Divorced parents and funding

[Nettletea0]

Hi all,

I have 2 DC with my ex huband. He earns very little (decided to leave semi good job to enjoy his free time in a PT job after we divorced and pays minimal maintenance 🙄)

I am remarried to DH who earns a really good salary. I earn approx 28k though probably less by time DC go to uni as wish to go PT for various reasons.

My question - DH and I despite very good household income, never have much left over as where we live is so expensive and wipes out most of our money!!

My DC are not his so honestly aren't his responsibility as such financially. Though he does pay far more towards their birthdays/xmas presents, household expenses, food etc etc than their dad does!!

Anyway, i never thought about uni costs as i never went. But looking into it, I've realised DH income would mean my DC would get a far far lower student loan than if i was single or with ex.

DH worked almost full time through uni, got no help from anyone etc so he is of the mindset that the DC should make their own way through uni. I would have been the same if it was just my income and i was single, as i genuinely couldn't have afforded mortage and bills plus uni fees! But they would have received more loan.

However, because of DH income they will be worse off which i don't think is fair. However we genuinely don't have enough money to save each month to make up the shortfall unless we ALL go without ANY fun things for the next few years, which is just not realistic. Their dad will no doubt say he can't contribute anything despite living with parents so next to no outgoings except all his fun 'toys' etc.

My question -
I read on the uni website that to work out finances they look at the household the child predominantly lives at - is that correct? If so, when the time comes, could DC claim they now will be living with their dad so they get a more similar amount of funding to what they'd have got if just my wage was taken into account?

It just seems so unfair that they loose out because of my decision to remarry.

@Midlifemusings

You role your eyes at your ex for being part time and only having a low income but then you say you make 28K and want to go part time so it sounds like you are two peas in a pod.

You and your ex contribute what you can / are willing to. Your kids can work and take loans / grants and pay the difference. If both of you have low incomes and only work part time - your kids will get some financial assistance.

The son doesn't live with the OP's ex-DH, whose income, or lack of it, will be totally irrelevant to the amount of the means-tested portion of the maintenance loan he will be entitled to. What is relevant, is the household income of the household in which he actually lives, which includes the high-earning current husband, his stepfather. And on the strength of the stepfather's high income, his entitlement will, by the sound of things, be at or close to the minimum, with the stepfather unwilling to contribute to cover the shortfall.

Sounds like it should be a conversation with dh. Makes sense he contributes as his income changes the household income.

I’m curious.. what fun things do you do that means you can’t save?

I have twins, both planning to go to uni soon. They live 50:50 with me and their dad and I earn way more so finance will be applied for from his address and I'll make up the difference.

I absolutely don't agree with taking step parents income into account. There also seems to be little to no recognition for those supporting more than 1 person through uni at the same time. Even with my good salary I can't magic up an extra £800 a month to support 2 kids at uni.

They can choose to live where they like but must not lie so there is nothing to stop them within the rules moving in with the other parents which they may be with almost half the week anyway already and then fall under the rules for loans based on the parent with whom they then live. Or the mother could work full time and pay all the fees as I do of course and not cost the tax payer a penny!

@midlifemusings

Where are these grants that students from high earning households can access?
And this thread is ABOUT student loans. Or are you suggesting OP's children get a personal loan? Which wouldn't be possible.

@spotcheck

Where is the 13k coming from??!?!?? Makes no sense!

Presumably the £13k is an approx figure for three years of parental contribution to a student on minimum maintenance loan, outside London. Tho it’s more like £14.5k.