How long does student finance take?

Helix

kbmg123 wrote: »

Next year will be better as only new students have to go through Darlington and our LEA is efficient with loans.

:j

No thats wrong, LEAs only deal with students that started in 2008 or earlier and then it seems many of them are moving to being dealt centrally. So if you started in 2009 or 2010 no matter what year you are in it is dealt with by student finance england directly.

GEEGEE8

My student finance online says it's been accepted and that no evidence is required.

Also says they sent back my evidence from 2009 (i've never applied for Uni or student finance before!)

Any idea if I should get something sent off now?

ciderwithrosie_2

I filled in a paper copy last year for DS, didn't have to send any evidence, all sorted in a matter of weeks.

This year we sent off a paper copy again, it didn't ask for any evidence, they acknowledged they'd had it and now today they've sent an email saying that can't proceed with it until we submit some evidence of dependent children that are not dependent?? My middle son is 18 now, lives at home and only has a part-time job so is still dependent on us to some extent, I put down his salary and believe I filled it all out correctly. I phoned them up and the guy told me it looks like you don't need to do anything but it is still pending so can your son phone in the morning to confirm the situation (so in other words he's no idea). My son's working in Cornwall for the summer and the reception's lousy, so I've texted him to ring me but, I'm a bit annoyed now, just more hassle to try and sort.

ThinkingOfLinking

Well, it's been 7 weeks now and still no update from them since they received my evidence (which they're yet to acknowledge), and still no offer either.

divastrop

I sent my paper form at the beginning of April (tried to apply online but my course wasn't listed). I was then asked to send my kids' birth certificates and most recent tax credit award, as well as a letter from my husband stating he was financially dependent on me ( I was getting IS due to sickness untill recently ) . I sent them, then got an award letter saying I was only entitled to the non means tested amount as I hadn't provided my husband's financial details. So I rang them and they said I needed to send in 08/09 CTC award notice. I asked why they hadn't asked for that in the first place and they couldn't tell me, I spoke to a 'team leader' as well. So I sent that off last week and today I got another non means tested award letter. I rang them yet again and the guy on the phone said they don't have anything in the guidelines about zero income assessments so they just have to play it by ear and you send in what they ask for. So, yes, almost 3 months since I applied and still none the wiser

Taiko

Just from my own trial of the service, I can say there are flaws. There's the option to acknowledge receipt, and it's only a click of a button. However this isn't being done, and therefore generates phone calls.

On the telephones, I was misadvised on 3 seperate occasions with the same query. I know the regulations inside out, and was rather disappointed over it, especially as they were saying it was in there when I know full well it's not!

I really feel for students right now.

wobblymummy

I have been given incorrect information re tax credits and childcare every single time I phoned up, I knew they were giving me wrong info but they insisted they were correct, I even began to doubt myself, a phone call to the student finance advisor at uni conifirmed that every single person I spoke to gave me the wrong answer as I thought

divastrop

wobblymummy wrote: »

I have been given incorrect information re tax credits and childcare every single time I phoned up, I knew they were giving me wrong info but they insisted they were correct, I even began to doubt myself, a phone call to the student finance advisor at uni conifirmed that every single person I spoke to gave me the wrong answer as I thought

what wrong info were you given? Do you mean by student finance or by tax credits? I'm worried now.

wobblymummy

We claim child tax credits and a tiny tiny amount of working tax credits (less than a pound) we dont have any childcare as I am at home (till Sept)

I asked the advisor if I could claim some childcare costs as my daughter is a pre schooler and I may need an extra hour here and there depending on what time my sessions at uni finish.

He said do you claim tax credits ? I said yes just the basic though, we dont use any childcare or anything.

He said no you cant claim.

I said, I think you misunderstand me and think I claim childcare costs but I dont, as I dont work and dont use childcare. I think you might be mistaken.

He said, if you claim tax credits you cant claim any childcare.

I said do you mean if I am already claiming the childcare element of tax credits, which I am not, I cant claim, I think you mean this, but this is not the case.

He said no, if you are claiming any tax credits you cant claim childcare costs.

I said ok then bye. This was after he had put me on hold and apparently checked the information with a supervisor!

It beggars belief.

As far as I am aware you can claim childcare as a student and it is not in the same pot as tax credits and it should not affect your tax credits claim.

I will be claiming the grand sum of £9 per week for childcare costs as of September

Your student loans and grants are not classed as income for tax credit purposes, unless you get the adult dependent grant, which is classed as your income and you must put this down on your unearned income when returning your paperwork.

Taiko

Indeed. As long as you're not receiving the childcare element of WTC, you're entitled to Childcare from SFE, providing of course you meet the financial criteria.