Parent Learning Allowance

Nicky321

My son is starting uni in September 09, lives with us (his parents) and has received his grant notification (income assessed).
He will receive the following

Tuition Fee £2155.00
Maintenance Loan £2947.00
Mantenance Grant £2377.00
Plus the bursary from uni

On 18th July 09 his daughter was born and now he can apply for the Parent learning allowance. Does anyone know how the PLA will affect the other loans and grants if at all?

Nicky321

Anybody...?

brians_daughter

Nicky321 wrote: »

Anybody...?

I THINK the PLA is additional to anything else... I assume your grand daughter lives with you also?

Why not try the direct gov website that has a calculator on there, you can answer the Qs on there and get an idea?


http://www.studentfinance.direct.gov.uk/calculator/studentfinancecalculator/

hth

Nicky321

brians_daughter wrote: »

I THINK the PLA is additional to anything else... I assume your grand daughter lives with you also?

Why not try the direct gov website that has a calculator on there, you can answer the Qs on there and get an idea?


http://www.studentfinance.direct.gov.uk/calculator/studentfinancecalculator/

hth

My grand daughter lives 1/2 with her mum (whose 18 in FT education living with her mum) and 1/2 with her dad (our son) along with his dad, myself and his younger sister. I rang student finance and they said it would make a substantial difference now he has a daughter, but didnt say in which way.

brians_daughter

Hi there again lol!

I would call the student finance team as it isn't 'normal' circumstances ie the online calculator wont allow for this.

I start in Sept as a mature student and the father of my 1st son is has just finished uni as a mature student. He had my son almost 1/2 the week for 2 of the 3 years he was there and he didnt get any allowances for it. To qualify for the PLA you have to send the birth cert and your family allowance letter stating your name and address, childs name, DOB etc and amount of family allowance paid - I have just had to send these off last week. My PLA is going to be around £1500 if that helps at all

If the family allowance isn't paid to your son i do not know if this will cause issues, as your grand daughters mother a student as well, this MAY complicate things further as she will/may also be claiming the PLA for your grand daughter so I doubt 2 ppl could claim for the same child. Maybe if the child is in equal care then they could 'split' the PLA? Just an idea? I don't know if this is 'allowed'

Saying that tho if your son made them aware of the living arrangements and they have said it will change his entitlement then there must be something in it iykwim?

Don't quote me on this - i am simply a woman who is going to Uni in September with kids and i am just sharing what little i know with you. There are some VERY experienced posters on here who will be able to assist more

Nicky321

brians_daughter wrote: »

Hi there again lol!

I would call the student finance team as it isn't 'normal' circumstances ie the online calculator wont allow for this. I have done this and they brought up account on their screens, so they know his living arrangements.
To qualify for the PLA you have to send the birth cert and your family allowance letter stating your name and address, childs name, DOB etc and amount of family allowance paid - He was just told to send his childs birth certificate, the family allowance isnt paid to him but its standard £20.00/week
If the family allowance isn't paid to your son i do not know if this will cause issues, as your grand daughters mother a student as well, this MAY complicate things further as she will/may also be claiming the PLA for your grand daughter so I doubt 2 ppl could claim for the same child. The childs mother is only in FE and not HE so will not be claiming the PLA.
Saying that tho if your son made them aware of the living arrangements and they have said it will change his entitlement then there must be something in it iykwim? Guess he will just have to wait and see the outcome.

Thanks for your help anyway.x

brians_daughter

Let us know how you get on wont you?

Nicky321

Will do, thanks again x

student_advisor

PLA can only be paid to your son if he is the main carer i.e. his child lives with him 4 days or more out of 7. There is no provision for a 50-50 split. If in doubt who the main carer is, it is the one who receives all the money (CTC, child benefit).

IMO, your son will not qualify for PLA unless he moves in with the mother of his child or becomes main carer.