Help With Student Loans - HERE!

Taiko, I don't know how to thank you for the advice and help you've given me; it seems that SFE have finally caved in and apparently they paid me yesterday according to a letter I received. Not sure if it's to do with the fact that they decided to pay me the money on the date of my 25th birthday, or your help or they managed to find the evidence they lost but whatever...it's finally sorted so thanks a million!!

Flickering_Ember wrote: »

Taiko, I don't know how to thank you for the advice and help you've given me; it seems that SFE have finally caved in and apparently they paid me yesterday according to a letter I received. Not sure if it's to do with the fact that they decided to pay me the money on the date of my 25th birthday, or your help or they managed to find the evidence they lost but whatever...it's finally sorted so thanks a million!!

Glad it's resolved. I've intentionally not emailed you back, as I wanted to check things before updating you.

Armed with the CTS, I've made a few calls. Firstly to the main student advisors, who you all speak to. They had no idea of the regulations, as expected.

I then went directly through on one of the numbers I had, and spoke to someone up there who I know will assess properly. After quoting sections of the regulations, they were convinced that, if taken to court, they would not win due to how the regulations are made. Support as an independent student was reinstated a few days ago, with payment going in earlier today.

I hate that I had to get as involved as I did, but in genuine cases I will help if I have the time to do so.

Taiko, the letter from SFE was dated 22/10/2010. But anyway, thanks a million again. You're truly an asset to so many people.

I am going to agree with SFE in this instance in making you ineligible, as you were previously eligible as the spouse of a migrant worker. In divorcing, you lost your eligibility.

However, now you have settled status, you are eligible for support under Schedule 1, Part 2(3) of The Education Student Support Regulations 2009. You are entitled from the academic quarter following on from the date of which you were awarded ILR, provided that before the first year of studies you were resident within the UK.

It's a very complex case this, but I do not have time to take it on a personal level. Hopefully this guidance will point you in the right direction. For further information, I suggest you read Paragraphs 71 & 72 of the link below. http://practitioners.studentfinanceengland.co.uk/pls/portal/url/ITEM/91CBD044A55A4062E043AC1401A14062

Hi Taiko,

If you have any authority to look into cases then please can you have a look at mine. I currently have my student bank account overdraft maxed out and I've got bills coming up to pay. I'm not an undergrad, I'm a trainee pgce teacher and live in private rental accommodation, if I don't get my loan soon I will be kicked out of my home.

I applied several months ago and mistakenly thought I should put I was independent because I have had lived on my own for a while. When I realised my mistake and realised it was easier to send in my dads details I phoned up and was advised to send in a pff2 with my dads p60.

I did this and it was added to my application, I phoned up again after hearing nothing and they said I needed to send proof of my parents divorce. Which they didn't tell me before.. Meanwhile I received the minimum loan amount.

I sent in the divorce details and they received it on the 8th of October. I phoned up again a couple of weeks after that and they said it was in a queue for the evidence being processed and I should phone up if you haven't received my top up loan and grant in 10 days.

After hearing nothing again, I phoned up yesterday. the person on the phone said he didn't know why the evidence hadn't been added to my file and it should have been done. He said he has emailed head office and I have been told to wait 10 days again.

I'm not convinced everything is right with my application and I am very worried. All my numbers have been processed, I was told it was just a matter of seeing the divorce papers and I would get the top up very quickly.

Even more worryingly, last month my online status said awaiting evidence and i would be receiving the max loan and grant but this month it says approved and the minimum amount of loan and grant.

please can you help or advise me what to do?

Sorry for the ramble,

Michael