Maintenance grant if household income £76k plus

[marmiteadict]

Just looking into this. Apologies if previously covered.

If a parent has a household income of 76k + would their child qualify for any maintenance loan ? Or would we have to finance the entire 9k ?

Thanks in advance if anyone has experience of this

Definitely agree, the system is too blunt with literally 0 nuance. If you have two parents each earning £30k your family will be about £300-£350 a month better off than if you have a single parent earning £60k. Over the year that’s pretty much equal to what you’d need to top them up by!

Not every student will pay off the loan by any means. Plenty of people don’t get high earning work and won’t pay anything off. Although the new rules means they pay for longer.

On that basis, I think it’s very important to look at employability. Are you getting value for money? Will this degree kick start a career?

Years ago around 10% went to university. We managed around 3000 new grants and awards every year in a shire county in the late 80s. The university sector has greatly expanded. We want wider participation. It costs. So we have a hybrid model of the government, students, household, loans and overseas students. If we want a system where we don’t have loans or assessment of income, we go back to the universities as they were pre 1992. Fewer of them and fewer going. Loans widen participation: it’s that simple.

Personally I do think we need to reintroduce colleges of higher education and get far more 18 year olds into apprenticeships. Out of 43,000 degree apprenticeships, around 3500 go to 18 year olds. The others are employees who might well already have a degree so they get funded twice! With tight money for HE, we need to spend it wisely.

If we want a system where we don’t have loans or assessment of income, we go back to the universities as they were pre 1992

Pre-92 parental income was assessed. I don't know where this idea has come from that the 80s were some kind of utopia where parents didn't have to support their kids through uni - they did. They could claim tax relief on their contributions - that was the sole extent of Government maintenance support for the vast majority of students.

If you are working or on benefits and under 23 you earn or are given less money. The reason being it is expected that you have parents or other older relations to rely on.

This is why there are random schemes to give care leavers over 18 some help as they don't have parents or other older relations to fall back on.

The problem is the category in the middle which when I went and in 2022 have parents who supposedly should be making it up to the full maintenance loan of about £9200 (for outside London or whatever it now is) but who either will not or cannot - might be very rich but choose not to help the adult child.

You actually need to give your child more than that to live on if you are fully funding them.

Martin Lewis makes that clear.

I know parental income was assessed in the 80s. The difference was everyone got a minimum grant, not a loan. So lots of people were topped up by parents but left with no debt. I got all my grant and still no debt. And no fees to pay.
Now poorer students will leave with more debt than richer ones as they need larger loans. This seems bonkers.

I know parental income was assessed in the 80s. The difference was everyone got a minimum grant, not a loan

No they didn't. Plenty got no grant, there was no minimum.

When I went in 1991 everyone got their fees paid and parents income was assessed for the maintenance grant.

It must have only been the parent you were living with as I got a full grant. Step parents income couldn't have been included back then (which I believe they are now)

The system was flawed even then. I knew plenty of people whose parents didn't give very much money and loans were not available until my 2nd or 3rd year ( I think)

Others had free use of an Amex black but got a full grant because they lived with their mum who had never had to work

@titchy well if your parents see rich, yes they had to pay the whole amount. But you still didn't end up in debt (except for that pesky overdraft). No one was £80,000 in debt after 5 years becoming a Dr.

@marmiteadict I know students whose parents wouldn't pay as well. They worked during Uni (in the bar like me !) and in the holidays. But we all got housing benefit and could sign on in the summer. Unless you had my dad who believed benefits were for those who needed not those who wanted. I got a job or I starved.

It's 25+ where you're automatically classed as an 'independent student' ie you don't have to put your parents income. But any age can be assessed as an independent student IF they can prove they've been financially supporting themselves completely for at least 3 years, if they're estranged from parents, if they have a child etc

I’ve just gone onto Martin Lewis website to have a look at student funding. I thought I was pretty clued up but I had no idea the minimum household income was £25k. That’s hardly anything in London. We certainly won’t be able to substantially help DC and that’s an awful feeling. I’ve always assumed the maintenance loan was based on income but Martin Lewis says it’s residual income, so after rent, mortgage bills. That doesn’t sound right.

@Chatrattoria it's based on total household income before any tax or expenses.

Yes, thanks mum, that’s what Inthiught. I was confused by Martin Lewis’s use of “residual income”.

Is it right that parental income isn't taken into account if in a civil partnership/married? I'm surprised more students don't agree to a quick ceremony with a like minded friend which would last while they're at Uni.

Would be quite tempting to me if it meant say an extra £4k a year that the parents might not be willing/able to fund.

@McAvennie I said the same to my husband. I definitely would have been irresponsible enough to exploit this loophole back In the day.

Made sure I didn't mention it to my own children btw

The main dodge is never marrying in the first place and then living separately. Single parent. Low income. Full loan and probably a bursary for DC. Marriage gives DC less snd you pay more.

When I went to University in the 80s I did not receive a grant because my parent's income was too high, when my mother went to college in the 60s she didn't recieve a grant because my grandfather's income was too high and when my grandfather went to university in the 20s my great grandparents had to pay all his fees and living costs. This is not a new issue, parents have always been expected to support their children during Higher Education. I'm surprised people are surprised. I do think it's highly unfair there is no requirement for absent fathers to support their children though.

Our son will qualify only for the lowest amount so we have to make up the remainder, it won’t cover his accommodation in full never mind anything else! I know i am very well off in comparison to lots of people but it’s not mean tested and I have other kids to support. We will manage but it’s extra worry

Tell the government. It really squeezes the already squeezed middle. My advice is don't vote conservative.

@Exasperatednow never have and never will.

@JaninaDuszejko but how much in debt were you when you graduated ? Most graduates will have over £40,000 after 3 years on a minimum loan. Max and it can be nearer £60,000. Medics are over £80,000. Rich kids will have none, if mummy and daddy have fully funded it.
How can it be right that the poorer get poorer still by going to Uni. Something wrong with that.

@QueenofallIsee I have 2 at Uni. Their joint rent is over £13,000 a year. Which we have to pay as their loans are only £4,200 (in fact my eldest gets £2,900 this year as a final year medic). We have not had a holiday in years.

@mumsneedwine ouch indeed! I have twins but one has chosen a modern apprenticeship route so only one to put through this time.
my oldest graduation this year. My son is looking at accommodation costs of around 5.5k per academic year if he gets his first choice which seems reasonable compared to many, I’m glad he didn’t fall in love with London or Kent tbh