Advice needed: Can I say I'm living away from home to SLC whilst living at home?

EJ

Thanks for all of your replies - as I said, i was just trying to find out if anyone has done this etc and was not saying I was definitely going to do it - just examining my options.

The problem is that I have cfs/me so cant work and study fulltime plus my healthcare costs are not from docs, they are supplements etc that i take but which make a massive difference to my health.

I am also on a special diet (gluten/sugar/milk free) also which massively helps me manage my condition but which can heap a lot of cost onto my living expenses.

That is why i need to run a car as i have to manage my energies so carefully and walking/waiting for bus/standing in cold all deplete my energy and would prob make the degree un-do-able.

I am already in touch with the uni's disability support team and am already discussing the options of the access to learning fund but all this is extra energy and stress (worth it tho if I can go) and I would just love to be able to have the extra loan from slc instead but for the extra £800ish the amount of worry i would go through would be immense - i'm not one of those that could do it with no trouble from conscience.

Anyway thanks for all your replies

EJ

EJ

BillyBobThorntz0r wrote:

If things are as bad as you say, you'll be in a position to get at least £2k through none-repayable grants, add a possible £2k student loan, and then a £2k overdraft - you're looking at £6k! Why would u need to cheat the system with that?

I am doing an NHS funded course so get around £3000 (bursary and max loan combined) to live on - as it is partly nhs funded thats another reason why i wouldnt say i live elsewhere as this is "free" money.

It's not about the amount of debt i'll come out with .. i dont really think about that right now .. it's just i'm concerned about not having enough to live on.

I can only take out 1/2 of the non-means tested living at home part of the loan (because of the bursary) so if i could take out even the living away part it would make a big difference,

I have an overdraft (interest free) that i hope to be able to extend but that will quickly run out over a degree course.

As i said - this situation is not that straight forward.

EJ

freebie_junkie

you will be able to appy for the disabled student allowance, and it helps with extra costs you have becuse of your disability, i.e. im dyspraxic so i get extra tuiton and i also have OCD and cant use second hand books or computers so they provide me with money for books and a computer, my mum had mobility problems so got a locker so she didnt have to lug about her stuff and free taxis to uni etc.

also, my mum is on a wheat free and dairy free diet and i am a veggie and i dont eat wheat, so i know that this can also be done on a budget. you dont need to waste a lot of money on all those special foods, most stuff you can make yourself for a fraction of teh price and base stuff lilke rice, soya, nuts, oats etc. are all cheap.

apply for a HC2 anyhow, cos it entitles you to free prescriptions, free eye tests and nhs glasses voucher and free dental care so its well worth filling in a form for that!

also, the access to learnign fund isnt hard to apply for, teh form is pretty straight forward.

claimign you live away may not make a difference anyway as unless youre self-supportintg for 3 years (and you need proof of this unless youre over 25) your income is assessed on your parents income anyhow, ive been living alone for 2 1/2 years now and my oh is even moving in with me and my student loan is still assessed on my parents! (luckily, they earn less than my oh does!)

Lexi321

I'm doing an nhs course, and I do live away from home, the bursery covers my rent. That's it. I need every bit of my extra loan to live on, I don't see why then you cannot cope with what you are going to get if you budget. Of course claiming the living at home amount is going to make a big difference, it's supposed to cover the costs you are going to occur because you are living away from home. I also disagree with your idea of "free money" nothing is free money at all, it's money to allow you to study, the nhs "free money" is what keeps me able to do this course, I work 35 hours a week when I'm in placement, I'm training to work for them, as I see it they are paying for me to be able to live here and do this course and then work for them. I do get the higher things for living away, and I have to pay some back but it's that's a loan, and just because you're paying it back doesn't make a difference. You should be getting your tutition fees from the nhs too, which most other people won't get. You should also get travel expenses back if you do any placement things.
Almost all students have to budget, I don't think it's right at all to lie to get any more. It wouldn't be any different from me saying I've dyslexia and getting a free laptop and other things. Also, I don't know where you're going in the nhs, but if they found out you'd committed fraud, I don't think you'd have the best start in your career.

EJ

Lexi321 wrote:

I don't see why then you cannot cope with what you are going to get if you budget.
Almost all students have to budget, I don't think it's right at all to lie to get any more.

Ok you sound (or read) a little cross - as i have said, this wasn't a "i am going to do it" .. more of a "anyone else done it" and "any other suggestions".

If you could please read the extra expenses i will incur due to my illness (which aren't covered by dsa) and see that they are over and above those of many students - even with my budgetting skills i will have very little (or minus money) to live on and my parents cant help me. I'm not moaning, merely trying to work out a way forward now, before i get to uni and free fall.

Thanks to those who mentioned ALF - that is definitely a good start.

Lexi321 wrote:

also disagree with your idea of "free money" nothing is free money at all, it's money to allow you to study, the nhs "free money" is what keeps me able to do this course, I work 35 hours a week when I'm in placement, I'm training to work for them, as I see it they are paying for me to be able to live here and do this course and then work for them.

By "free money" - it is free in the sense you dont have to pay it back, you're not tied into work for the nhs afterwards either (although personally i want to). I dont think i said anything bad about it being "free" and i too will be on placement - also i have friends doing psychology etc who go on placement and work fulltime and don't get any money so us nhs students are lucky.

Lexi321 wrote:

I'm a student, my dad gives me 100 pounds, my mum gives me 100 pounds then my nan gives me 50 and grandad gives me 30 all a month. Though I don't live at home. I get a bursery from the NHS because I'm doing a midwifery course of about 330 which is about what my rent is, and I get part of the loan, about half I think

I'd be ok on that too!- my bursary wont be that high either

EJ

Lexi321

This isn't about me at all. I think it's inappropriate to use what I said in other threads to justify yourself.
I save 100 pounds a month and pay 86 pounds off in debt each month, I spend alot on transport back home (about £40) and to see my boyfriend. (about £14) I didn't take into account this income when I said I was doing ok, the income I get from the nhs and loan covers my expenses, anything I get on top covers what I want to do on top of pay rent and eat. If you're interested this is my budget - Rent £330 Mobile - £10.00 Health insurence (with gym) - £15.50 Food - £85 Social - £20.00 Travel - £20.00 Debt - £86.60 Laundry - £13.00 Shopping - £20 Newspapers/magazines £5.00 Haircuts etc £10.00 I hardly think I'm living extravagently but there is alot I could take off without the money, My mum gives me the 100 pounds to cover what she'd spend on me if I was living at home, and my dad gives me the 100 pounds and I save it (for a laptop currently)

I'm just saying, I'm getting more than you because I'm spending more than you because I live far away from home and pay for everything.

I'm sorry if I sounded angry but I don't know if you really realise how expensive it is to be living away on your own. I think you should apply and see what the disability people can do, They cover alot of things and you may be surprised.

freebie_junkie

Lexi321 wrote:

This isn't about me at all. I think it's inappropriate to use what I said in other threads to justify yourself.
I save 100 pounds a month and pay 86 pounds off in debt each month, I spend alot on transport back home (about £40) and to see my boyfriend. (about £14) I didn't take into account this income when I said I was doing ok, the income I get from the nhs and loan covers my expenses, anything I get on top covers what I want to do on top of pay rent and eat. If you're interested this is my budget - Rent £330 Mobile - £10.00 Health insurence (with gym) - £15.50 Food - £85 Social - £20.00 Travel - £20.00 Debt - £86.60 Laundry - £13.00 Shopping - £20 Newspapers/magazines £5.00 Haircuts etc £10.00 I hardly think I'm living extravagently but there is alot I could take off without the money, My mum gives me the 100 pounds to cover what she'd spend on me if I was living at home, and my dad gives me the 100 pounds and I save it (for a laptop currently)

I'm just saying, I'm getting more than you because I'm spending more than you because I live far away from home and pay for everything.

I'm sorry if I sounded angry but I don't know if you really realise how expensive it is to be living away on your own. I think you should apply and see what the disability people can do, They cover alot of things and you may be surprised.

ive moved out and 'pay for everything' on my loan and self-employed earnings (no overdrafts or cc's either so it can be done!) i think you should count yourself very lucky indeed that you get that £280 per month for nowt.

EJ

Lexi321 wrote:

This isn't about me at all. I think it's inappropriate to use what I said in other threads to justify yourself.

I'm just saying, I'm getting more than you because I'm spending more than you because I live far away from home and pay for everything.

I'm sorry if I sounded angry but I don't know if you really realise how expensive it is to be living away on your own.
.

I've not said anything that needs justifying - I pay rent to my mum (she doesnt give me money as she can't afford to - she can't afford to keep me here and that is why i pay rent), i have high healthcare costs, I have lived away at Uni before so am perfectly aware of how much it costs to live away from home (not that it has anything to do with what I am talking about), i have to run my car to even contemplate uni, i cant work and study due to my disability (obviously hope to get a summer job if i can and will do all within my power to get one) and I don't have enough money to cover my costs so am planning what i can do to help myself not get into financial difficulty. That's it.


Thanks to everyone who's made suggestions - I won't be commiting fraud but to be honest I have been so worried, it is mightily tempting! I'm doing my best to save now and will just have to see how enquiries go with ALF / DSA.


EJ

Lexi321

freebie_junkie wrote:

ive moved out and 'pay for everything' on my loan and self-employed earnings (no overdrafts or cc's either so it can be done!) i think you should count yourself very lucky indeed that you get that £280 per month for nowt.

No where did I not say I didn't count myself lucky. I probably wouldn't get so much help if I could get a job but I work 37.5 hours a week at various shifts on placement and my parents would rather I not have to get a job on top of that

freebie_junkie

Lexi321 wrote:

No where did I not say I didn't count myself lucky. I probably wouldn't get so much help if I could get a job but I work 37.5 hours a week at various shifts on placement and my parents would rather I not have to get a job on top of that

hence why i work for myself, i do markets and ebay, which can be done as and when you want. im not currently on placemts but will be after september, i will still have to work, so my line of business is ideal.