'The UK’s hidden one-child-per-family university policy' according to Martin Lewis

silvercar · 25 November 2017 at 11:18PM

The UK’s hidden one-child-per-family university policy

Interesting article by Martin Lewis :money: suggesting that parents will struggle to support 2 of their offspring in university at the same time.

Owain_Moneysaver · 25 November 2017 at 11:43PM

One child can go to university and the other(s) can get a job and learn to do something useful.

silvercar · 26 November 2017 at 10:55AM

A bit of a non story.

When you plan on having children close together, you realise that you may be doubling up on the amount of nappies you need; that they will probably overlap in nursery, so double fees there etc.

Spendless · 26 November 2017 at 6:10PM

When I was having my children, it wasn't really in my mindset about spacing them in case both wanted to go to Uni. What was on my mind was my age (already in my 30s), having a small enough gap (there's 3 years) that they could enjoy doing things together, because this was something I felt I'd not had, being 7 years older than my only sibling. I knew working wasn't viable when I discovered the cost of childcare fees for the eldest was equivalent to my net pay. I have no idea what the set up for loans etc was back in the early 00s. Neither myself or my husband went to Uni (both 60s born) as it just wasn't as commonplace back then, so no thought about where we'd financially be in 18 years time.

The issue I think is to do with not making it clearer than there's a parental contribution 'expected' but not obligated. With a 3 year gap between my 2, we're in a better place than many with this. We attended an open day yesterday for my eldest and told him we would pay for his first years accommodation. After that he needs to find work and at least pay a %. My sister though has twins and just can't afford to fund both at the same time.

IAmWales · 26 November 2017 at 8:03PM

"TWO CHILDREN COST MORE THAN ONE SHOCKER!"

This is news?

Tabbytabitha · 27 November 2017 at 7:52AM

Spendless wrote: »

When I was having my children, it wasn't really in my mindset about spacing them in case both wanted to go to Uni. What was on my mind was my age (already in my 30s), having a small enough gap (there's 3 years) that they could enjoy doing things together, because this was something I felt I'd not had, being 7 years older than my only sibling. I knew working wasn't viable when I discovered the cost of childcare fees for the eldest was equivalent to my net pay. I have no idea what the set up for loans etc was back in the early 00s. Neither myself or my husband went to Uni (both 60s born) as it just wasn't as commonplace back then, so no thought about where we'd financially be in 18 years time.

The issue I think is to do with not making it clearer than there's a parental contribution 'expected' but not obligated. With a 3 year gap between my 2, we're in a better place than many with this. We attended an open day yesterday for my eldest and told him we would pay for his first years accommodation. After that he needs to find work and at least pay a %. My sister though has twins and just can't afford to fund both at the same time.

Presumably she's been funding them at the same time for the last 18 years?

Parents need to remember all the money they'll be saving by not having a child living at home before stating so definitely that they can't afford to support them to a certain extent at university. Just because one set of costs is more overt than the other doesn't mean that those costs haven't existed.

Spendless · 27 November 2017 at 8:47AM

Tabbytabitha wrote: »

Presumably she's been funding them at the same time for the last 18 years?

Parents need to remember all the money they'll be saving by not having a child living at home before stating so definitely that they can't afford to support them to a certain extent at university. Just because one set of costs is more overt than the other doesn't mean that those costs haven't existed.

Certainly,but they will receive the minimum due to the household income (plus a company car is added) and I doubt they actually cost that much at home compared to the difference x 2 between what they'd receive as a student loan and what the maximum loan is and is the 'expected' parental contribution. A quick look tells me this would be £9K a year or £750 per month. I am quite sure my own 2 children don't cost that much to keep per month. Her eldest wants to study medicine so the course is longer and I think options to work are more limited during the duration of study

We've had to tell my 2 that though we can and will pay for 100% of accommodation in eldest's first year, this is due to his sister still being at the local Secondary school a few streets away and being relatively cheap for that year, he will need to find a job and save during this year because for yr2 we will be funding his sister at a further away sixth form due to the subject she wishes to study. We've had to veto his suggestion that he studies in London for this reason.

silvercar · 27 November 2017 at 11:58AM

A quick look tells me this would be £9K a year or £750 per month.

Your figures don't match the article. For 2 children studying outside London with a parental income over £60k, the contribution is £4,100 each child= £8,200 total.

Given that teenagers supposedly leave all the lights on, eat mountains of food, turn the heating up full blast, shower for hours, have the latest iPhones, use Mum & Dad as a taxi service and cash machine and need wardrobes of clothes, there must be some saving when they leave.

Spendless · 27 November 2017 at 4:40PM

silvercar wrote: »

Your figures don't match the article. For 2 children studying outside London with a parental income over £60k, the contribution is £4,100 each child= £8,200 total.

Given that teenagers supposedly leave all the lights on, eat mountains of food, turn the heating up full blast, shower for hours, have the latest iPhones, use Mum & Dad as a taxi service and cash machine and need wardrobes of clothes, there must be some saving when they leave.

I went on this

2017 starter.
£62,187+ £3,928 £4,502

From

https://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2016/09/02/how-much-are-parents-supposed-to-give-their-children-when-they-go-to-university/#new

I know my 2 are not costing anything like that amount to keep at home currently still being at school/FE college. There certainly may be some saving but not to the tune of £8-9K per year.

silvercar · 27 November 2017 at 7:32PM

Spendless wrote: »

I went on this

2017 starter.
£62,187+ £3,928 £4,502

From

https://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2016/09/02/how-much-are-parents-supposed-to-give-their-children-when-they-go-to-university/#new

I know my 2 are not costing anything like that amount to keep at home currently still being at school/FE college. There certainly may be some saving but not to the tune of £8-9K per year.

I suspect, that the lowest income giving the highest loans are sufficient to support those students 52 weeks of the year ie including holiday time and possible a contribution to the household budget when they are home. The amount that is needed by a reasonably frugal student could well be less than that.

Anecdotally, the squeezed middle are the students who suffer. those at the top end have parental support, those at the lowest have the loan system plus university bursaries etc, those in the middle whose parents may not have much spare income are the ones struggling.

Starrystarrynight1 · 30 November 2017 at 9:07PM

The government doesn't stand there waiting for parents to hand over a cheque for their 'contribution.' What parents can afford to give their kids at university is their own business.

'The UK’s hidden one-child-per-family university policy' according to Martin Lewis

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