The student finance people are demanding MY customer reference number to support my daughters application - I took out one loan on paper in 1992

[CottonOn]

I of course have no idea what it is. It says it doesn’t matter how long ago it was and to use the customer number I was given even if it was completed ‘on paper’ (it was) The website says NO when I give it my ID details and tells me to call a 0300 number at 16p per minute and tells me the wait is at least 45 minutes. I’m not even in the UK this month so it will be astronomical. HELP! This can’t be normal - what am I missing? Other than ancient documents? I can’t see any other way. My husband is going to have the same problem.

The system seem baffling but thanks for raising this issue OP, I will hold onto my SLC paperwork (loan fully paid off) for another 10 years+ until DC are university age instead of adding them to the shredding pile.

It would be great to get this into mainstream media so more people are aware.

in terms of GDPR, each loan scheme has a specific period after which unpaid loans are written off eg 25/30/35 years, so I imagine that’s the reason that SLC can hold onto old records (even if the loan is paid off).

Cynically I wonder if this exercise is to find those that are getting closer to their write off date and get more payments in before it is too late. Student fees were introduced for the first time for those starting in 1998, and therefore loans were bigger than pre-1998. I got my loan shortly after, and before the fees jumped up again in 2006, which I think extended the write off period from 25 to 30 years.

Or those of who who have applied for our children (or those who havn't but don't doubt what OP details in their post) can just go on the information posted eg that it is the parents part of the application that we are talking about.

It sounds a terrible system (I paid my children's university fees and rents without loans so avoided it entirely). On the UK GDPR point some universities and other bodies have to keep information for many decades eg if someone aged 90 requests confirmation they graduated 70 years before.

I have my 1979 university entrance paperwork (scanned now) and the document I got from the local authority in each year of my applications for in those days a minimum maintenance grant with reference number which I scanned. They are quite interesting to read - to see the full grant and minimum grant forms but I am very very unusual in in keeping old documents. I have my uncle's 1936 Durham university bill which amazingly for fees after applying inflation since then is about £9000 - same level as in 2024.

There used to be extra funding and grants for people who's parents aren't university educated. If that's still the case then that could jeopardise her loan and university place.

@Nicebloomers It’s a bit galling as I am not financially responsible for said step child. Unfortunately in the weird world of student finance in England they do consider you and your income relevant. No one can force a step parent or parent to pay, but how much damage does it do to relationships when parents don't have the money to support them?

It is a crazy system which is perhaps why so many posters who haven't encountered it before can't quite believe it is true.

RIGHT : I’m getting there. I’m into my account - My address was my parents address in 1992. My phone number was my parents phone number.. that’s why I couldn’t get through security. if you’re ever in this mess then I assume that was what I told to write in biro on a clip board in the last millennium because students are itinerant and that’s not ideal for a lender. I can now see my old loan and my daughters request in the same account. For those doubting me, honestly I’d give a pretty penny to get the last 3 days back - this really is the system and it’s horseshit. Thank you to everyone that’s helped.

Anyway - just on the off chance that someone else is going through this and knows - it’s asking me how much I paid in AVC in 22-23 - I’m not sure what’s voluntary? I pay in, my employer matches and I pay a bit more on top of that - is it just the top up bit that counts?

I’m going to the pub once this is over.

For what it’s worth, the reason you can’t say you’ve never had finance is because the second you tell them anything about yourself they KNOW you have. They knew who I was, I know who I am but every single detail used to get through ‘security’ is wrong. I was locked out and unable to start a new account because mine already existed.

My Dc only applied for tuition and minimum maintenance loan so only took 15 mins and no parental involvement required (except the expectation we pay £5500 a year to top up to full loan) so don’t be put off applying.
The problem area is if the student want more than minimum loan and then parents or parent and step parent need to supply income details.
If parent or step parent has had a loan then they need their old ref. If you say no and you have had a loan tge system flags up via ni number. System is constantly down. Lots of DCs friends in this mess where it’s literally computer says no as parent can’t access old account and they need to be able to, to supply the info the loan company requires.
I’m surprised a consumer type program hasn’t picked it up.

Success!
AVC is just the additional top up amount you paid into your pension.

Oh my gosh! No idea what my student loan details are… luckily DH is still paying his off so he’ll have his details to hand when we apply for DD in two years time…

Thanks Investinmyself. I think I’m more frazzled by applying to university than the person in the house that’s actually doing the A levels.

WarningOfGails plenty of time 🙂our deadline is Friday… You can imagine what the phone lines are like. When it calms down just do whatever it takes to access the account - unbelievably you may have to write a letter but you’ll get there.

If your joint household income is over £6000 don’t worry about it. If your dc may be eligible for more than minimum loan i’d start having a dig for old paperwork.

£60,000!

I had the exact same problem.
Someone told me the address you need is the one where the loan was paid off. I had been using my parents' address where I lived when I took it out. I haven't been able to face calling back but have downloaded the pff form.

The student loans company really needs to sort this, it's completely ridiculous. My one year loan was also from 1992.

Warning - at the moment, even full maintenance loan often isn't really enough because student rents have got so high. So the calculation we originally planned to top up to the equivalent of maximum loan, we redid based on our eldest's expenses in first year added to her brother's rent in order to come up with a number that seemed fair to both ...

Personally I'd strongly encourage earning money in a gap year to help fund the gaps nowadays. And I say that having not taken a gap year because I was desperate to start learning; and youngest is doing maths so decided against a gap year.

With regards to the original question, DH and I were educated overseas and were grateful when it came to filling out the first student loans forms!

Quick question, in case anyone knows the answer! On the form it asks about other income. I currently receive maintenance from ex husband - do I need to include that?

I'm applying separately as ex husband doesn't want to provide any financial support to his son to attend uni, so all costs of housing and living are for me / son to cover. Obviously maintenance will stop once he has left sixth form but the declaration is for when I was receiving it 2022/2023.

If I have to declare the maintenance it will increase my 'income' and decrease the amount of maintenance loan my son can get.

Thanks

No, you don't have to declare child maintenance for the very reason that is usually (unless a court order to pay until the end of higher education is in place which is unusual) stops when your child goes to university.

Thank you 🙏🏻

I had same problem and also have lived at many addresses over the years. The person on the phone was not helpful and I asked can I narrow it down? Is it in Wales? No, they can’t possibly divulge the country yet have kept my data for “lifetime”!

So I’ve had some movement here. Step daughter has had an update and has received her loan offer! Printing out the form and posting it off has officially worked. What a relief.

Yes my son’s letter has arrived too

Sorry to hijack OP but thank you for starting this thread!

Does anyone know, in section 6 when you are putting details of your dependents (other children), whether you should tick yes or no on the “do you want to support the student’s financial application” question? Our other dependent child is not applying for student finance so I don’t know what to tick here and I can’t find anything helpful online…

I assumed that meant if you had twins or multiple children attending uni at the same time?

ah… that would make sense @Nicebloomers thank you