Student Loan Calculation

tiggerbodhi

Hi,


Hopefully the right board to post this in, but if not advice appreciated!


My daughter is starting uni this month and applaied for a student loan, pretty sure she did it all correctly, but instead of the amount shown on the government calculator website for the living/expenses the amount given is about half, I realise that the Government website calculator is a guide, but the is way off, has anyone any experience of why this could be, fairly basic details and living arrangements as shown below, figures rounded:


Student living away from home outside London
One income in household of (mine) of £30K
no other dependants


Loan calculator says £6300
Loan given £3800


I assume they use my earnings 2015-2016 as the only reference they have is my NI number so the £30K is accurate, no overtime to speak of, I have a company car but even if I increase the salary to include the "cash equivalent" still doesn't bring it down to close to the £3800.

Lokolo

When she applied she should have gone through the means tested. The amount shes been given is the typical amount when you either earn too much (which £30k is not) or she hasn't gone through means tested.

How did she apply?

tiggerbodhi

Hi,


She applied online, she was asked where she would be living, whether I would be supporting her application etc, don't believe there was any means testing, but that might be a pointer.


She receives a child's pension from the Civil Service of £140 per month, last year she got a lump sum £7K gross (as her mum had only just died) this would appear on her tax record for 2015-2016, but that was last year not relative to her potential earnings this year or at uni, the £140 a month gross is it now.


So does the students earnings come into any calculation?

Lokolo

Unfortunately I'm not really up to date anymore, but I assume she said yes when stating you would be supporting her application?

Her income should make a difference, but when it was me it was only taxable earnings (I am assuming £7k was inheritance).

She might want to ring them up, although this time of year it might be quite busy.

Did you send in your supporting documentation? Usually its P60s and the like.

tiggerbodhi

Hi,


She has called them and they have not applied the means tested section, I did say I would support the application, they didn't request any P60's as they said they can get records via my NI number from HMRC, maybe that's what gone wrong.


They basically admitted they had made a mistake, luckily she has savings to get her through a short period until they sort things out.


She did have an inheritance but this was not taxed and is not earnings, but she is paid a civil service child's which was a lump sum then the £140 a month, this will go down as earnings for her Student learn but this was not in the tax year that is used for calculating the 2016-17 academic year (2014-2015 Tax year)


We shall see what happens over the next couple of days to see if they communicate back!


Thanks for the feedback.