Does the maintenance loan usually only cover student accommodation costs?

[peeweep]

I have a dc with additional needs hoping to go to uni this September. Is it usual for the maintenance grant to only just about cover accommodation costs?

We are not a high earning family so she will get the higher maintenance grant.

She has been offered a place in halls for £207 a week, but we have found some better private accommodation.

How on earth do students manage?

I’ve just checked our figures and DD’s accommodation in hall is £2,500 more than the minimum maintenance loan - accommodation for her is £7.5k in a very nice, but very provincial, place to study. That’s for 42 weeks per year. I’ve heard of a lot of her friends who are paying £10k+ per year.

Her hall also has self contained units for those students requiring more private space, wheelchairs etc. These do cost slightly more but I think DSA might pay the difference if certain criteria are met.

My DD's rent is £9k per year. She only gets £5k student loan, as our household income is just over the threshold. I pay the rent and she lives on the loan.
Losing £9k out of £65k untaxed income is a lot but it's only another year now.
Pick your student city carefully - Cardiff, Sheffield, Swansea good unis in cheaper cities.
And when comparing weekly halls costs remember than private halls are usually 51 week contracts (and hard to get out of if it doesn't work out) whereas uni-owned accommodation is usually only payable for 40 weeks or thereabouts.

DD's Maintenance loan covered about 50% of rent so we have to pay the rest and also for her to live

If that. Many fall short of accommodation cost leaving student/family to make up the difference. Costs vary from one area to another but outside London SFE loans are applied in the same way regardless of location.

DSA doesn’t cover accommodation costs. It’s specifically for assistive technology, specialist support and sometimes transport costs.

@FlowersbyMoose DSA can cover the additional costs incurred where specific accommodation is needed as a result of disability.

If you are in university halls, it is expected that they will cover the cost, but if you are in private accommodation, DSA will cover additional costs where they are medically necessary. You will need to apply for DSA and have evidence of need.

That’s very helpful to know, thank you.

The loan has failed to keep pace with costs. It used to cover a larger share of expenses. Even a maximum loan now may not cover accommodation, and term time jobs are harder to find in many areas. It’s shit.

@peeweep Does she get other benefits to help out? That should make a difference as her costs are inevitably higher. You should pay her food and subsiding costs by making it ip to the full loan. I’m assuming these costs are for 42 weeks and not 52. She should not look at 52 weeks.

Yes agree re choosing uni location with care if £££ may be an issue.

Would also add Leicester (I bang on about it but we were impressed) Loughborough (errr ditto), Leeds, Newcastle, all places either cheaper options at least.

This differs depending on the uni. There's definitely some unis where you get discounted studio accommodation if it's part of your needs and you need to
go through the DSA process to access that help.

I would really consider going into uni halls rather than private halls in year 1. Most people in private halls are second/third/postgrads/international students - most of the socialising and friend making takes place in the uni halls and she might find it harder to make new friends in private halls.

I know two students who left half way through year 1 having gone to private halls, and my DSS's best friend (from pre-uni days) spends all his time in my DSS's uni flat as he has found it impossible to socialise and make friends in his (fancier, cheaper) private halls.

Echo PPs re. contacting student services if your daughter has particular needs. They should be able to help with appropriate halls accommodation.

Does she get PIP? Would she qualify? I have DS at uni and DD going, both with SN. DS has DSA which has been great and is all he needs. DD might need more and the advice we have been given is to apply for PIP to help fill the gap due to her needs.

This table from Save The Student gives income levels and what maintenance loan your child is likely to get. Claim all additional benefits like DLA and any bursaries the uni has too.

www.savethestudent.org/student-finance/maintenance-loans.html

Being on campus for at least first year is preferable for the more social side of things and then she could be off campus for years 2 and 3 in private halls. To secure the private halls for second year both of mine at different unis had their room booked in November of 1st year for their second year. As you have already viewed the halls ask when their bookings open for 27/28. As @rbe78 says those in private halls are usually 2nd year and beyond or international students. She really needs that first year in halls on campus.

Two things, one is the cost of accommodation and the other is their living expenses. Laundry about £5.50 per wash and dry, food, Netflix, Amazon, Spotify, course materials, any travel costs. Plus the initial outlay for duvet, pillow, bedding, towels, kitchen stuff.

Mine only got the minimum loan so we topped them up to maximum loan amount with our own money. Like some others we knew this was coming as both Dh and I went to uni so we had savings put aside. In all honesty we are paying more than maximum loan equivalent now for Ds2 to keep it fair to what his brother had which was £100 a week term time only. Both my children used all their student loan to pay toward the accommodation, we made up the difference plus the weekly allowance. The student loan hasn't kept up with costs.

Check length of contract. Some private halls are 51 weeks making them extremely expensive.
In England it’s common for maintenance loan to not even cover cheapest accommodation.

@Moreholidaysthanjudithchalmers The minimum loan no - max loan - yes. Not all students are min loan.

Depends. 51 week contract in a studio isn’t going to be covered even on maximum English loan.

@Moreholidaysthanjudithchalmers It could be for 42 weeks - no undergrad needs 51 normally. Depends where dc look.

Has she applied for dsa?