To think the government needs to something quickly to help families financially supporting children at Uni.

[Fl0renc3]

Mortgages are going up( ours will by 300 when we remortgage v soon), energy bills will be going up hugely, ditto food, petrol etc…. Already making all the savings we can.

We have got to start paying our child £500 a month to live on from October on top. It was already going to be a squeeze.Her bills will be rocketing too so who knows if what we were planning to give her will be enough.

We don’t have a money tree and have 2 other children due to start Uni in the next few years. I know the poorest and the richest will be ok re funding for their child at Uni but there is a massive band in the middle who won’t. Whether or not you can go to Uni shouldn’t be decided on parental income( thanks Tories) but those already there and just starting are going to be in dire straits as are the families supporting them.

Not when it comes student loans. Parental income is taken into account and that's not their fault.

You think that your daughters’ friends should rejoice because they have been allowed to borrow more, because their families are poorer?

As for your description of why some of your colleagues have reduced their working hours in the NHS: is this somehow expected to elicit sympathy?

People in your team earning well and paying higher rate tax, trying to pay less of it by going part time. How dare anyone expect them to pay higher rate tax!

Highly paid consultants stropping about the fact that their million pound, publicly funded pension pots might be subject to some tax if they breach the limits (the same limits that apply to everyone and were designed to stop wealthier people grabbing the lion’s share of the available pension tax relief). How dare anyone ask them to pay the same tax as anyone else. Their revenge will be working fewer hours, and sod the patients.

And this is somehow the government’s fault, is it?

Yes there were some but now there are swathes. You’re talking about people ill enough to be admitted. Now, the majority seem to have an issue. What’s going on? Some of it is nonsense and attention seeking

No there are categorically not swathes of young people on psyche wards now at all. They don't get through to be admitted. It's mainly middle aged to pensioner ages with the minority in their 30s and 20s on the wards.

I was an idle sod as a teenager but even I managed to work part time at Uni and in holidays. You have to take chances in life. Of course it may feel daunting to her to apply and take a job but the mere act of working will give her confidence and help with social skills.

I live rurally and our local pubs are having to close early due to lack of staff. We have noticed that pretty much all hospitality staff where we are are now student age. I love it as typically so cheerful and bring energy to the job. A lot are in the same boat. Sometimes inertia is our biggest enemy.

I also think it is important to do low paid/unskilled work as a student, to give an appreciation of what life could be like if you don't work hard in studies/career development at this age.

The amount of time as a student and trainee lawyer that I spent standing over photocopiers copying one page at a time of massive bundles, mountains of filing, making tea, cleaning toilets, answering phones, standing feeding pages through the fax machine, being sent out to buy an office worth of sandwiches. An endless stream of boring tasks. For a pittance. Crying in the toilets after getting screamed at for stuffing something up.

I am so grateful for that experience now as it toughens you up for life's inevitable challenges.

Fees were introduced over 10 years ago. There’s been a bit of time to plan, frankly.

And I’d rather see any government help targeted to the school pupils who won’t even contemplate universities because of cost. Or that group of some undergraduates I teach who have to work too many hours during term than is good for them or their studies.

You’re grateful for being abused because it’s helped you to deal with being abused more is that what you’re suggesting ?

Yep I was that kid and my parents didn't top me up. I also worked throughout uni and summers.

But I didn't have the lovely large family house in a nice area with cars and my own room safeguarded rent- free to come home to in the holidays..... both me and my parents would have swapped with you and your DD in a heartbeat. £500 can be earned with a student job.... getting your family out of poverty and on the property ladder is a fair bit harder

Also I find it odd that you're referring to them as "kids" and clearly would continue to let your DD live at home in the summers (presumably rent free), but yet are insisting she is an adult who should be assessed independently of you and your circumstances and wealth? Which is it? If you truly think she is an adult and therefore isn't supported by her parents, then cut her off properly and legally- she'll get the full loan then. Would probably still have to work though....

Parents can't “cut off” their DC to avoid their income isn't taking into account the student loan. Don't you think people would have tried it if it was possible?

You can cut them off, but they need to have been living independently for (I think 2-3) years before starting university, or have got married.
DD will be eligible for a full loan because she moved in with her partner after Lockdown 1 and is taking a year out before starting university next autumn.

In theory, it’s possible, but it isn’t as simple as OP declaring her DD independent and isn’t the easy option. A student under 25 can be considered independent if:
-they have had no contact with their parents for over a year.
-they have supported themselves financially for at least 3 years.
-they have been married or in a civil partnership at any time before they start their course.
-they spent at least 13 weeks in the LA’s care before turning 16.

While it's true that parental income isn't taken into account if students have been financially independent for at least three years or are married, that doesn't mean they have been “legally cut off”!

Yes, it's not simple at all and it's not something parents can do. The students themselves have to prove they are estranged with the help of social workers, police etc. They won't just take the students word for it that they haven't spoken to their parents for 12 months.

I must say, reading through this thread isn't eliciting a huge amount of sympathy, sorry.

Part time working during the university years builds great skills that will be valuable in future employment. All my contemporaries worked during their degree, no one expected to be entirely funded by their parents/the government.

Not having massive loans to pay back is a good thing (though equally, big old eye roll at the NHS employees up thread who don't want to pay higher level taxes).

I'm not normally into this idea that the younger generation are more entitled, but sheesh this thread is testing that position.

I hear you OP. I only have one left at Uni thank goodness, but am worried too. She applies for the higher amount of maintenance, which doesn't even cover her rent. Her head of dept' advised against part time work due to course requirements but she has been lucky enough to find a niche job in the field she's studying which is flexible enough to prop her up atm but it really, really won't next year. We already supplement her at £70 a week and pay her oyster top ups but my goodness am dreading Autumn. She'll be heading into her final two years of a four year course and practice plus performance commitments are part of her degree, she cant just duck out of them for extra shifts.
Something will have to give, but over my dead body will it be her opportunities.

@Nothappyatwork not grateful for being abused but you know, life is hard. I am grateful that I built resilience when I was young because the challenges get bigger and more difficult as you get older. The responsibility increases.

I am glad I was not sheltered and pandered to and told that I was wonderful. Because the reality of life is that we do have to face unfairness, adversity and deal with toxic people whether we like it or not.

It is far easier to put on slippers that it is to carpet the entire world.

It is far easier to put on slippers that it is to carpet the entire world.

Good phrase that. I've never heard it before.

How depressing though.

How depressing though.

Is it? I don't think so. It's pragmatic.

@Nothappyatwork it is an old saying and it is not depressing. It is about taking self responsibility. So many times we hear unhappy people saying how the rest of the world needs to change in order for them to be happy. It will never happen and with this mindset you will always be unhappy.

I, DH (before I met him) and our DC all worked in the holidays before we went to uni to have some money, then worked a bit during term time and worked again in the holidays.

I don't believe that they are studying so much harder than they did that they can't work a couple of evening shifts or one weekend day a week. And in most towns businesses, specially hospitality are desparate for staff at the moment.

Why won’t the world change because people like you won’t change it you’ve given up, youre depressing.
nobody has ever screamed in my face in 24 years in the workforce and they wouldn’t dare scream in the face of my children, HR would be the least of their worries.

luckily a lot of our young people have got a bit more energy.

nobody has ever screamed in my face in 24 years in the workforce and they wouldn’t dare scream in the face of my children, HR would be the least of their worries. luckily a lot of our young people have got a bit more energy.

You sound a bit naive here.

Of course it could happen. People aren't perfect. It really is best to be prepared for eventualities beyond 'everyone is lovely and treats me/my children with the utmost respect'.