Student finance - Maintenance grant advice please

[amumthatcares]

I have been looking into the world of student finance I understand how it all works with the exception of a little question I have about the Maintenance grant. I understand that is on a decreasing scale according to household income. Can anybody confirm what years income the 2013 intake will be based on please? Also, my husband is self employed (and I work part-time) and in the year tax year 2011-2012 he had a 'one off' high income year that will not be repeated. If the grant is based on that year, is there any means of pointing out that our continued annual income will not be that high again? It seems very unfair to be penalised in this way if not [sceptical] Thank you

If you expect your income to drop by 15% or more, you can ask to be assessed on the current tax year I believe.

This is from the Student finance site: If you?re supporting a 2012 to 2013 application you need to give financial details for the 2010 to 2011 tax year.

SO for the 2013 intake it would be 2011-2012 tax year. However see my post above.

This applied to us when DD went in 2011 and we had no problem getting assessed on the current year. However we're not self employed. HTH

[Best] thank you - suspected it would be 2011-12. The income will be more than 15% less so that is useful to know and hopefully we will qualify under this years income