Please help, Uni starts in 3 weeks!

Angelkiss017

Hi, I'm at my wit's end!
I applied for student finance back in january, and only now have I finally been awarded a loan/grant. Thank god. The only problem is I've been refused a childcare grant, and university starts on the 20th. I'm going to write them a letter and send in every bill I can find to prove I am actually skint, but could you PLEASE tell me if you think I would be eligible for the childcare grant? The nursery want a month in advance, which I will be borrowing money for, I don't want to do that if I will have to drop out of university.

My partner's income will be 16500 this year, before deductions.
I am unemployed but recieve CTC AND WTC- 2500 this year (which doesn't even cover my bills)

Rent- 500 a month
council tax- 110 a month
home insurance- 25 a month
Both of our life ensurances- 20 a month in total
car insurance- 850 per 10 months

I dont think these ones are taken into account but-
electric- 65 a month
heating oil- 350 a year
water- 36 a month


I will have one child in chilcare costing 100 per week.

Please help!
Thank you,
Tina

Angelkiss017

I'll be driving 300 miles a week to and from uni, which is estimated at £160 a month for my diesel guzzling car, I'm sure that wont be taken into account either though..?
Tina

bestpud

Why have you been refused the childcare grant? Do they give a reason?

liney

You will have an additional 6.5k in grant and loan too? They won't look at your car insurance by the way.

lrr_2

Are you sure your award is not going to be updated? This happened to me then once I had sent in the forms required filled in and they were verified, my award was updated and I was sent a new award notice.

metalgal

you sound basically the same as me. re income outgoings etc. im starting uni in sept and am getting 85% of the £150 per week fee paid for with childcare grant. have you been refused this or have they not mentioned it on your award? Its not mentioned on my award so i rang up and checked with them and its going through fine. it will be worth a call.

bluebluecow

gosh hope I dont get refused, waiting to hear about mine, fingers crossed, waiting to hear on most of my loans ect apart from the disabled student one thats says awarded letter sent on website.

I need it as we cant afford the £95 a week for nursery here, although if push comes to shove at 1st Im hoping she can do 4 days, 3 days 9.30-2.30 covered by 15hrs free, then 1 day 8.20-4.20 this cost us £29 a week, BUT my other half is starting his AAT course, I did it last year and the college it self paid for that day as we earn less then £18000 a year so fingers crossed they pay for that one.

Liz

Indie_Kid

Does the £110 council tax include the 25% discount for being a full-time student?

liney

I was told to email [EMAIL="formal_appeals@slc.co.uk"]formal_appeals@slc.co.uk[/EMAIL] when I contacted Student Finanace, but you have more comming in than me, and they have still refused mine

divastrop

Are you sure they are 100% certain you aren't getting the childcare element of Tax Credits? They asked me for my 2010/11 tax credits award notice to prove I wasn't getting it, even though I had been on Income Support for 4 years and had never got any WTC or childcare allowance.
Is claiming the tax credit childcare element an option if you definitely can't get the student finance childcare grant?

Angelkiss017

My son isn't even childcare at the moment, we're definatley not recieving the childcare element. I have looked into it but we're not even eligible because I don't work. Apparently only if I'm ill/disabled etc would I get it.
I was refused the childcare grant because apprently my partners income is too high.They told me on the phone and sent me a letter saying it.
Every time I ring up I'm told something completely different, but last time the woman told me to send in my car insurance. I'm going to send in everything I can get my hands on to be honest.