Panicking over student finance

[Magtheridon]

Hey
So my course is about to start back up again and I expected my student finance have been paid already but it hasn't been.

I received a letter a couple months ago stating that I just needed to update my bank details. So I did that and I believed everything was fine. ( I know I should have checked online earlier!)

Logged into today to see all the loans say blocked. It says that the supporting applicant ( my dad) hasn't giving them any details.. But he can't as he's out the country for a few months

What I DO NOT understand is why, when I've lived with my partner for the last 3 years does it have to be based on my dad's income?

I was told when I first started uni that because I'd only lived on my own ( with my bf) for one and a half years and that every bill was in his name ( I took my wage out everything month and went to his bank to deposit it, I did suggest Dd but for some reason he wanted it this way) that I couldn't prove I'm an ' independent adult ' until I had 3 years council tax bills with my name on..
I've now got 2

Argh!!!!! I am completely skint and there are things for uni I need to purchase, plus travel costs..

I'm going to ring up tomorrow morning and see what I can do.. I wish I never even checked tonight as I'm now too stressed to sleep :(

I think it's utter bullocks that I've lived with my partner for 3 years ( got a mortgage together! ) been in uni 2 years
But to qualify as an independent adult I need 3 years of proof of financially supporting myself prior to the first start date of my university degree.

OH BUT IF I WAS 24 AND MARRIED OR HAD A CHILD THEN I'D BE 'INDEPENDANT'
Complete shit

My dad doesn't even help me out financially.

Are you sure it says "blocked"? "Blocked" normally happens when there is a problem with NI numbers or identification documents rather than financial details. Presuming that you applied for a means tested loan, your dad must have submitted some financial details for you to have payments at all-so it would still say "processing" and you wouldn't have a payment schedule. Did you get a Loan Agreement in the post? Do you have a payment schedule? I would give SFE a ring, but bear in mind that it's going to be bedlam as lots of unis are going back this week.
As for the independent student thing, it really sucks for people like you-and I always though that 3 years of independent support was somewhat overkill-but really it's to protect students who are in relationships, but which aren't serious, from becoming financially linked too quickly. Most students are still dependent on their parents in the sense that they go home in the holidays and would ask them for money-even if they are in a relationship and so having them as dependent students is just sensible. Marriage clearly defines a relationship as serious. As for having a child, that's a benefits thing really (it gets quite complicated).
Can you get in touch with your dad? That might be worth doing as well.

No idea how this all works, but hope you manage to sort it soon. Must be very frustrating.

As an aside, an acquaintance's DD (aged 21 now) is in her 2nd year of nursing and they said their DD has never had to submit parents' finance details as she's been 'independent' and working for a few years before applying to SFE. She got the full loan, even though her parents both work full time. Sounded a bit sus to me though...

I should add, the DD in my example still lived at home, so wasn't 'independent' in my eyes...

Aarrgghh, wish we had an edit button!

The DD was living at home when she applied to SFE (lived in halls first year and now in private rental with her BF).

I've rang them and it said blocked because I had to confirm my bank details and they're having to do a no income based assessment because my dad hasn't gave them any financial information. He also can't as he's out the country for a few months but I don't want it based on his income anyway.

Meh looks like there's nothing I can do about it though, just one of those things... Just messes me up abit as I'll only get the bare minimum

If I'd have been born 3 months earlier then theyd be able to do it on my household income and not my dad's...

I only did part time bar work while in college so the amount I earned isn't enough to be ' independent'. Which is right because I lived at home and was attending college.

I then got a full time job for a year and decided to attend college again the year after with the aim of uni.

I need 3 years proof prior to starting the university that I was independent. But I was only living with my bf / working full time for a year before I got back into education. So even though I've been living with him now for 3 years with no financial help from my parents.. It doesn't count because I've been in education for 2 of the years and part time wages don't count as it has to be a significant amount you earn...