to think that mums should get some sort of concession for student loan repayments?

[bubbleymummy]

I just got my student loan statement and yet another big whack of interest has gone on. I haven't been able to make any payments since I went on maternity leave 3 years ago because I only worked PT after ds. Now I have ds2 and who knows when I'll be back to ft work. dh on the other hand has paid back over half of his. It just seems a bit discrimatory to me...most women will have to take a salary drop at some stage to have a family and won't hit the threshold for repayments while the interest just piles on...shouldn't we get a bit of a break?

yes ex-pat but the point was that it disadvantages more WOMEN compared to MEN because women are more likely than men to take time off for family and then return to work p/t thereby earning below the threshold. So more women will end up paying back more than their male counterparts even though they may have started out with the same debt...

I know you disagree but that's the way I feel.

individually acquired student debt isn't a shared responsibility.it was a loan,an arrangement individually taken on.the onus shouldn't be on a partner to clear that debt

a home and mortgage is a shared asset and responsibility. the home benefits both partners.individual degree does not necessarily benefit the other partner

my individual degree's and the wage i receive because of them contribute to our lifestyle.i pay my own debts

goodness - I'm impressed that this has got up to 9 pages...shame most people disagree with me though

Yes, Bubbley, but you're stating a fact - not providing a reason for change.

It's a fact that if I live in London, I'm going to live in a 2 bed box for what I'd pay for a 6 bed country house somewhere else. It's a Fact. Doesn't mean that I'm going to get a preferential rate on my mortgage though does it?

no lockets I can definitely see your point and that's the way we work for most things...

Well said lockets.

so I just have to come up with a reason for change then..... does the contribution we are making to society by raising future generations hold any water??? anyone?

Not every woman who takes out a student loan goes onto have chidren and work part time for low wages before paying off the loan.

Many have succesful careers and use the degree they got. If they choose another path they can hardly complain about the loan being unfair.

lockets your family up to you how you divvy up money

we dont do shared money
seperate individual accounts
one joint for nursery,mortgage,bills etc

i have no expectation whatsoever of paying boyfriend student loan.nor do i think he should pay mine

no not every woman Happymummy but do you think most women end up in your situation or mine?

'But what about men who have periods of sahping or redundancy or illness or whatever. The same happens to them. So how can the system be unfair?'

Bubbly, that is exactly the point so many of us have tried to get across in response to your repeated:
'yes ex-pat but the point was that it disadvantages more WOMEN compared to MEN because women are more likely than men to take time off for family and then return to work p/t thereby earning below the threshold. So more women will end up paying back more than their male counterparts even though they may have started out with the same debt...'

There is no proof at all that this is a gender issue at all, because so many have pointed out to you that many women don't have loans, don't make the same choices you have, etc.

You are trying to turn your personal situation, which you chose, into a gender issue, which it is not.

I see your point riven... but that 'free' education has to be paid for by.. now let me see.. the tax payer!

I would love to see higher education accessible to those who really should be going for a degree (not 50% of the poplulation) with grants to enable this.

I get no joy out of DH and I both working our arses off all week and seeing that actually - whoopie dooh - our children have fuck all access to EMA, maintenance loans etc........

Okay BM

I give in

Yes all women are being unfairly discriminated against by taking out loans and not having the wherewithal to repay them

There is an obvious solution. Don't let women take out loans.

Or another solution Quattro - shall all of us women down tools now?

I'll hand in my notice tomorrow! Look forward to a nice summer sitting in my garden! Trouble is, that'll be a hefty wad of tax the government won't be getting - ooh and they'll have to fork out in all the benefits I'd be entitled to. Just imagine if we all did en masse - all of womanhood!

You see, bubbley, it's the way of the world, this thing called earning.

of course i pay my own debts.why the hell should anyone else.i accrued it after all

Tax credits (not strictly benefits but hey it's money! ) EMA for my 16 yr old, ooh and if I separate from DH there'll be housing benefit.........

Have not read the whole thread, but...

why not give mums a concession? Why not suspend interest for the period of time they are struggling?

We bailed out the banks, helped the fat cats out of their difficulties, saved their pensions. We have helped MPs to pay the interest on their mortgages, live in luxury, not have to be out of pocket while 'serving our country' the parents of future tax payers who will grow up and contribute to this society and 'serve this country'.

again - while some men may choose to stay at home the MAJORITY are women. Women are just as likely to be unemployed or redundant or ill so that evens out - as far as childcare goes women are the predominant carers...

Divide all graduates with loans into two groups if you like

1 group men/women have no children, some have careers, some are high earners, some are unemployed, some are sick - no gender differentiation here.

1 group has children - in this group women are more likely to work p/t or not work at least for some of their working careers so they are at a disadvantage.

I am not saying that ONLY mums are disadvantaged by this system - as I've said already someone else could come along and argue in favour of the unemployed or sick or whatever and that would not be gender related. I am coming at it from the gender side because I just happen to be in the 2nd group...

yay - thank you pavlov!

Violethill - EMA is calculated on earnings. Can you not reduce your hours so that your dcs qualify?