Student loans 2011/2012 - less for final year????

jjlu

Help!
I've just received my student finance notification for 2011/12, my final year of uni.
I was aware that I would receive less loan due to it being my final year, but was expecting the final instalment to be less; however it appears that the reduction is spread out over the year, which is really quite detrimental financially for the first two terms as it is only just enough to get by on at the moment (I study in London) and I will end up with around £300 less each term. Is this the same for everybody else?
What on earth are SLC thinking????

Derivative

How much are you getting currently? You get an extra £400-£1200/year just for living in London.

jjlu

I get 8300 for the year currently, and will get 7600 next year. It's not the reduction that bothers me as I know we don't get money to cover the summer holidays as we can get a job (cause it's that easy, right?) or sign on - it's the fact that they've divided the reduction throughout the year. So assuming my rent/utilities/travel etc stay the same as this year (which they won't) I'll have 300 less in term 1 and 300 less in term 2 to cover the same expenses. Term 3 is the shortest term but is the largest instalment. It's just plain illogical really!

CLAPTON

I'm sure an equal number of students would find decreased payments when sitting their exams illogical also (no parttime jobs, extra stress etc etc)

Derivative

To be honest, I still find it strange Londoners get so much more. I can't see rent being £700pm more (that's what top band gets).

Taiko

It is spread out over the year I'm afraid, and there's no workaround for that. Just how the payments system there is set up.