04 Oct 2015

A question about : Over 25 Student Loan Application HELP!

I will be starting a full time PGCE in September as a mature student (29 years old) and as such, having lived away from home for 10 years, am obviously an Independent Student and Household Income figures wont be linked to parents!

The difficulty is I cant work out whether I would be an Independent Student listed as Single, or would need to use my partners income figures? We have only just got together and wont be moving in with each other until the summer, and we do not have any joint finances at all. It would appear that, as I will be leaving work in July, my income will obviously drop by 15% and as such I should be able to apply for more funding. However if I use my partners' P60 details, I will get less.

Just really confused as to what to do! Any advice or help? As all the help info seems to be for school/ college leavers and little help is given for situations like mine! I just want to make sure I'm getting the most loans and grants which I'm entitled to having paid my taxes and NI since working age!

Best answers:

  • Surely if you aren't living together you aren't a household? You're a single person, independent applicant.
  • You are only classed as dependent if you live with them. So no, you dont need to put them on application
  • Yes but before I start the course, and therefore receive my first payment, my circumstances would have changed and we would be living together - so thats the issue...
  • You could always apply now as a single, independent applicant then as your circumstances change, you can update them with the new details?
    That or call them, they will be able to tell you the best way to fill out the application form.
  • Do you plan to move in before the 1st September? That is the official first day of the academic year, and therefore the relevant date.
  • Scotland may have their own equivalent to The Student Support Regulations, which is the relevant legislation in England/Wales. I believe it's probably the same, but I do not know enough about the Scottish system
  • hopefully this link works but it details independent status etc
    https://www.saas.gov.uk/_forms/indep...ung_status.pdf
Category: 
Student Money Saving
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