Student Maintenance Loan - divorced parents change in circumstances

philliid

Hi,
My daughter started university in 2019/2020 and received a full maintenance loan. When she originally applied she was living with her mother only. She has started to apply for 2021/22 student finances. Her mother has moved into a new house with her new partner in January 2021, thus increasing the total household income, and reducing her maintenance loan. She has therefore asked me if she can use my income, which is less, and I live alone. However, when I started to complete process I noticed that it says income for 2019/20 tax year.
So my main questions is, if it is 2019/20 tax year, her mother at that point would have been earning the lower amount of money and wasn't living with her new partner at that time, so does she only have to declare her mothers income? or will she also be asked to declare mother new partners income for 2019/20?
I have noticed on various websites of what happens if income goes down by 15%, but not what happens under the above circumstances. Sorry, but exact rules aren't clear, and it can make a big difference on the amount she can apply for.

Ed-1

philliid said:

Hi,
My daughter started university in 2019/2020 and received a full maintenance loan. When she originally applied she was living with her mother only. She has started to apply for 2021/22 student finances. Her mother has moved into a new house with her new partner in January 2021, thus increasing the total household income, and reducing her maintenance loan. She has therefore asked me if she can use my income, which is less, and I live alone. However, when I started to complete process I noticed that it says income for 2019/20 tax year.
So my main questions is, if it is 2019/20 tax year, her mother at that point would have been earning the lower amount of money and wasn't living with her new partner at that time, so does she only have to declare her mothers income? or will she also be asked to declare mother new partners income for 2019/20?
I have noticed on various websites of what happens if income goes down by 15%, but not what happens under the above circumstances. Sorry, but exact rules aren't clear, and it can make a big difference on the amount she can apply for.

It goes on current circumstances referencing the income for 19/20. So both mother and partner would have to be included

silvercar

This exact question was featured on a Martin Lewis roadshow programme. Martin couldn’t quite believe it, but checked with student finance. The partners income in the earlier year is included, even though the partner may not even have been in a relationship with the mother at that time.

do remember that if the household income has dropped by 15% or more, she can ask for the assessment to be made on this year’s income.
sounds like it would be financially beneficial for your daughter to live with you going forward.

307man

Am I right to understand that the student finance loan now takes into account both parents income despite not living together? My son, who lives away from home in a shared student house, but whose home is with his mother was getting a maintenance loan based on the household income of his mother- he has to apply again for next year but I am being told that it is based on the income of both parents irrespective of where his 'home' is - can anyone clarify the current rules? It sounds like this is a recent change.

silvercar

307man said:

Am I right to understand that the student finance loan now takes into account both parents income despite not living together? My son, who lives away from home in a shared student house, but whose home is with his mother was getting a maintenance loan based on the household income of his mother- he has to apply again for next year but I am being told that it is based on the income of both parents irrespective of where his 'home' is - can anyone clarify the current rules? It sounds like this is a recent change.

I haven't heard of this.