Help With Student Loans - HERE!

michaels

MY daughter is starting uni in a few weeks.  We applied for her loan and she was given a maintenance loan of £9945 (out of a max 10,544).  We sent our 23/24 tax returns showing our household income after pension contributions was £6900 which being less than 25k should quality her for the full 10,544.  We spoke to SFE who refused to say how the amount was calculated but said it was correct so we submitted an appeal and got a response saying we could not submit an appeal?!

Feels like something out of Kafka.  We have sent info showing income, they have assessed on a basis they are not willing to share and will not allow us to appeal...

Any suggestions gratefully received....

Smudgeismydog

You can apply for current year assessment if that helps your figures.

silvercar

Smudgeismydog said:

You can apply for current year assessment if that helps your figures.

If there is a 15% drop in income between the assessment year and the current year, though doing so regardless may force the slc to look at the original calculation

michaels

silvercar said:

Smudgeismydog said:

You can apply for current year assessment if that helps your figures.

If there is a 15% drop in income between the assessment year and the current year, though doing so regardless may force the slc to look at the original calculation

Thanks.  This year income is actually a bit higher so would prefer for 23/24 to be used.  I have sent them further evidence of my pension contribution and the live chat has said they will look at it so hopefully there will be some progress.

lizziebabe

Hi. I’ve reached the grand age of 65! When do the SLC write off my debt? Do I have to let them know my age? I’m on a Plan 1, I think. Thanks.,

silvercar

lizziebabe said:

Hi. I’ve reached the grand age of 65! When do the SLC write off my debt? Do I have to let them know my age? I’m on a Plan 1, I think. Thanks.,

When Plan 1 loans get written off

When your Plan 1 loan gets written off depends on when you were paid the first loan for your course.

If you were paid the first loan on or after 1 September 2006

The loans for your course will be written off 25 years after the April you were first due to repay.

If you were paid the first loan before 1 September 2006

The loans for your course will be written off when you’re 65.

From: https://www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan/when-your-student-loan-gets-written-off-or-cancelled

Wirebird

My son is struggling on an entry level teacher's salary. He has a small amount deducted each month for student undergraduate and postgraduate loans as just over the thresholds (1x undergrad, 1x postgrad). As a trust beneficiary he received £70,000 from a trust in the tax year 2024-5 for a house deposit, which he then used to buy a tiny 1-bed place with a mortgage as this was cheaper than renting. He has almost no spare money to live (and is having counselling for this). Just doing his self-assessment tax return online, which he had to do because of the lump sum, it comes up that because of the £70,000 he owes almost £11,000 in SLC fees for the year which are due 31 Jan.  I read that for SLC, buying a house is no 'excuse' for using liquid assets up, but how can someone with a £22,000 salary and money in his pocket of about £100 a month once outgoings like the mortgage are paid then have to fork out such an amount because of the one-off payment that is now tied up in his house? What can he do? What is the best? Someone suggested that a one-off payment from a trust might not be counted, but the tax return form says differently!  What if he defers with a standover and then it is decided that he does owe it and gets a further interest charge from HMRC.? Or if it gets deferred longer term how long is longer term?