Student Finance or Headless Chickens?

Taiko

But you're in you're second year, at least. If you are being asked for 09/10 info, then you applied last year (The 09/10 year), and had a reassessment due to a drop in income. This is the only situation you'll be asked for 09/10 tax year info.

Kess

No, this is my first ever application and my son has just started his first year at university. That's why their sudden request for 2009/10 income information on top of all the 2008/09 evidence I've already supplied doesn't make sense.

It's almost as if they're making it up as they go along.

(You sound very certain in your assertions - you don't work for SF by any chance?)

Taiko

I'm an assessor for a local authority, so it's my job to know all the ins and outs. Under no circumstance should you have been asked for 09/10 tax year info.

Kess

Taiko - thanks for clarifying your profession. It's useful to have your input.

I've gone ahead and sent SF the information they requested (my P60 from 2009/10) as there seems to be no alternative but to accede to their requests in the hope they will reach a decision a.s.a.p. as my son is now at uni!

I might phone them too to query the situation but it will probably be futile as my experience from previous calls is that you don't get to speak to a proper assessor, just some random "advisor" with relatively limited knowledge.

Taiko

No worries, if there's no joy, I could probably find out for you.

clarksonwayne

Thanks for all the replies on this one, I finally got a letter off them in October advising that they would pay me the full amount although I should send in my partners earnings (like I told them), but if I didn’t send it in then I’d just be paid the full amount. So yeah no point sending it in if they are paying me the full amount, I got my money through not long after.

Thanks.

Jamiu2k

Hi All,

I’m so angry with the student loans company – I am 2 months (started in end of Jan) into my 2 year LLB Law course, 6 weeks before my first set of exams and they have turned round and said I am not entitled to any funding and that all the money they have paid me this year needs to be paid back.

This is despite the fact that they confirmed my assessment in September 2010 and then again on the 15th of February 2011 with a letter to take to my university finance department if requested (after paying my first instalment on February 1st) and then on the 28th February wrote to me saying that all the money paid needs to be paid back.

The reason given was that because I had previously completed 2 years of my LLB course back in 2009, I was not entitled to receive funds,

I tried to explain that I left a good job in Jan 2011 based on their confirmation of support back in September,however they have come back to me saying that they are governed by legislation.

Any advice/ similar stories?

James

melancholly

i'm confused - you should get funding for (as a general crude rule) 4 years of an undergrad course. do you have more details of what previous HE you've completed?

Helix

melancholly wrote: »

i'm confused - you should get funding for (as a general crude rule) 4 years of an undergrad course. do you have more details of what previous HE you've completed?

Its not 4 years though, it just ends up being 4 years in a lot of cases.

Its worked out as length of new course + 1 year - previous years of study.

So in this case its Length of new course (2) + (1) - Previous study (2) = 1 year of finance which is always taken from the last years of the course not the first year.

Taiko

Melan, I shall slap you for using the 4 years support statement. Frankly, I expect better from you.

To Jamui, it is correct, and they are perfectly entitled to do this. There is no comeback on them I'm afraid, as assessments can be changed at any time. I'd suggest asking your university for the option of paying by installments.