Student Finance:)

devildog

Is there still a contact email for Student Finance as I can't appear to find one now?
In short they have sent me an email(with a do not reply to this email address blah blah blah) stating, urgent they need evidence and have referred me to my online application of support to find out what evidence they require.Have done this and it states that NO further evidence is required-ever get that 'here we go again feeling' (this is for child's second year at uni!)

student_advisor

you'll be best off calling them I think. 0845 300 50 90, press 2 then hammer 0, it'll stick you straight in the queue without having to stick all your numbers in or getting stuck in a loop you can't get out of.

Helix

They don't have an email address. You used to be able to send a secure message through the website but I think they have stopped this now. It was always hit and miss if you could anyway because they used to get so backlogged they disabled the function all the time.

Phone is the best way.

millicent

This is the email that was floating about last year - not sure if it is working for this years applicants though - sfd_pu_customer_contact_team@slc.co.uk

glider3560

If you are being dealt with by a local authority, then it is much easier to contact them. They tend to have the specialist department's address and phone number on the council website.

devildog

Thanks everyone, phoned them today (20 minutes on hold) only to be told that as this childs second year at uni to disregard the email as further evidence not required!! I wonder how many more people have been trying to get through regarding this? Surely their workload would be cut if they didn't wrongly request additional info?!!

Taiko

That email address above should still work. It's not been removed to my knowledge.

student_advisor

devildog wrote: »

Surely their workload would be cut if they didn't wrongly request additional info?!!

you've hit the nail on the head there!

Taiko

Most of my calls today have been about that. It's automated unfortunately, and the post in our area hasn't been great lately.

rosalie-lavender

I have been told the reverse to this. All our online details say we don't have to give any evidence for my sons second year application.

However......

They have now calculated my sons entitlement without means testing it and sent us letters saying we haven't given our 2008/2009 p6o's. I have had to phone up twice and the first person said it must be a mistake and nothing was needed but the next person said no it was an online error that had happened to a lot of applications and we do have to send evidence in.

I am going to gather together all the evidence and send it in today. My son's bursaries depend on his maintenance grant so we don't want it delayed.

Can someone who works for Student Finance please clarify what the latest is on this for me and the OP? If it is true that an online error is saying no evidence is needed when it really is then other people are going to be affected by it.

The only thing I can think of otherwise, that could have caused a mix up on my sons account is that an audit asked for all our p 60's again for last years applications and there was a delay because they kept rejecting the evidence as unsuitable.

devildog

Rosalie,
On my original(2nd) year support application it said no evidence needed then came the email requesting supporting evidence.
After speaking to them I decided to go along with the 'error' route and dd's entitlement has been calculated without further delay and she has done all the signing for this next years finance.

I would have thought if last years 'proof' was accepted by them then it was obviously suitable and should 'hold' for this year BUT you just don't know with Student Finance.
Hopefully Taiko is around and will be able to advise you