Anyone's partner gone back into education? Student Finance Help.

markie g

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My partner is looking to going back into education to do a 3/4 year full time degree.

We are currently filling out her student loan and it's asking for my income for April 14-15. So i went through and did my supporting application and it asked for the household income, which did (choice of 3). It then asked if i wanted to provide any additional information, which i chose not to do... however then she received an email stating i choose not to provided detailed financial information (they really need to be clearer with this online if they want this).

Anyway, probably my fault.. i just assumed we could declare the household income and would get a set amount depending on the bracket we fell into.

So i have a few questions:
1) Why am i being asked for my income with regards to her application? As when we read online it says she is/should be classed as independent if:
a) She is over 25 - she is
b) Has worked for 3 years or more - she did prior to having our son
c) Has a child under the age of 18 - again she does

So if she's classed as independent, why are we being asked for the house hold income? Do you think she isn't being classed as being independent?

I know when i went to Uni i went late (mid 20's) and as i had worked for 3 years i was classed as independent and didn't take into account my parents salary. So assumed it would be something similar.

2) Is student finance done year on year? My circumstances will change in 16/17 which means i'll of earned less.
 
When I went to uni a few years back, my wife was asked to do the same and I then received an adult dependants grant. Therefore I presume the questions are designed to check her eligibility for this.
 
When I went to uni a few years back, my wife was asked to do the same and I then received an adult dependants grant. Therefore I presume the questions are designed to check her eligibility for this.

Thanks for the reply.

Haven't come across the 'adult dependents grant' one, so assume it's different to maintenance loan and maintenance grant (unless it's part of this).

So with regards to the maintenance grant/loan side of things, would you receive the full amount regardless if the partner earned £1,000 or £70,000 if they were classed as 'independent' ?
 
I can't remember mate, I'll speak to her when I get home this evening and see if she remembers.

Just found this:

Adult Dependants' Grant - GOV.UK
Just taking a look and it states:

INCOME
You can’t get Adult Dependants’ Grant if the adult dependant has a net annual income of more than £3,796.


So assume i wouldn't be eligible.
 
I have just returned to Uni. A uni friend of mine (married) has said he has to be careful what he earns over the summer as it could potentially reduce his student loans/grants. As I am live alone this does not count for me. So I imagine that your income could be used to determine how much she gets
 
I suspect she is classed as being independent of her parents but not from a partner.
 
Just taking a look and it states:

INCOME
You can’t get Adult Dependants’ Grant if the adult dependant has a net annual income of more than £3,796.


So assume i wouldn't be eligible.

I went 5 years ago and although at college herself, she definitely earnt more than that.

I guess the rules have changed.
 
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My mrs is just finishing her first year of a criminology degree. When sorting her finance she was told there were basically two bits of the maintenance grant, a means tested bit and non means tested bit. The means tested bit was based on household income so my salary would be taken into account. She only applied for the non means tested bit as due to how much I earn, the fact she is still running her business (albeit part time) and the complexity and vagueness of the form it looked to be too much hassle.
 
It's because they will base the loan for supporting herself and her family on the household income. If it's between £0-£25k per year, you'll get maximum. £26k - £42k you'll get a percentage of it. SLC will pay up to £8k a year for supporting the family.

I know this as I've just gone through it myself :)
 
Thank you all. Had a call with Student Finance last night and they advised it's totally optional to provide the other financial information at this time, but it may be requested (we would receive a letter if this is the case).

Explained the situation to the guy on the phone and he advised we will likely at this stage of the application get the full student course fee's and some loan... stated it was probably best to see what is offered, then if we feel we are entitled to more we can then provide the additional financial information (although his impression was it would likely decrease the payments given our circumstances).

So we will see what is offered... the main thing we want is just the course fee's paid for anything else is a bonus.
 

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