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Higher education

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Original poster

How much living allowance do you send them?

96 replies

IheartNiles · 05/02/2023 11:24

DD will get minimum loan.

We’ll need to top up her accommodation (looking like another £3k as she medically needs an ensuite).

How much do you then give them to live on / how much do they need?

She has a Saturday job at home now and my expectation is she should find a part time job while she’s there. I strongly believe in getting lots of work experience and valuing money.

OP posts:
SueVineer · 05/02/2023 11:26

depends on bills etc but they should have about £80 a week after rent and bills imo.

yoyo1234 · 05/02/2023 11:31

Was thinking may be £150/week after accommodation and bills.

titchy · 05/02/2023 11:40

If she medically needs an en-suite DSA may fund some of that.

For the rest we gave £400 a month.

Finesterre · 05/02/2023 11:48

DS manages fine on £300 per month. He self caters though and is not a big party goer

Blip · 05/02/2023 11:50

We paid for accommodation and dd had the minimum loan to live on.

Seeline · 05/02/2023 11:51

Mine get minimum Lian. We pay their accommodation, they live off the loan. If they need more, they find a job.

afromom · 05/02/2023 11:56

DS father is paying his accommodation and I'm planning on paying for his study equipment/books and sending £250/300 per month for food etc. he will then have to work for extras. He's not there yet though, so I can't say if this is enough or not!

PhotoDad · 05/02/2023 12:00

If your DC is outside London, topping up minimum loan to maximum loan works out as around £100/week. My DD has managed fine on that this year (her accommodation is about the same as her minimum loan) but will have to be more cost-conscious next (roughly same monthly rent but over the whole year).

FeltCarrot · 05/02/2023 12:03

yoyo1234 · 05/02/2023 11:31

Was thinking may be £150/week after accommodation and bills.

Blimey!
I suppose it all depends on what you can afford. My two are through Uni now but got minimum loans so we used that to pay accomodation, topped up if necessary then £70 a week for food etc. They both worked when home in the holidays.

FeltCarrot · 05/02/2023 12:05

I was told to start “low” and you can always give them more if needed. DD would have spent the lot on upgrading food/ booze/clothes if we had given her more! They both coped fine on £70.

lurchermummy · 05/02/2023 12:46

Our DD gets £75 a week, we occasionally give extra for the odd train fare or whatnot. Her maintenance loan barely covers her accommodation. She graduates this year - can't wait!!

bguthb90 · 05/02/2023 13:37

Related question: how do parents tend to make the top-up payments to their DC, i.e. weekly, monthly, start of term ?

FeltCarrot · 05/02/2023 13:48

We did it every 2 weeks, otherwise DD would probably have spent it all in one go.

troppibambini6 · 05/02/2023 13:53

We will also get the minimum maintenance loan so will be a difference of around £3000 for accommodation which we will pay and we will give her £500 a month to live on.
She will get a part time job if she wants more than that.

yikesanotherbooboo · 05/02/2023 13:54

We pay for accommodation and phone, he has minimum loan and a job.

Emanresu9 · 05/02/2023 13:56

My parents paid my rent and periodically did a huge food shop for me at start of term for example but living money came from me through a holiday job

PhotoDad · 05/02/2023 14:06

I've just looked at the figures for 2023/24. If you're following the "top up to maximum loan" method, and your DC will receive minimum loan (£4651) the expected parental contribution is £5327 for the year. (About £103 per week, although some parents only top-up during term-time.)

I find it shocking how expensive a lot of student accommodation is, but that's another story.

PhotoDad · 05/02/2023 14:07

I should add that the sums look very different for London!

caringcarer · 05/02/2023 14:10

I paid my dd accomodation, bought all her books and used to give her £40 a week for food 10 years ago. So now I'd probably give £60 PW for food possibly £70 PW.

OxanaVorontsova · 05/02/2023 14:13

We top up to full loan, with extra support as needed/affordable. One gets weekly allowance the other gets it monthly - their choice.

cptartapp · 05/02/2023 14:15

Seeline · 05/02/2023 11:51

Mine get minimum Lian. We pay their accommodation, they live off the loan. If they need more, they find a job.

This.

PhotoDad · 05/02/2023 14:16

We pay train fare once a term too as DD is a relatively long way away. She gets her top-up weekly by her choice.

gogohmm · 05/02/2023 14:21

Mine get £30 a week after accommodation, I pay phone, utilities and travel home (no need for travel there as can walk) They work if they want extra

Myjobisanightmare · 05/02/2023 14:45

Seeline Yes that’s are intention thought admittedly I had a shock when I went on open days and found out the true halls accommodation cost, there no way we’ll get away with the 5k contribution we’re meant to realistically it’ll be more like 7-8k

KangarooKenny · 05/02/2023 14:46

We paid the accommodation, they lived on the loan, plus they worked .