Can somebody explain student finance to me?

[woahthere]

I am a childminder and the little one I look after comes to me because Mum is at University. Her daughter comes to me almost full time. Mum has approached me and said that she will not be able to pay me from end of May until end of August! She says that student finance will not pay anything until then. I had problems with her last year with this, although not to this extent and I did eventually get paid. The thing is, I dont really understand how student finance works. I understand that she gets most of it paid by them, but do they not pay it all year round...or will she have been given the money already? I dont know what to do because I can't afford to go without pay for 3 months, but understand her predicament (however must add that she is going away on holiday for 7 weeks so she can obviously afford that).

Not sure if this helps but we have just got the loan details through for ds1 who is due to go off in September. It says he will receive his maintenance loan in 3 instalments 24/09/12, 17/01/13 and 15/04/12 I assume the payments for the current year have worked on roughly the same basis. Tuition fees also get paid in 3 instalments but slightly later than the maintenance loan.

I don't know if there are such things as childcare vouchers for student parents but if there are and your lady relies on them, they may come direct from HMRC who may not necessarily pay at regular intervals nor at the same time as SFE

i think she gets her childcare paid for by student finance...i have to fill in forms every now and then confirming she has paid.

She'll be getting a Childcare Grant, which is administered by student finance.

www.direct.gov.uk/en/educationandlearning/universityandhighereducation/studentfinance/typesoffinance/dg_171503
This suggests that she will still be getting the grant over the summer. I'd ask her to show you the paperwork which says she won't be receiving any money over the summer. Alternatively, you could give student finance a ring (bear in mind that you will spend an age on hold first), and pose as a concerned, potential student parent.

thanks boomting, Im a bit worried that shes trying to get the money but keep it for herself...but then again, she wouldnt be able to get away with that because I have to fill in forms confirming that she has paid me.

But why would she even need childcare in the summer holidays?

When DS and DD were at university, they got less loan money in the third (final) year because the loan for the first two years is supposed to cover the summer holiday as well, but the final year doesn't. So she should budget for the maintenance loan to cover the whole year unless she is in her final year - and it seems from boomting's link that the child care grant is paid on the same basis.

My DS1 is a student. AFAIK, he gets loan payments at the beginning of each term. He has to pay his rent and other bills monthly.

If he didn't pay his rent, internet etc, he'd be turfed out and cut off.

He has learned how to budget, which seems to have passed your client by.

You don't need to cover for her incompetence.