Student Finance & going on holiday

freelancepuddle

I am going on a summer holiday for exactly 3 months. I phoned up student finance to tell them the dates and they've told me they need a copy of 3 months worth of my bank statements and my full travel itinerary from British Airways. I am going to the US so there's no way I'd be working out there which I pointed out and they said they need to make sure I have money in my bank account?

I thought this seemed extremely over the top and invasive. My question is: has anyone else gone backpacking or away for longer than 3 months and dealt with student finance giving them trouble for leaving the country?

Nasqueron

I was under the old process (started in 2000, left in 2004) and after uni I went travelling for 9 months and didn't even tell the SLC. I came back, started work and started paying the bits.

AnotherJoe

Why do you need to tell student loans you are on holiday?
Why do they need to make sure "you have money in your bank account"?

I thought the loans were paid out of earnings? And if you have no earnings, you arent paying?

Apologies if i missed something about the new Big Brother Loan Company.

freelancepuddle

AnotherJoe wrote: »

Why do you need to tell student loans you are on holiday?
Why do they need to make sure "you have money in your bank account"?

I thought the loans were paid out of earnings? And if you have no earnings, you arent paying?

Apologies if i missed something about the new Big Brother Loan Company.

They started it in the last 5 years or so. If you're unemployed or going abroad, you have to send them 3 months worth of bank statements to let them know what you're living off while abroad and if you're going for longer than 3 months, they require your full travel itinerary from the airline (s) you're traveling with. It's invasive to say the least and I don't fully understand why they need that information off me.

They argued it's because lots of people say they won't be working, but end up doing so. I pointed out it's physically impossible for me to work as a British citizen in the United States without a green card or work visa. They insisted they still needed my bank statements to prove what I'm living off while there or I can face my interest being bumped up from 3.5% to 5% and possibly a forced £250 a month fine from my direct debit account.

Let it be known kids, university is not worth this.

AnotherJoe

Wow. It really is Big Brother. Shocking.

Its also wholly illogical, how does bank statements show what you'll be living off? What if you've saved money or someone else is funding you? What if you've got no money?

They actually contradict themselves, they say you have to show frequent withdrawals being made even if someone else is supporting you - surely the point is, if someone else is supporting you you wont be making frequent withdrawals?

I wonder what statutory basis they have for all this (I've just been looking on their web site).
They act as judge jury and hangman. You could still do everything by the book and they could still arnitrarily decide you are deceiving them and charge you.

I presume you've got no stomach to challenge them, but i cant see how these conditions are logical or equitable or would stand up to a court challenge. But, IANAL. I am surprised the students union or some other body havent challenged the legality of this.

I think you'll either have to cave in or take a stand and take them to court if they do raise your interest.

robber2

Deleted,

poor advice, sorry

freelancepuddle

AnotherJoe wrote: »

Wow. It really is Big Brother. Shocking.

Its also wholly illogical, how does bank statements show what you'll be living off? What if you've saved money or someone else is funding you? What if you've got no money?

They actually contradict themselves, they say you have to show frequent withdrawals being made even if someone else is supporting you - surely the point is, if someone else is supporting you you wont be making frequent withdrawals?

I wonder what statutory basis they have for all this (I've just been looking on their web site).
They act as judge jury and hangman. You could still do everything by the book and they could still arnitrarily decide you are deceiving them and charge you.

I presume you've got no stomach to challenge them, but i cant see how these conditions are logical or equitable or would stand up to a court challenge. But, IANAL. I am surprised the students union or some other body havent challenged the legality of this.

I think you'll either have to cave in or take a stand and take them to court if they do raise your interest.

I challenged them and asked them straight up - why is this information necessary for them to have? And I received no response. They're the tax man, so definitely not challenging them further. Just very much scratching my head as to why they demand your bank statements before you leave the country for a holiday, it just seems odd.

sheramber

They want proof that you have enough money in your account to support yourself for 3 months.

If someone was supporting you they expect to see a sum of money going into your account and then you withdrawing it.

They don't have rules depending on the country you are going to. It is the same rules if you were claiming to be not working ( applying to defer your repayments) but staying in this country or any other country.

https://www.saas.gov.uk/_forms/slc_terms_conditions.pdf