UCAS utterly unfair

[Iwasneveragoddess]

My third child is filling out his UCAS form and as happened with his sister he has to put the highest earner in the household on the form, which will affect his loan, this isn’t me it’s my DH who is not father to any of my children.

He is still paying maintenance for his own children and is not financially responsible for mine, how on earth is this fair?

This is my confusion too OP. How many of your children currently live at your home at the moment?

I asked the same but she ducks the question.

@SunshineAngel The problem with degrees is that not all open doors. (The OP's son ought to listen up here...!)

So many people go to uni now and come out with a degree which is almost worthless. You may not have seen it, but every now and then they publish tables as to the best degrees in terms of employment and income. People choosing degrees would be wise to study these first!

The starting salary for a lot of entry level jobs for graduates is £25K. next year, for new teachers it's going up to £30K.

The roles you mention- NHS admin roles- surely don't need a degree ?

Puzzled over the MSc though- but it depends on the actual subject.

Both my DCs are your age roughly. One is on a 6-figure income (has an MSc) and the other is £40K+.

woodchuck, when I said most people don't pay back the loan I mwant that - do not pay all the loan back. Many wil earn over £25k so pay some back. Eg a teacher on £30k a year for life will pay back £500 a year - I think your loan for newer loans is written off after 30 years. 30 years x £500 is £15,000.

The statistics have shown most people don't pay back the full amount they borrowed.

The average graduate salary is 23K now so with even quite small pay rises it won't be long before the majority of those people start paying off the loan. Given that they are going to keep paying for up to 40 years now I think most will end up having to pay to off.

I don't understand why he doesn't get a job as well? I did a course involving 40hrs a week unpaid placements. It was my choice to do so, I'd moved out aged 16 anyway so I got a job too. It's character building and made me work hard for my qualifications.

He’ll just have to get a part time job or live at home and go to a local uni like a lot of students do/did (including myself) who don’t have wealthy parents to pay their rent and give them an allowance. It’s not ideal, but not the end of the world.

Loads of us had to just work alongside studying. It's harder than not doing so obviously, but it's necessary to make sacrifices to get where you want in life.

Still wondering how many of your children live with you in your home?

woodchuck, when I said most people don't pay back the loan I mwant that - do not pay all the loan back. Many wil earn over £25k so pay some back. Eg a teacher on £30k a year for life will pay back £500 a year - I think your loan for newer loans is written off after 30 years. 30 years x £500 is £15,000.

Now it is 40 years now. The teacher may be on 30K year now but it would be for life is obviously there will be pay rises.

Aargh dictation software fail! I meant to say:

It is 40 years now. The teacher may be on 30K year now but it wouldn't be for life as obviously there will be pay rises.

I haven't read the full thread as it seems to have gone everywhere in all directions.

Is the OP right or not then? Is some money from the govt (whatever it is called) affected by her husband's income?

Not true. There are grants for some students, at least in England. No idea about the rest of the UK though.

Grants have not been available since 2016.

Loads of us had to just work alongside studying. It's harder than not doing so obviously, but it's necessary to make sacrifices to get where you want in life.

Many of us worked during university but the financial difficulties faced by students and their families since the conservatives changed the rules for student loans a few years ago, differ widely from what we experienced in our youth. It is not as simple as it was, there are students who can work up to 20 hours a week and still struggle to break even.

Sorry but the issue is your marriage not the system.

I agree. My DH helped support three of my children though university. Because of their ages there were years when two were studying at the same time, so he helped to support both. It wouldn't have occurred to him to not do this. We're a family, we support each other. I'm struggling to understand why your DH is allowed to live in glorious financial isolation from the rest of your family.

MsMaisel

You are only counted as "estranged" if you have not spoken to your parents in 12 months, or you have proof that you have been financially independent for THREE YEARS!!

That's perfectly reasonable.

So kids who are being sexually abused and run away from home are totally fucked and basically banned from access to education unless they can somehow survive for three years solo.

There was a student at my uni who had no parents. She and I both worked evenings, weekends and holidays. She was amazing.

But don't forget you aren't allowed to so much as speak to your parents for a full year, one single moment of weakness, one single answered phone call, and NO EDUCATION FOR YOU.

If you have parents, you have support. Some people don't. This jump you make about no education is ficticious. Work hard and the education is still there for the taking, for all.

Just my input but anyone is eligible for tuition it's only the Maintenance Loan they will need to be under a certain household income. If your Husband is earning over 25k a year he can afford to shelter your children while they better themselves. He's your Husband by marriage and marriage is supposed to be about sharing responsibility of bringing up children. Your kids are his kids and the other way around. Not going to judge but I'd be pissed if my Mum got with some guy and so I couldn't even get to Uni. Thing is your child should be able to but wouldn't be able to buy everyday items, food ect. Instead because your household income is above 25k he will have to rely on family. Your Husband is now his family by law. I agree it's unfair that its 25k and maybe something more like 32k household income would be better but then someone else will realise they think its unfair and its a never ending loop. It's difficult but it's not unfair. Everyone gets the same rules but the rules are a bit whack.

@QuitMoaning you are out of date. I have a stepson who has left uni in Jul 2017 and a stepson who started in Sep 2017.

Your part C - the non repayable income assessed grant existed for older of mine, not for younger.

It’s now a bigger part B - but part B is an income assessed loan, maximum of £4K for higher earning households. Up to about £9K for others.

@IdiotInDisguise

Many of us worked during university but the financial difficulties faced by students and their families since the conservatives changed the rules for student loans a few years ago, differ widely from what we experienced in our youth. It is not as simple as it was, there are students who can work up to 20 hours a week and still struggle to break even.

I get what you're saying and agree things are getting harder but I wasn't at uni that long ago at all and lived on the breadline. It was my only way out of my situation and I'm very lucky I was able to get the grades to go. Agree the system is harder now, as is getting a mortgage and on the property ladder for my (very recent) generation and everyone younger than me without parents who can provide a lump sum deposit.

@Iwasneveragoddess I feel for you!

My stepson has never lived with me. I met his dad when he was 16, and we didn’t marry and move in together until he was mid way through his first year. He’s a great man, I’m proud to have him in my family. But as I say - he’s never lived with me, and doesn’t now either. He rents full time at uni, and if he does visit home, home is his dad’s old house (currently inhabited by older child and friend). Although I care about my stepson a great deal, we’re not that close. If I were to split up with his dad, I wouldn’t see stepson for dust! That’s not saying anything mean about him - we just don’t have a close relationship, as I came late into his life.

Of course, student loans can’t be based on how much we like each other!

But it does seem ridiculous that it’s based on my income when we have never even ever lived in the same household!

I earn 4x his dad’s salary, and it is me who is making up the difference. Which I don’t resent in the slightest - I knew this when I married his dad.

But it has caused an issue for my stepson. He REALLY hates taking money from me. Simply, because he’s a lovely man who thinks it’s unfair. Of course I don’t give him money - but he’s not stupid. He knows his dad’s income. So although the £300 comes from dad’s account, he knows damn well that dad isn’t contributing to our bills, to be able to afford to do that. I chose it, I don’t mind. But he does. As a result, he wants to work more hours and not take his dad’s top up. Which is honourable but so annoying!

I would agree with the household assessment for a grant, but it seems unfair for a loan. I guess the issue is that so many won’t have to pay back the loan - so it actually in that case is more of a grant. So I do get the public policy decision.

@Xenia A teacher would not be on £30K for life- only if they worked for one year only! They get small increases each year up to 6 years (so their salary then is high £30ks) and after 6 years they can be promoted to Advanced Teacher Status with salaries right up to £50K+++ and more for headships.

Your idea that they would repay £500 for 30 years is also incorrect because the SLC is an organisation which increases or decreases the interest they charge on student loans, just like other lenders, so it isn't a fixed amount.

I agree the way uni education is funded is wrong.

However, while it's the way it is, there are various options, none of which the OP seems able to countenance.

The option her DD took- OU- is one option but you don't get the independence of living away.

I'm afraid i take a pretty dim view of this family and the DH's relationship withhis step children.

He's away with the forces and OP gives the impression he really doesn't involve himself much with her children or feel they are his responsibility other than to have borrowed loads of cash earlier on to extend their home, so his other children could visit and stay.

Not much of a marriage in my opinion.

How horrible it must be to be married to someone who picks and chooses how much involvement he wants with your child or to have planned to things like uni costs in amongst all the spending they did on housing.

Jingling, I agree the rules can change. Currently you pay 9% of salary over £25k. for 30 years so £450 a year if you are on £30k for life for example. I don't think most teachers get to be on £50k or if they do not for many years and plenty will have some years out not working whilst they bring up children. Some go part time too.

however if the interest rate rises whilst that added to the student loan it does not under the current system affect what you pay back as it in esssence a 9% graduate tax so whether you own £100k student loan or £10k if you are on £30k you only pay back £450 a year. Whereas if you are on say £100k (I have lawyer daughters in London so that is more likely for salary for that kind of person) then you pay on your £100k 9% of £75k a year = £6750 a year. ...this is one reason I have paid so my 5 children graduate with no student loans of any kind.