How much are parents supposed to give their children when they go to university?

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.
Read Martin's "How much are parents supposed to give their children when they go to university?" Blog.

Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.
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  • glasgowdan
    glasgowdan Posts: 2,967
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    Does it mention anything about students working while studying? That's where I'd expect the bulk of their cash deficit to come from.
  • Mrs_Arcanum
    Mrs_Arcanum Posts: 23,976
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    Your amounts are wrong for those just starting their final year as it appears to be based on the new loans. We fall between £42 & £45k but our daughter will only get £5,400 maintenance loan.
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  • Naf
    Naf Posts: 3,160
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    Also extremely useful is the percentage of parental income which theyre expected to stump up:

    FBUQz4K.png
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  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 46,829
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    Your article makes no mention (or include in the figures) that students who get the maximum support are also eligible for bursaries from the universities themselves. Students with parental income of <£25k can often also receive a bursary of on average £2,000. Full table.

    Add that to the tables above to present a more accurate picture.

    Students with extremely well off parents and those with low income parents do very well, it is those in the middle that are often squeezed between loans that do not cover their needs and parents who can't afford to offer a lot of help.
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  • Martin's blog highlights a problem that is overlooked by the simple calculation of the Student Loans Company.

    They just see a pot of money & assume the parents will contribute but sometimes family dynamics means that parents will not contribute the shortfall in the maintenance loan amount.

    In my family the student has a low maintenance loan based on his mothers' husbands high income. However he is not the father of the student & the relationship is not good so will not contribute. The student & his mother will have to find the shortfall. Tricky & stressful situation but that's family dynamics for you.
  • Naf
    Naf Posts: 3,160
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    ...but that's family dynamics for you.

    A part of me basically says "why should that be the state's problem?". It sounds harsh, but the state can't cover up for decisions which people make. Lots of students with higher (higher, theyre probably middling somewhere in the grand scheme) income parents really struggle at uni because of decisions made by their parents to take a bigger mortgage, expensive car or other debts instead of budgeting and planning to support their children through university. Should the state (given the premise on which the current system is based) basically subsidise parents' debts like that?

    The real unfairness in the current system is that parents with two children at uni simultaneously are somehow assumes as having double the income - i.e. each child is assesed separately as having parents with the same income. Again, there's an argument to be made for parental planning and budgeting; but its still the kids who are affected worst.

    The solution, obviously, is to treat students as adults, because they are! Fund all students the same regardless of parental income.
    Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
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    Arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon: no matter how good you are at chess, its just going to knock over the pieces and strut around like its victorious.
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 46,829
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    The real unfairness in the current system is that parents with two children at uni simultaneously are somehow assumes as having double the income -

    Not totally disagreeing with you but the comment above could easily be applied to the earlier statement you made:
    because of decisions made by their parents to take a bigger mortgage, expensive car or other debts instead of budgeting and planning to support their children through university.

    The decision in this case being to have their kids close together in age.

    The total cost (of support to 2 children) will be the same, but there is a higher expenditure in a short space of time than a family who spaced their children.

    To quote you again,
    A part of me basically says "why should that be the state's problem?".
    I'm a Forum Ambassador on The Coronavirus Boards as well as the housing, mortgages and student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to [email protected] (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.
  • Naf
    Naf Posts: 3,160
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    silvercar wrote: »
    Not totally disagreeing with you but the comment above could easily be applied to the earlier statement you made:

    Yes, and hence:
    Naf wrote: »
    Again, there's an argument to be made for parental planning and budgeting...
    Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
    - Mark Twain
    Arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon: no matter how good you are at chess, its just going to knock over the pieces and strut around like its victorious.
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 46,829
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    glasgowdan wrote: »
    Does it mention anything about students working while studying? That's where I'd expect the bulk of their cash deficit to come from.

    I think your missing the point. By all means students should work (if their course allows time and jobs are available), but the point of the blog was to provide a level playing field from which students can top up their loans/ grants/ parental contributions with work.
    I'm a Forum Ambassador on The Coronavirus Boards as well as the housing, mortgages and student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to [email protected] (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.
  • Naf
    Naf Posts: 3,160
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    Your amounts are wrong for those just starting their final year as it appears to be based on the new loans. We fall between £42 & £45k but our daughter will only get £5,400 maintenance loan.


    Final year students receive less since its not a full year (suposedly). They're expected to be working after graduating, so Student Finance figures are lower to not cover the summer period.
    Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
    - Mark Twain
    Arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon: no matter how good you are at chess, its just going to knock over the pieces and strut around like its victorious.
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