Maintenance Grants and accommodation fees

[Becky2810]

DS starts uni at the end of Sept (second choice). The Uni is within 15 miles of home and is in Surrey (we live in London), he cannot get a room at the Halls. He's desperate to experience the full uni life as his older sister did 5 years ago. We're now looking at flat shares but were shocked to find that he will not receive any maintenance loan for accommodation because my salary is above the threshold (not by much). I'm divorced with no financial help from his father. The rent for the flat shares seem to be at minimum £260 per week; which I cannot afford. Any ideas/suggestions? It seems such a shame that the full uni experience is not available for everyone as before.

He can apply for a loan. DD2 gets about £3500 which all students can get. He may be able to get more depending on your income.

Just to add. In addition to this we give her another £3600 per year. She works in holidays and works very occasionally in term time. Her course is quite fully timetabled plus independent study, so not much time for regular work.

He will get a student loan. You don't have to get it means tested. Everyone gets the basic loan which is about £3600.
He should have already applied for a loan as you do that during the spring before going to uni. However he will still be able to apply now it will just mean he might get the loan slightly late. Has he applied for the tuition loan? In my experience both loans are applied for at the same time.

Many thanks, advice much appreciated.

I dunno how he'd feel about this, but would it be possible for him to ask the university what the waiting list is like? Generally (sadly) people do drop out, often quite early on. If there's only, say, ten or fifteen people waiting for rooms in halls, he might be able to get one and communte from home meantime?

I realize it depends a bit on how gregarious he is and how easy he'd find it to settle in a little later than others, but it might be doable.

Also, having just reread your OP. Is £260 per week really the going rate for student shares in the area? At most universities they only live In halls for the first year and private student lets thereafter. Is everyone at this Uni paying in excess of £12000 per year for a house share?