Student finance - urgent help needed

crism

Hi guys
Can anyone help me where to start with all this student finance? I am totally lost. Here's my story..
I' ve been offered a place at HE course as an adult student. Currently working, together with my partner, who is expectant and starts her maternity in the beginning of June (baby due on 7th June), together we earned on average 32k before tax in previous tax year, looks like this year, we will earn no more that 22k before tax.. And even less in the following year..
Ok.
I've been told by my local LEA that I should apply for finance asap to avoid any delays in payments, and to attach a note that we should become parents.. But I'm wondering won't be better to wait until 7th of June when our baby will arrive and apply then? But if I will do, I need to know our WTC entitlement (if we get one..), Child Support, etc. etc. to mention on PN1 form.. How should I know how much we will get?
I am totally lost in this mess.
Any Ideas anyone?

Stardust

You could wait, plenty of students apply for finance later than that but then theres a very small chance that everything does get processed in time for the start of term.

If it was me I would wait till after the baby's born so I knew all the money details
Im sure someone will be along soon who knows more than me.

yully

I didn't apply for my student money until August last year as I was still working until then, it was late coming through but only a couple of weeks. I agree with stardust about waiting until you have the baby it will make it simpler to apply.

QuirkyChemistry

One option is to apply now and then submit a new application when you know all the new details. This should mean that you will get some money in time for the start of uni but the correct amount should then follow. However if you have sufficient income/savings so that you can afford a delay in your student loan, then it would be easier to wait until you had all the details.

crism

Thanks a lot for your replies. Waiting until baby's born is definately a good way to sort out all things in one go, if I'd hoose to apply now however, can I be sure that if submit new application in June it won't be refused? You know how system works, so I wouldn't be surprised if they would.. The other thing are bursaries and grants from uni, which are based on info provided by LEA. If I'll apply to LEA now, they will send all the details to uni before start of my course anyway..

System

Apply now and contact the LEA to be 'reassessed' once the baby is born. If your situation changes during the course of application the LEA will alter the payment accordinly (e.g. if you don't get into you're 1st choice uni and end up moving away from home you will get a larger grant).

If you leave it too late you may end up with nothing at all.

crism

candyflossing if you say so, I'll do this way. Filling in my application form I simply won't mention anything about baby.
Thanks for your help guys, I really appreciate it.

roxalana

Definitely go with candyflossing - submit the app now based on the normal figures. I'd apply on paper so you can explain.

In the notes section state the date when the baby is due.

This way your application is early in the queue 9as it takes time for an assessor to be able to look at it as pplications come in faster than they can be processed at this time of year.

You can then write in with further information as you know it.

With the initial application I would ask to be assessed for parent's learning allowance etc and state with estimated figures (overestimate income and underestimate bills to reduce possibility of overpayments). Your application will intially be assessed without PLA until you provide the child's birth cert.

I would also ask for a current income assessment (either ask for this on the form and they will send you a CI form out when you are intially assessed or print out a CI form off the SFD website). A current income assessment is for people's whose income in the 08/09 financial year will be at least 15% less than in the 07/08 financial year. However, if your 08/09 income later turns out to be greater than the 07/08 income you can't go back - so should only be used where you are 99% sure it will be less (which it sounds like it will be).

System

My suggestion is based on the fact that I know of many students who have had problems with their applications (late or not) - for e.g. my LEA lost my birth certificates 3 times and my parents P60 (luckily I had backup copies, but if I didn't it would have taken months for new copies to come through).

The sooner the better, and as soon as the baby is born, call your LEA and ask for a reassessment based on your new circumstances. The fastest way to do this is to arrange to go to your LEA in person and speak to an advisor.

This is what I did when they kept on losing my documents, and they soon had no excuse for not processing my app.

crism

Ok! the application has been sent to my LEA. I'll see what they say about it, will let you know as soon as receive any response. Hope won't be long.. As an adult student I am looking to get some suppot from uni as well. I'm wondering what might be available?

kazzymac_2

Hi, my husband is an adult student at Uni and we got a £600 bursary from them. He was told that people that got the maintenance grant was automatically entitled to that from the Uni but we did have to chase it and he received it in December. There is also an adult learners bursary for students with dependants which you will be in September We just missed out as we are just over the threshold. Good luck!