Sorry, need some help.......(The student loans company).

tireesix

I haven't been keeping on top of things this past 2 weeks due to illness anhyoo I shall get on with it.....

Now, my DH owes the student loans company £6000 just about. This would have been deferred but he missed filling in a deferrment form (his loan is an old one). At the time we had been homeless, all over the place etc etc.

We are currently on benefits but they still want us to pay it off but now according to them have to pay it off now despite not earning anything. On top of that, the Doctor has stated that there is little chance of DH being capable of working due to his physical problems and mental health.

The student loan company debt is half of our debt, I always thought that if it you were declared unfit for work for the rest of your life then the debt would be wiped however, I can't find any reference for this with regard to the older student loans.

I am incapable of working at the moment and TBH this debt is driving me crazy.

Does anyone have any advice about this, is DH really liable to pay despite his health issues? What about the fact we aren't working, surely the debt should be deferred until one of us is earning a wage?? Is there a solicitor or someone I can talk to about this???

Many thx in advance.

mrbadexample

Phone them and ask for a deferment form. Fill in and send back and they *should* defer it. Not sure about where you stand regarding the missed payments etc., but if you explain the situation (i.e. illness) they should be ok. They must realise they can't have what you ain't got.

Sorry if that's what you've done already.

Wonder_Girl

If you have missed the deferment fir this year you are liable for this years repayments.

However if you don’t pay this years, you can still defer next years (March I think) and the arrears from this year will be passed on for collection.

Pay what you can at the moment. Make sure you defer it at the next opportunity and wait till the arrears for this year are passed for collection. Then make a separate arrangement for repayment with the collection company.

WG x

tireesix

We have done all that, they still want £6000. We are paying what we can through the CCCS but despite this the loans company has gone and got a debt collection agency involved.

tireesix

Anyone else with any ideas?

kar

If they've got a debt collection agency involved your probably better off. They can't take what you haven't got. At the end of the day if your with CCCS then they should be able to arrange a DMP or similar with them. Try not to let it worry you and talk tot he CCCS in detail asking them what you can expect now.

tireesix

Well we have a debt management plan and are paying it........ I just want to know why others who are in the same situation as us ie partner incapable of work etc get their debt wiped but we don't.

mrbadexample

Wonder_Girl wrote:

If you have missed the deferment fir this year you are liable for this years repayments.

Now I ain't saying you're wrong, but I had to speak to them this year as when I sent in 3 months payslips I was just over the threshold. I said I didn't think they could count overtime, as it's not guaranteed income. I was informed that if my pay over 3 months dropped below the threshold then I could re-apply to defer.

I think you may be liable for any payments thus far, but should be able to apply for deferment at any time during the year.

In my situation, it seems that as long as I take it easy on the overtime in the 3 months leading up to the end of the deferment period (and thus stay under the threshold), I can defer for the full year and then earn as much as I like for the rest of it. They only assess you on the last 3 months.

Wonder_Girl

mrbadexample wrote:

Now I ain't saying you're wrong, but I had to speak to them this year as when I sent in 3 months payslips I was just over the threshold. I said I didn't think they could count overtime, as it's not guaranteed income. I was informed that if my pay over 3 months dropped below the threshold then I could re-apply to defer.

I think you may be liable for any payments thus far, but should be able to apply for deferment at any time during the year.

In my situation, it seems that as long as I take it easy on the overtime in the 3 months leading up to the end of the deferment period (and thus stay under the threshold), I can defer for the full year and then earn as much as I like for the rest of it. They only assess you on the last 3 months.

It is all done on a case by case basis by the Student Loan Company. The official standpoint is if you missed it then tough.

I’m not saying they won’t bend the rules in this case but don’t rely on it.

mrbadexample

Wonder_Girl wrote:

It is all done on a case by case basis by the Student Loan Company. The official standpoint is if you missed it then tough.

I’m not saying they won’t bend the rules in this case but don’t rely on it.

The person I spoke to said that if at any point during the year my last 3 months wages were below the threshold, I could re-apply to defer. Wonder what makes me so special.

julybride

I had problems this year, with the SLC because I moved and lost my job but they wanted me to continue to pay until the three months had passed... this would have menat me and hubby would have had no choice but to default as we were short 100 a month for our essentials mortgage, gas, water, food. By contiually phoning I eventually demanded to speak to someone more senior and stated:

I am trying to be honest about our financial situation and deal with it now!!!! rather than when I am missing payments
What do you expect me to do to prove I don't have a wage
I took that persons name and as suggested forwarded them a form outlining the out goingings for my household and as required added a letter from hubby saying he was now supporting me and financially we had 17500 a year and coulkd not meet the payments.
I took copies and posted and Faxed!!!! it to them and kept ringing until they sorted it... it took 2 weeks but It did get defered for a year.

A total pain the system is totally useless; my thoughts are with you but persevere you will get their!!! personally I couldn''t believe they were happy to accept the letter from my husband, it felt like I was back in the Victorian ages but hey it worked.

Good Luck