Student Finance: “I’m penalised because my mum’s new partner is wealthy” 

 

 

Student Finance England- time for a change?

 

It's that time of year when the gruelling process of reapplying for student finance comes round. You nag your folks to dig out their P60's. Not the latest one. The one from 2 years ago. 

 

That's just the start of a bureaucratic nightmare which can take weeks to complete.

 

Now students are campaigning for a complete shake up of the system.  A thread on the popular student forum ‘Tutorhub’ has sparked a debate which has now got over 1200 comments.

 

The student finance process

 

Here it is in a nutshell:

 

• Register with Student Finance England.

• Include details of your household income and get your parents/guardians/step-parents (or partner) to support your application, if needed.

 

Sounds simple. But students have flagged up several flaws. One big flaw impacts most on non-nuclear families earning above-average incomes.  

 

Non-nuclear families

 

Student finance is based on the student's family's total household income. That means you have to include both your mother and father’s financial status, as well as step- parents and/or partners.

 

This is where it starts to get tricky.  

 

Imagine being in this scenario.  You’re mum and dad split up.  You’re then low-income dad moves out. Mum then goes on to shack up with loaded new partner. All of a sudden the maths don't look quite as good anymore.

 

And no one knows this more than Sheffield Hallam University Architecture student Joel Barnes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Relying on your step-parents

 

The 20 year-old lives with his mother Julie, a stay at home mum, and her partner Martin Scragg, a quantity surveyor for the Lloyds Bank subdivision.

 

Martin is on a higher wage bracket (nearly a six-figure sum per year).  And that means Joel is on the lowest tier of the student loan scale

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"It’s frustrating when people just assume that if I need money I can just ask my parents.  Martin’s only been living with us for four years and essentially he’s not my Dad, so he isn’t really obliged to help me financially.  He’s only my mother’s partner at the end of the day and he has children himself that are at Uni too.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans not even covering rent fees

 

The National Student Housing Association (NSHA) has published the average annual student rent figures for 2013/14.

 

It came to £5,460 a year.  Joel currently pays £5,200 for a basic student house in Sheffield, yet he only receives £3,500 in student finance (maintenance loan and no grant).

 

“So already my Mum and Martin have to fork out £1,700 a year just for me to live here.  So for me to ask for more money is a bit much.”

 

Mixing part-time jobs with Uni work

 

So he could get a job, couldn't he? Joel has held down jobs in bars and restaurants, but his course is so demanding he can't do the hours they need.

 

“Architecture was actually voted the hardest degree in the country in terms of independent studying so we’ve got to constantly keep on top of our work.  This means I can’t do too many hours at work which employers have found difficult to understand.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The response

 

The9amlecture spoke to SNUG, an accommodation partnership between Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Hallam University and the Hallam Union.

 

“We have experienced several students in the same situation as Joel and we have persistently contacted Student Finance England regarding this common matter and whilst they are understanding and sympathetic towards the student, it is simply a government policy that can only be changed by bodies right at the top.”

 

So what is the answer to making the student loan system fair and reasonable?  Should all students receive the same amount of money or do you think the system should remain as it is?

 

Answer below in our online poll: