3 years independent - will be due maintenance etc based on her boyfriends income? Her boyfriend thought it was 5 years (and hes pretty switched on, so I am concerned I am wrong)?

I thought that if you were not independent at the start of your course, you remained not independent throughout the course. That was certainly the case back in my day, and it makes sense, otherwise anyone doing a course longer than three years (or repeating a year) would be classed as independent in their fourth and subsequent years - which I don't think is the case.

I'd have thought the Students Union at her chosen university - or the central admissions department - should be able to advise her if she can't get the answer from Student Finance.