Are all of you saving for children's university maintenance grant contributions?

[worldsworststepfordwife]

I’m not too late to the party am I? I have sort of heard Martin Lewis say on telly it’s not the course fees you need to be concerned about it’s the expected maintenance contribution that should concern you, but I’ve never really looked at what he’s talking about until I was talking to my 14yo on Sat luckily she’s my only Uni capable one as I discovered that if she was going to university this September the minimum we should give her is £450 a month.

Is that not a shit load of money??!! Also it nowhere near covers all her maintenance she would still rack up extra debt with maintenance loans then I read that there’s a general agreement that the minimum contribution plus maximum grant combined isn’t enough to live on, that there’s a shortfall of £170/month so a lot of parents contribute more!!

I gather as well that this whole situation is deliberately not publicised

But anyway I’ve got 4 years to save £20k lucky me

How are you all tackling this?

One going into third year, one on gap year, one going into 6th form. We started saving about 8 years ago, quite half-heartedly. And hard core for the last four years. So far dd1 has not had to borrow and we can get her through third year for sure (she also works ft in the summer and has a pt term time job. It’s hard because she has evening labs but she figures it out - she’s an adult. She is currently weighing up applying for a volunteer position next summer, which would result in taking a loan for fourth year, but would be an amazing opportunity. DS is working as he wants to travel (he doesn’t turn 18 until next year but finished school this summer). He’s applying for next September. We have enough savings for his first and second year if he is working too.
We’re continuing to save. Dd2 has lofty academic ambitions, but also a half-formed plan to a scholarship route.
I figure in around 6-8 years I can finally stop paying for school. And start saving for weddings and house deposits.

I should have said - I was the first in my wc family to go to university. I went at 25 after working ft and paid my own way as a mature student. I want to help mine, but they also have to contribute. We can’t do it all.

My Dd (overseas for 3rd year exchange) got £4750 loan per year which paid for her accommodation, I gave her £200pm and both sets of GPs gave her £50 so she had £75 each week to buy food and a bus pass (11pw). She wouldn't have starved but she chose to get a p/t time job which paid her about £600pm. She now owns designer clothes and has had some great holidays.