Recently unemployed and not claiming benefits. SLC requesting bank statements.

Frount0101

Hopefully this is the right place to ask!

I am 24 years old, unemployed since October and looking for work since. I have chosen not to claim any benefits as of yet as I do not have a lot of costs due to living at home and hope to find another job ASAP.

The Student Loans Company have written to me stating they are aware I am not working and not claiming benefit, but they want me to provide evidence, as though I am supposed to prove it? Even though they have obviously been informed by HMRC and have a P45.

I find it very intrusive that they want three months worth of bank statements to prove I am living off savings. I have some in the bank, but food, bills etc is covered by my parents as I live with them, therefore my bank statement proves nothing. Furthermore, I do not want to show my personal information and spending to them.

Their "evidence sheet" either wants my parents bank statements to show they are supporting me, or my bank statements to show my savings. But neither are accurate. I will happily return their form stating I am unemployed, which I am, but where do I stand in regards to providing a bank statement?

Thanks

[Deleted User]

If you do not show them you are in fact unemployed with no income they will continue to demand payment and probably pass your account to a debt collection agency.

Frount0101

_shel wrote: »

If you do not show them you are in fact unemployed with no income they will continue to demand payment and probably pass your account to a debt collection agency.

They only take payments via PAYE when I earn over their threshold. There is no 'due' payments.

sheramber

You are due to repay your student loan when you finish your course.

If your income os below the statutory limit you will not be asked for repayments. However, you need to prove that you are not due to make repayments.

Under The Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations 2009 SLC are entitled to ask for any information they need. If you do not reply they can charge a penalty.

From SLC repayment page


I'm living from savings

If you’re living from savings, you’ll need to send a clear photocopy of a bank statement, showing your name and the funds you’re living from. This must be dated within the last 3 months.

When we process your complete form, we’ll update your records to show that no repayments are required at this time.

If you have any questions about the Confirmation of Customer Details form or on the evidence required, call us on: 0300 100 0611 (Mon – Fri 8am - 8pm).
I'm supported by someone else

If you’re supported financially by someone else, have that person complete the Third Party Declaration on the form.

When we process your complete form, we’ll update your records to show that no repayments are required at this time.

If you have any questions about the Confirmation of Customer Details form or on the evidence required, call us on: 0300 100 0611 (Mon – Fri 8am - 8pm).

[Deleted User]

Frount0101 wrote: »

They only take payments via PAYE when I earn over their threshold. There is no 'due' payments.

No those who are self employed make their own payments. You could be hiding self employed income as far as they are concerned.

Enterprise_1701C

There is no real problem sending a copy of the bank statements, assuming the facts are right. The payments on them will not be revealed to anyone else, they just want to know you are not earning a lot of money by other means.

Perhaps I should add that there will be quite a few times in the future that you will have to provide copies of your bank statements. They are not quite the personal material that you seem to consider them to be.

later

When it came to providing bank statements (I can't remember why), I simply used a marker pen to redact which companies I was paying money to. There was an 'in' column and and 'out' column, so everything going 'out' was marked over, over the text and separately over the numbers so they could still see that money was going out and not in.

It's very easy to say you have no income, but it's a known fact that people hide their income all the time. Cash in hand with deposits, standing orders from parents. You signed the T&Cs when you got the loan.

Masomnia

later wrote: »

It's very easy to say you have no income, but it's a known fact that people hide their income all the time. Cash in hand with deposits, standing orders from parents. You signed the T&Cs when you got the loan.

Indeed, and if you were someone who was maliciously and deliberately dodging your responsibilities you'd have the cash and keep it under the mattress, or have a 'legitimate' account to show them and a separate one for your standing orders from your parents/paying in cash. Easier for SLC to hound the honest who have fallen on hard times however.

I agree though that you sign the T&Cs and it is the law... so OP you should play ball. You're on a hiding to nothing really.

Also I would say though that as much as it's big of you to not want to claim benefits while you're looking for work you are turning down quite a lot of income. Once you have a job you'll be paying plenty of tax (and student loan repayments ) to make up for it!