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I'll be heading off to uni in October (hopefully anyway, depends on my results), but uni is fairly expensive what with uni fees, accomodation, cost of living etc. so as everyone does I've applied with student finance England for some funding.
I'm entitled to extra funding on it because of a low family income and my mother doesn't work, so I asked to have my household income taken into account. Understandably they want evidence, so I sent in birth certificates for me, both parents, my Dad's 12 month pay slip, child tax benefit form, and a written letter from HM tax revenue confirming my mother was infact unemployed, as I was asked to do.
First issue was over the pay slip, they didn't want the most recent one, but instead only accepted the one from 2 years ago. 2 years ago was before my Dad was ill and had to change shifta, and as a result now he works less and as a result is on considerably less now than he was back then. So that's me down on cash for a start, annoyed me a bit, but if it was the other way round and I was getting more for it then I wouldn't be complaining, and everyone has to send the same stuff in so there's nothing I can do about that.
Sent all the stuff in, got several emails a couple of weeks later saying I needed to provide evidence. I contacted them, and they said they hadn't received them. I siad I'd sent them by recorded delivery and I think they did have them, and they said they were a bit behind in processing them at the moment.
By a bit behind apparently they meant 5 fucking weeks.
about a month and bit later they sent back the evidence with a letter saying thanks for sending it in. I checked on my account on the website aswell and it said no more evidence was required. It's all good I thought.
Apparently not, today sent me a letter saying I'd be getting x amount of money because they couldn't base it on household income as they required evidence. On my account it said the same, then underneath in the evidence section it said no more evidence required.
Phoned them up, go cut off twice which meant 3 goes at sitting listening to the annoying fucking techno music played on repeat for 15 minutes while you're on hold waiting for someone to talk to. Finally got through to someone I was told at first they never had my evidence. I told them they had, because not only did I send it by recorded delivery but they've also sent it back so I know they'd had it. He then said that they hadn't had my mother's pay slip. I explained that she was unemployed, which was why there was the notice from HM customs and revenue sent with it. I was told then that they had only scanned it in 3 days ago so they probably hadn't updated the system yet. I explained that would have been impressive if they'd done it 3 days ago as they'd sent it back months ago.
He told me they might have forgot or accidentally deleted it so would i mind sending it all back in, and with regards to my mother, would it be possible to phone HM customs and revenue and get them to send a letter themselves aswell. Why the original wouldn't be enough is beyond me. Apparently a letter should have been sent to me telling me to do this but they seemingly "forgot". Oh that's okay then, so long as it's just you being a little forgetful rather than intentionally trying stop me being able afford uni.
/rant/
Thanks fucktards, seeing as it took you 3-4 months to get my evidence done last time (and even then you didn't fucking get it right) if it takes that long again this time, I'll have no money for the start of uni. I'll just fucking magic a couple of grand out the air to pay for the fees and accomodation for the first few months shall I you tossers. Let's try not to "forget" to actually do your jobs this time round eh?
/rant/
Welcome to the fun world of dealing with the student loans company. Nothing they do is logical and they always run behind. It's a total joke but I must say it's been better the last 2 years now that each local council deals with requests rather than one central office for the whole country like it used to be.
Luckily my application this year was fairly trouble free. I had problems in previous years proving that one of parents was out of work and receiving various benefits and pensions etc. etc. The thing is, my situation has changed since they approved my application. I now need to reapply for this this and I just know this is going to be a pain in the ass.
It gets easier after the first year because they already have most of your details but it such a bad system. Hopefully one day, they'll sort it all out.
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hum.. i see that, no matter what country we're in, the shit is the same... i spent an entire year walking to the social services in order to get the same as you.. i always delivered the papers they requested in time but there always semmed to miss papers. they only gave me money by the end of this year of university (june). but i have to re-apply every year. i re-applied before they give me the money of the first year... can you believe this?
for this year i just hope they won't give me much trouble as they did in my sweet freshman year.
so yeah, markus, there's nothing we can fucking do. the shit is all the same
If you are worried about money, you can always get a part-time job, i had one all through university and my masters working around 20 hours a week, boosting to full time in the summer, although this does depend on your work load... but i would suggest working in a hotel in the bar or bistro as you get your general salary, plus cash tips, plus service charge and no tax = lots of money
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Student finance England is a joke
