Student loans not rising to manage rents increasing

[B00kmark6525]

What are families supposed to do?

£400 rent shortfall this term when we’re already having to pay £300 a month so he can eat. It’s a grotty tiny terraced shit heap with mold up the walls. The loans don’t cover living expenses, now they’re not covering rent.

We have 2 other children. What do they expect families to do?

I agree with you OP. Student rents are shooting up and loans just don't cover it. Typical universities have 10 -30,000 students and there just aren't enough part time jobs for them all. We are really struggling too and our mortgage is about to go up by hundreds of pounds. It's a loan so the government should increase the amount they can borrow. They have given themselves a nice pay rise but the rest of us still suffer.

Anyone in their 30s is assessed as an independent student whether they live at home or not.

PIP isn’t means tested on parental income because it isn’t means test for anyone, including students.

Everyone’s rents are shooting up wages are not reflecting this

this is a choices that students have to consider when studying. I worked and had ds most people I know did it was absolutely exhausting but that was the challenge

apart from children from very wealthy backgrounds this is how it was for everyone I knew, ds will have to work pt too and I expect him to

I would also add that “parental contribution” is a misnomer anyway. If you get divorced and then live with a new partner, it’s your income + new partner’s income that’s assessed. The non-resident parent isn’t included at all.
If the government are so insistent on parents contributing, then child maintenance should continue while the child is at university (not that CMS is particularly effective, but it would still help many people). Hell, change it so that from 18, the child makes the claim so gets paid direct.

It's not just snobbery. Not all universities are the same.

I know that @coffeeaddict77 but the self titled Russell Group play a big part.

Agree @Thriwit .

If it's a really short journey he could rid a bike.

Yes a few of my ds's friends get full student loan based on their single mum's earnings being low. Yet they have dads on six figure salaries and their incomes are not taken into account at all and they do help the kid through Uni as well as them getting full maintenance loans. Then you have other families with big mortgages, younger siblings or maybe two at Uni at the same time getting a much lower student loan.

I agree with the OP. Last year, we "topped up" to full loan and DD managed fine. Rents have gone up way more than the loan has. She worked in the summer, but we are in the lucky position of being able to increase our contribution; we top up to what her loan would have been if it had increased by inflation, but I'm very aware that many can't do this. She's in an expensive city, too.

This is why I really wish schools warned parents to start saving in year 9 when they start their GCSE's. I started saving for my DC when each DC reached 11 years old.

True although that group does include a large proportion of the original universities (before polytechnics and colleges of higher education were renamed as universities). So even before "Russel Group" existed they were considered better. If anything the divide was greater before Russell Group existed than today.

It’s not the government’s responsibility. He’s your son.
Going to university isn’t a right.

He should get a part time job like thousand of other students.

Indeed, I have never understood the whole concept of paying for 'the university experience' of moving away and that young people absolutely must have this in order to become a successful adult. It is said that it fosters independence but if parents are largely supporting and footing the bill it has to be considered at what cost, is it really worth it and could this be done in other ways. We really need to change the outdated mindset about this. Other countries seem to raise functioning young people without any need for them to pay thousands of pounds a year to live in overpriced often substandard accommodation.

If only everyone could afford that

Yeah, but that's taking into account all the people that work at McDonald's etc. Between a trades or construction job and a graduate job the former are earning £10k more a year on average. And young tradespeople get on the property ladder on average three years earlier than graduates.

Yes a few of my ds's friends get full student loan based on their single mum's earnings being low. Yet they have dads on six figure salaries and their incomes are not taken into account at all and they do help the kid through Uni as well as them getting full maintenance loans. Then you have other families with big mortgages, younger siblings or maybe two at Uni at the same time getting a much lower student loan.

This happens pretty common and does seem very unfair. Although it is worth remembering that these students will have a higher loan to be repaid than those who receive less.

I think you'll find caring carers financial situation is very different to most people's !!

My best mate is making around £1300 a week after tax working for a main contractor and she's not yet 30yo. Most office jobs in that salary range are a ballache IME, especially when young and relatively inexperienced.

I'm really sorry but there's no pont in insisting he can't work.

Universities have jobs for all students, doesn't matter if they are ND or on busy courses. I know this because of the job I do.

Working while studying is vital to show future employers a good work ethic, time management and to gain extra life skills.

I do agree that in the last 15 years rents have increased - even in student halls- to the point where they are more than a student loan.

I suggest if his uni experience is as miserable as you say, then all options need to be considered because rents are not going to come down and loans aren't going to increase.

The problem with staying at home and commuting to university is that that assumes that there is a university within commuting distance, that does the course the person wants/has the ability to do, they get offered a place there to do it, and then get the grades needed.
It massively favours urban families over more rural ones, as well as certain regions of the country over other regions. This can’t be the answer.

Yes exactly. My dd had a terrible time during A'levels with anxiety and didn't get the grades she needed. She had to go through clearing and take what she could which meant a Uni 3 hours away from home. I know it is expensive but it is also very good for them to live away, she is absolutely loving the independence of living away from home and it has been great for her confidence, she is a changed person ! So yes it's expensive but there are lots of advantages. I have a collegue whose kids both stayed at home at local Unis and used the student loans for house deposits ! Great idea I guess but they have never lived more than a few miles form the area they grew up in ! Fine if they are happy with that but I know none of my four kids would be !

And also it’s widely known that top jobs are often filled by those with degrees from certain unis so the divide between those unable to live near said unis and those that can would increase the divide further.

Also some unis excel at some courses and are crap at others.

Universities don't have jobs for all students. 🤔Don't talk rubbish.

@Thriwit I agree it is not the only answer but it is one option that should be considered more. Right now it is considered completely pointless to go to a local university even if that is an option because the young person will not get 'the university experience'. There is a well regarded university within easy commuting distance from where we live but local students travel hundreds of miles away to do the same thing for 'the experience'.