To ask my parents for financial help

Can’t you get a student loan?

You’re clearly completely out of touch.

There is very high demand for training contracts so they typically won’t pay fees or a decent salary.

I’d put together a spreadsheet and go through it with them. I’m sure they won’t want to see you get into debt.

I remember when I got my first main job after uni and I ended up taking out a 0% credit card which I couldn’t afford to repay; my mum had to help. It’s super hard for a couple years.

So many training contracts include payment for studies so a shame yours doesn’t

YANBU to ask for help! If you’re not brave enough to ask you don’t get.

This is the hardest time of your life but you’ll get through it. Once you’re qualified you’ll be so proud of yourself and future you will thank you for it.

Its tough now but it won’t always be. Keep going. You can do this. 💪

So glad they gifted to you OP . Like to wish you good luck with qualifying and with obtaining your first NQ job . You’ve got some great advice from real life solicitors on this thread . I’d move away from it now though , some of the comments you are receiving are just unnecessary and don’t need an answer

@concernedchild If you were my child, I would be exceptionally proud. Good Luck with your exams and all the best, for what I think will be an amazing future.

ok first things first OP please ignore some of the downright outrageously rude responses you have received on this thread.

It is of course not the ideal to have a non funded TC but that does NOT make you a failure. In any degree. Law is a very competitive area and you have secured a TC which in itself is a huge achievement. You are not a failure

I have seen your updates - I’m so glad it’s worked out for you. I needed my parents help to get to qualification too. I had some funded elements and some non funded and it’s a huge expense because I had to do the conversion course.

You sound determined and resilient - perfect qualities in a solicitor and I have no doubt you’re going to qualify. Keep on down the path - I finally qualified 2 years ago and it’s the best feeling in the world.

also, financially you’ll find your salary goes up exponentially when you qualify. It’s a real freedom!

one thing I would say is you’ve sold yourself short on the TC - put that behind you. You have to do what you have to do to qualify. Don’t sell yourself short on your NQ job and don’t stay put if they’re not paying you decent market rates.

when you’re coming up qualification, c. 6 months before get in touch with a good legal recruiter. Spend time talking to them and do a market map with them. They are the best way to secure an NQ job at a good firm with a good salary.

keep smiling through it - you got this 💪

🙄you clearly have no knowledge about Legal Aid firms or high street firms in general, so why give wrong information?

I actually lectured at one of the main LPC providers and the absolute vast majority of LPCs are self-funded. It's extremely difficult to get a TC with a firm that will provide funding. People accept the rubbish pay to qualify as Solicitors. Then the earning potential increases exponentially. It's worth the few years of hardship.

A training contract should include cost of study and exams - that’s the whole point of the reduced salary training contract - those costs form part of your overall package. I’d seriously question your current contract and look elsewhere for better terms and conditions. I’m professionally qualified (although not in law) and the MONTHLY costs your stating for study/exams do seem excessive. Can you access student finance?

Ok - My apologies - timing just didn't look right with the speech you said you'd made, but I accept I got it wrong and I'm sorry I misread the situation - and I AM pleased for you that your parents have been so helpful. Hope your exams all go well

You don’t have to justify yourself to a random who has nothing better to do than pick holes in your story @concernedchild . I’m glad you sorted it.

What a very helpful contribution to the thread

🙄

So OP - at 18.33 you posted on here yesterday saying

Thank you everyone for the encouragement. I'm on my way home now so fingers crossed

Then at 18.47 (14 minutes later)

So they've gifted it to me and my worries were totally ridiculous

But you also said I sat down and gave a whole SPEECH I had prepared in my notes app, talking through repayment and interest blah blah and my dad just went "we don't expect you to start paying it back until you've qualified, if ever, this is from us to you"

Really? All of that in 14 minutes and you still had to get home during that time and had time to post here too? I'm not accusing you of making the whole thing up as I believe you were indeed in the position you said you were and I'm glad things are sorted for you - but I suspect that actually you decided to make your first original post AFTER it was all sorted which personally I find a bit ingenuous. But that's just me I guess

@concernedchild
I'm so glad that this has worked out for you, and I think you've had a lot of unnecessarily harsh responses on your post.

Everyone's life circumstances and ability to help out is different, and I'm lucky to be able to help both of my grownup children at difficult times, and my parent's did the same to me. I have a 17yr old at college and a 12 yr old, so definitely more to come! But I see it as part and parcel of being a parent.

So, please do remember that your parents want to help you! And that's a wonderful thing, to know you have that support there.

Good luck with your studies, I hope you're feeling a lot happier.

Hi OP,

I have been lurking because I know what it is like to not want to ask for help - eldest child, 30+ and financially independent for an age, etc. - but last year I burned out and couldn't work. I also moved to an area where I could have a better quality of life and could earn more in future.

So far, I have been using unemployment & my savings for EVERYTHING which has been working, but now I am looking for a job I need a car. I was a wreck because my savings will no longer cover that upfront expense - but my parents actually suggested that they lend me what I needed to tide me over.

I think the moral of the story is that most parents always want to help their kids when they can, regardless of age/stage of life. They are especially open to helping their kids when the goal is education, learning or long-term stability.

Side note, with this in mind, maybe show them that you are putting the "repayments" into a safe/high-interest savings plan and they may want you to keep it for your first home/next professional step.

Take a deep breath and just remember that they WANT to help you, and they are very proud of you for working so hard.

Good luck with the exams!

I’m glad your parents are helping. You sound very responsible and I’m sure your parents are so proud of you! Don’t worry so much in future- sounds like a great family 🥰

I have read your updates and am so pleased it has worked out. I just wanted to send a message of support given some of the PP’s messages which are rude and frankly ignorant as to the realities of salary and costs in law these days.

I’m a solicitor. Given your salary I’m guessing you are doing largely legal aid work. People don’t understand just how tough that is, emotionally as well as mentally. It’s corporate hours for minimum wage, working for people who often have complex legal and social problems which can impact on your own well being.

I have been where you are - working on a tiny salary, living with my parents to be able to cover my professional development loans and doing a job which was very rewarding but extremely tough.

My parents saw how hard I worked and one day, just offered to pay back all my professional development loans. Like you I had worried about asking and like your parents, they were completely fine about covering the costs. I offered to pay them back when my salary increased (although I remained in legal aid so it doesn’t increase by much!) They refused. They said it was part of having a child.

And now I have a child, I can tell you that I wouldn’t bat an eyelid to cover any costs related to her studies if I can afford it. The idea that I would let her struggle as you are (and initially I did) is completely baffling to me. I think it would be to most people. Ignore those on here that seem to think that once you’re 18 you should basically be out on your ear and funding yourself. That is not possible these days. But also, that is not how my parents were and not how I intend to be. You’re not asking for money for fun, you are asking for it to develop your career and legal aid work is so, so important. Nobody sees that until they need it…

So I just wanted to say - don’t feel bad. All of my friends and colleagues of my age had to do similar when we started out. We would all do the same for our children. Those of us still working in the area know it is such a difficult (and dare O say it, moral) choice given the low wages and hard work. Thank you for choosing this field. If you ever have to leave it for financial reasons then that’s ok too - even a few years in the sector will help hundreds of vulnerable people.

Don’t feel bad, feel grateful. Keep going and well done!

@concernedchild I’ve been following your posts and I’m so pleased that your parents have helped you out. My youngest is in 3rd year uni and we’d be horrified if he was struggling as much as you are. I’ve always said to mine, “it’s your job to get a job and to do that you need your degree, not to worry about the financial side, we’ll worry about that bit” your parents sound like good people