University grant

davo97

Hi, I am currently in my first year of university going into my second in the coming months. I applied for an adults dependant grant and my university paid this into my bank account. After receiving the payment I rang student finance England twice to ensure that I was entitled to the money before spending it. Both of these times the advisor checked and confirmed everything was fine and I was entitled to the money. I have now received a letter stating that I have been overpaid and need to pay the grant back.

What can I do here as I rang student finance on two separate occasions to check that the money was supposed to be mine as I wanted to avoid this situation, both times I was told I was eligible for the money and it was confirmed on the phone twice?

KatrinaWaves

What is the reason for the overpayment?

You clearly appeared to be entitled, or they wouldnt have paid you it, so the advisor would have had no other access to any other information.

If something has changed so you were not entitled (such as change to income/family status/something you did not tell them properly etc) then they can ask for it back.

davo97

Nothing changed, I have contacted them since and they said they require evidence of income etc. Yet they have paid the grant and confirmed that everything is fine twice, now they say I have been overpaid?

Ebe_Scrooge

davo97 wrote: »

I have contacted them since and they said they require evidence of income etc.

Have you sent them evidence of income, and does that tally up with what you initially told them ? I'm just wondering if they worked out your entitlement based on the figures you gave them, but the evidence you sent shows a different figure. Or if you haven't yet sent them evidence, maybe they've put your application on hold until they receive it ?