New Student Maintenance Loan Too Low!

Shakin_Steve

We are going through the same at the moment. The minimum is just over £3000 for a student who is over 25 and is not supported by parents. We were offered £3200 until we realised we had pressed the wrong button....doh!
Once we sorted it out, we found the minimum amount for a first year student supported by parents is £3900, which our son should get.
As per the OP's post, this is nowhere near enough to pay the rent. Our son is going to Sheffield and living in halls and his rent is £5800 odd. But, I'm afraid, parent are expected to make up the shortfall. My son has had nothing yet, but the Uni are taking £2350 from my bank account on 1st October for his first terms rent. That's just the way it is.

Ed-1

sandyacreuk wrote: »

Hi,
Could anyone offer any advice?
As Parents we are supporting my Sons application to his first year at University. He will be living away outside of London.
The offer has now come through. Tuition Fee loan is fine, but the Maintenance Loan is far too low at just over £3000. This will not even cover his rent at the Campus.
The award is based on the fact our total household income for yr 15/16 is relatively high. However, this is far from a true reflection of our ability to afford contributing to his education. Due to unfortunate events, we are currently repaying debt via a DMP and virtually all of our disposable income is prioritised to clearing this. To speed things up, I have worked hard to significantly increase my income. However, this is having an adverse affect on how Student Finance England 'means test' for the awarded amount. Household income is absolutely NOT a measure of affordability. They don't get this at all and just refer back to the simplistic and distorted way the 'calculator' works.


According to an article on this site, the maintenance award should be up to 65% of the maximum regardless of income. If so, this isn't correct either!.


I'm stuck - any advice?

Is the student living at home? The minimum maintenance loan (for household income of £58,215 or more) is £3,124 for students living at home, £3,928 for those not living at home outside London and £5,479 in London.

The 65% of maximum loan 'minimum' applied pre-2016 cohorts where the maximum maintenance loan was a lot lower as a maintenance grant was also part of the package.

Student Finance England only apply the regulations. The Government (Department for Education/Treasury) set the policy.

http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/1158/201718-financial-memorandum.pdf

PINEAPPLE1234

Puddylove has come up with some sound suggestions.
Maybe have to defer a year or so or change to closer uni and live at home.
Any relatives willing to help out either with local accommodation or money.
Change to a uni near friends or family who may be willing to take him in.
Any funding available from uni such as academic scholarship many universities sometimes offer help.
Rent a room rather than halls which can be quite a bit cheaper.
Has your wages gone down since 15-16 calculations if so you can put in predicted earnings for 17-18 which may give him more funds.

Apart from that I do not really know.I feel sorry for you all.Some of DS friends found it tough affording halls and just affording basic living and food even with having a job. Some of his friends looked hard at finding work but with some universities having over 23,000 students it is not as easy as saying get a job to support yourself especially if you already have a 3K shortfall in accommodation costs and can not work full time.
My DS deferred a year and has saved some money however I have had to take on extra hours to help support him maybe that might be another temporary suggestion.

BorisThomson

Ed-1 wrote: »

Is the student living at home? The minimum maintenance loan (for household income of £58,215 or more) is £3,124 for students living at home, £3,928 for those not living at home outside London and £5,479 in London.

The 65% of maximum loan 'minimum' applied pre-2016 cohorts where the maximum maintenance loan was a lot lower as a maintenance grant was also part of the package.

Student Finance England only apply the regulations. The Government (Department for Education/Treasury) set the policy.

http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/1158/201718-financial-memorandum.pdf

Please read this OP, and double check the amount you're reading is not for the first instalment.

I don't know why Lokolo et al are bothering to post when they clearly don't have the first idea what they are talking about. If the amount OP has received is for the year then it is wrong.

Lokolo

BorisThomson wrote: »

Please read this OP, and double check the amount you're reading is not for the first instalment.

I don't know why Lokolo et al are bothering to post when they clearly don't have the first idea what they are talking about. If the amount OP has received is for the year then it is wrong.

None of my posts stated that the assessment is correct. I know nothing about the OPs application. Neither do you. I just merely pointed out that SLC will not take into consideration a DMP and it is based on income, not income and expenditure of the parent.

I also recommended that if there is a shortfall between the loan and how much the student requires, then a part time job during the term and a summer job outside of university would be an ideal way to earn some additional cash.

Nothing I have said is incorrect and means that I have no idea what I am talking about.

edit - if there is anything I have incorrectly stated please let me know. constructive criticism is always welcome.

BorisThomson

Lokolo wrote: »

None of my posts stated that the assessment is correct. I know nothing about the OPs application. Neither do you. I just merely pointed out that SLC will not take into consideration a DMP and it is based on income, not income and expenditure of the parent.

I also recommended that if there is a shortfall between the loan and how much the student requires, then a part time job during the term and a summer job outside of university would be an ideal way to earn some additional cash.

Nothing I have said is incorrect and means that I have no idea what I am talking about.

edit - if there is anything I have incorrectly stated please let me know. constructive criticism is always welcome.

It is based on affordability, they have to draw the line somewhere. Just because you are on a DMP doesn't mean your son should be entitled to more money because you got yourself into the situation.

you earn X, this is over the limit of additional maintenance loan.

The minimum maintenance loan for a student in London is £5,479. Irrespective of earnings OP's son is entitled to that. You don't know their earnings yet you tell them they're above the income limit. You tell them they're not entitled to any more. You're wrong.

You owe the OP an apology. You clearly had no idea what you were talking about and you wilfully misled them. I hope they come back and see the other posts where people have corrected you, and her son gets the support he is entitled to.

studentmoneysav3r

He should get a job like the rest of us or go to a university closer to home and not move out. That's literally all that can be done at this point. Yeah the student loans system is a bit unfair, but deal with it?;)

[Deleted User]

sandyacreuk wrote: »

I believe it's the award for the year. Yes, I pre-empted this a few months back as the calculator suggested it will be the minimal amount and that's what has been offered. I fully appreciate the element that higher earners should contribute to the shortfall, but I have an exceptional situation that means I cannot help fund this. There doesn't appear of anyway to get SFE to understand this dilemma. The irony is that if we had a very low income, the award could increase to £8430.

Its not an irony but the only fair way to do it. Could your son defer for a year and work full time and save up? or find a part time job whilst at uni (many do and have to). Lets face it if outgoings were taken ito account even millionaires could make them selves look like paupers.
Sorry this isn't what you want to hear.

[Deleted User]

sandyacreuk wrote: »

Well I didn't like your comment and I certainly will not ignore it, as I wish to defend my position. You implied I put Myself in debt, where as someone took my livelihood away for a period of time and put me in debt. That's what annoys me! I hope you don't suffer the similar unfortunate event because frankly I do care.

Were you not compensated for the injury and loss of earnings?

[Deleted User]

BorisThomson wrote: »

Please read this OP, and double check the amount you're reading is not for the first instalment.

I don't know why Lokolo et al are bothering to post when they clearly don't have the first idea what they are talking about. If the amount OP has received is for the year then it is wrong.

My DD who will be in her final year starting september gets the full loan/grant and thats only £7600 for the full year,although I accept its lower in year 3, I can't see that a new student with parents earning over the limits would get £3000 per term outside London