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?

His kids aren’t uni age they are still at school and he pays around £500 a month (which is fine and right).

His income won’t be taken into consideration if either of them go to Uni.

I can’t afford on my wage to supplement DS and I can’t really ask DH to either.

I had a housemate in uni who got a full finance agreement despite the fact her dad was a literal millionaire. It’s a stupid system whereby the earnings of those with parental responsibility should be taken into account. Though i do find it weird that if you share a house and are married he wouldn’t help you/your kids out if they were struggling financially.

@Iwasneveragoddess why can’t you ask him?

If his father is around your son can live with him during uni holidays and get him to declare his income on the student finance form. Then your partner’s income would be irrelevant. If his father’s income is lower he would then be able to borrow more.

It’s not about “wanting” to, it’s about “being able to afford to” while he is still financially responsible for his own kids.

If you and your DH are not prepared to help your children through university then there is some kind of parental estrangement form that can be filled in.

Ffs it’s not about “not being prepared to” we can’t bloody afford to !

Are you are saying ds won't get the full loan? If your household brings in 60k then he'll get the minimum maintenance loan, 4k. You'll have to top it up but maybe your ds could take a gap year and work and save?

No he won’t get the full loan.

We have three kids and are financially responsible for them as well as paying for uni. It's not unusual.

If your joint income is so low that you can’t afford to, your child will get the full loan.

We have three kids and are financially responsible for them as well as paying for uni. It's not unusual

Well good for you - I brought the kids up alone and just about managed to keep a roof over our heads while working two jobs and studying.

This happened to us too, ds got bare minimum.
Couldn’t do anything about it so he got 3 Part time jobs !
I’m back working full time now so he doesn’t have to worry so much

Well you should be able to afford it then.

I believe Martin Lewis looked in to this on one of his live shows and was shocked to find it true. He also thought it was unfair and I think wanted to begin talks with the minister to change it.

He has a PT job and is prepared to work but I am worried it won’t be enough with the basic loan and having time to study.

If you and your DH are not prepared to help your children through university then there is some kind of parental estrangement form that can be filled in.

I wish it was that simple, proving estrangement is more difficult than proving someone who is alive is dead.

It is not about being prepared, it is about being able to help. Most families will find it difficult to get a child through university even with the help of a full maintenance loan.

Well you should be able to afford it then

Hilarious, you have no idea where we live, what our other financial commitments are or how many other children we have.

Sorry, i thought you were responsible for three kids between you.

Hilarious, you have no idea where we live, what our other financial commitments are or how many other children we have

Exactly. Its impossible to.comment really.

And it’s the principle of it actually that pisses me off.

@Trewser don’t be goady.
Plenty of families where the married couple don’t share biological children keep their finances separate.
Her husband has his own children that he needs to support, he shouldn’t be expected to pay for his wife’s kids also.
My DP and I keep our money separate for the same reasons.

OP register him as living at his dad’s house. All he’ll need to do is enrol on the electoral register and maybe change doctor’s surgery

‘Hilarious, you have no idea where we live, what our other financial commitments are or how many other children we have.‘

But student finance will. Because they ask you about them on the form.

Yup, I had this with DD1. DP and I weren’t even married.

It’s a bonkers system. They’re ADULTS applying for finance in their own name. It’s like me going to Barclays and applying for a loan, and them asking me what my mum earns.