[jcp27]

Hi,

I completed my application for student finance a couple of months ago now, and sent in as much of the evidence as I could.

Today my mother got a letter stating that my student finance could not be processed because they needed proof of her marital status. My mother is separated from my father (who lives at a different address and has done for 5 years - this is the case on all documents/council tax etc.) but they are not technically divorced.

The letter from student finance said that they need proof that she is separated and so need a 'decree nisi', a 'decree absolute', a letter from a solicitor to confirm she is separated or a council tax bill which confirms she is the sole adult in the house.

The difficulty is that I/she can't provide any of these because she's not divorced for the first three and my elder brother, who is 20, also lives at home and so my mother is not the sole adult and so council tax does not state this. (Even though student finance does not take my brother's income into account).

So my mother phoned student finance and enquired and they basically said to get the council to provide evidence of who was living at the address and what relation they were to each other. The council in turn stated that they can not provide this for reasons I don't fully understand. This is made more complicated by the fact that the student finance website only offers the options of sending in 'decree nisi' and letter from a solicitor as proof in the evidence category, so I do not know how I would be able to send it in even if I could provide some alternative.


So basically, I am at a loss for what I can do. My mother is separated and she is the sole household income that should be taken into account, but student finance does not state that there is any evidence I can provide to prove this.

Has anyone else experienced this or have any idea what to do? I can't imagine I'm the only person who's parents are separated but not divorced, so I can only imagine I am missing something and there must be a solution.

I appreciate any help. Thank you for reading!

[hypocriticaljap]

Run by us again why a solicitor's letter isn't possible.

[linkdapink]

Is your Mum going through divorce proceedings? In that case you would be able to get a solicitors letter. If not, then you can hopefully get to a solicitor to confirm they are seperated? Or a letter from your Dad? I dont know...

Student Finance are completely idiotic though. My friend rang them to say she was estranged from her parents, to which their response was "we need proof via a letter from your parents" her reply "how the hell am I meant to do that if I'm estranged from them!?!" No help whatsoever.

[Gingersnaps]

Hi,

I am in exactly the same boat.
I sent my application in February, as did my mother.
Then they asked for more evidence from her.

1. What benefits is she claiming?
2. Tax Credit Form
3. Council tax benefit form proving discount for single parent household
4. SEND IT ALL IN AGAIN

I've been dealing with this problem since march, nothing has been sorted.
The problem was passed over to head office in Darlington, they said that she needs a decree absolute from the solicitor.

All because her name is 'Ms' on the tax form, and not 'Miss'.
They say I wo't be financially assesed until I provide the decree absolute.

:/

[Shelly_x]

My mum's single so we had to send in the council tax proof from 08-09. However we've been in touch with the council and they've sent us a letter to prove that for this year she doesn't recieve single persons benefits anymore due to my brother reaching 18. Your council should be able to do this? Ring them up and ask again?

[OhYumMilk]

I have that problem too but mine is even more complicated because my mother and father didn't marry in UK or EU standard way. It was a traditional Ghanaian marriage with no wedding certificate ect. So when they split up they just - split up! They were married and stuff but they weren't like.. married in UK sense. What's even worse is I have my fathers name and my mother has kept her own maiden name having never changed it. ¬_¬

I therefore cannot do any solicitors stuff and I sent my council tax thing - which she doesn't pay but now I'm in "backlog". I applied in March. This is so silly. I need every penny I can get. My parents are skint-er after my sisters travelling and uni course...

[Ice_Queen]

(Original post by Taiko)
x

Not sure if anyone else has the required knowledge to answer this - can you help?


(I know I keep quoting you in SF threads, but you're so knowledgeable, O Wise One...)

[Taiko]

(Original post by Ice_Queen)
Not sure if anyone else has the required knowledge to answer this - can you help?


(I know I keep quoting you in SF threads, but you're so knowledgeable, O Wise One...)

You know I don't like posting here now, too. All this I do for you, and all I get is abuse/games of poker.

Already been answered with the solicitors letter in this case. Only alternative I'd say is the electoral roll.

[DaniLou17]

ahhhhh dammmm i sent my evidence like 3 weeks ago and its still backlogged so they cant even tell me if they recieved the evidence or not !!!
but they done that with mine on the online application i put that my mum and dad were separated ...funny how they understand that because theres a divorced and separated option then on the bit which said what evidence they would like on mums marital status we put we couldnt provide evidence because even though they havent been together for 4 years they havent deciced to get divorced so obviously no solicitors letter but he lives in a different address like 80 miles away which has been put in the application form! i so hope we dont have this problem sounds like we will great ! :|

[Ice_Queen]

(Original post by Taiko)
You know I don't like posting here now, too. All this I do for you, and all I get is abuse/games of poker.

Already been answered with the solicitors letter in this case. Only alternative I'd say is the electoral roll.

Promise not to do it again

[Taiko]

(Original post by Ice_Queen)
Promise not to do it again

Forgiven

[SoManyFaces]

(Original post by jcp27)
Hi,

I completed my application for student finance a couple of months ago now, and sent in as much of the evidence as I could.

Today my mother got a letter stating that my student finance could not be processed because they needed proof of her marital status. My mother is separated from my father (who lives at a different address and has done for 5 years - this is the case on all documents/council tax etc.) but they are not technically divorced.

The letter from student finance said that they need proof that she is separated and so need a 'decree nisi', a 'decree absolute', a letter from a solicitor to confirm she is separated or a council tax bill which confirms she is the sole adult in the house.

The difficulty is that I/she can't provide any of these because she's not divorced for the first three and my elder brother, who is 20, also lives at home and so my mother is not the sole adult and so council tax does not state this. (Even though student finance does not take my brother's income into account).

So my mother phoned student finance and enquired and they basically said to get the council to provide evidence of who was living at the address and what relation they were to each other. The council in turn stated that they can not provide this for reasons I don't fully understand. This is made more complicated by the fact that the student finance website only offers the options of sending in 'decree nisi' and letter from a solicitor as proof in the evidence category, so I do not know how I would be able to send it in even if I could provide some alternative.


So basically, I am at a loss for what I can do. My mother is separated and she is the sole household income that should be taken into account, but student finance does not state that there is any evidence I can provide to prove this.

Has anyone else experienced this or have any idea what to do? I can't imagine I'm the only person who's parents are separated but not divorced, so I can only imagine I am missing something and there must be a solution.

I appreciate any help. Thank you for reading!

Hey,

I know i'm veryy late but, I'm in the exact same situation atm.
My parents currently have a divorce case going on.. What evidence did you have to send in, in the end. Did they accept the solicitors letter?

Arghh @ student finance and I start uni in 2 weeks

[OhYumMilk]

(Original post by SoManyFaces)
Hey,

I know i'm veryy late but, I'm in the exact same situation atm.
My parents currently have a divorce case going on.. What evidence did you have to send in, in the end. Did they accept the solicitors letter?

Arghh @ student finance and I start uni in 2 weeks

For me I had to send in my moms council tax -25% thingy to prove she's living alone or something. Call and ask if a solicitors letter is acceptable and what needs ot be on it

[myblueheaven339]

I had a similar situation when I did my student finance application a couple of years ago, we were told to provide a letter from someone in standing in the community who could vouch for my mums single status. We sent a letter from my head teacher and they accepted that. You could also try having an affidavit sworn by a judge that states that your mum is the sole earner in the house, if you write it yourself it doesn't cost too much to have it sworn.

[SoManyFaces]

(Original post by myblueheaven339)
I had a similar situation when I did my student finance application a couple of years ago, we were told to provide a letter from someone in standing in the community who could vouch for my mums single status. We sent a letter from my head teacher and they accepted that. You could also try having an affidavit sworn by a judge that states that your mum is the sole earner in the house, if you write it yourself it doesn't cost too much to have it sworn.

I rang in and they said that a solicitors letter would be okay..
An affidavit sounds like good idea, thanks for that
My mum's solicitors away atm, so it looks like we might have to do that
Thanks!

[iamtheking0012]

student ******* finance are ****.

[ohaidani]

solicitor's letter is the only way. if the solicitor is away, surely some one else in the firm has the authority to do it, or their secretary/personal assistant?

[annabelle23]

im in same situation, only i sent in my dads council tax bill stating the 25% discount, and he got a letter back two days ago saying that they now want more proof! Apparantly they think that its possible that my parents are still together although they live separatly! So now my finance is going to be delayed because I need to get my dad to fill out a sworn declaaration and get it signed by a solicitor at the law centre which only costs £1. I would suggest that you do this. You need to ring your local law centre, get them to post you the form, and you only need one of your parents to do the sworn declaration, then the solicitor just signs it!

[charleyseab]

Hi I'm in the same situation they want evidence of marital status, it doesn't state single occupancy on the council tax form despite my parents being seperated for 8 years and the council say that it won't state single occupancy because it has reduction for a student. We also don't have a solicitor so how much is it going to cost to get a letter from one? Can anyone help?

[Soneely]

(Original post by charleyseab)
Hi I'm in the same situation they want evidence of marital status, it doesn't state single occupancy on the council tax form despite my parents being seperated for 8 years and the council say that it won't state single occupancy because it has reduction for a student. We also don't have a solicitor so how much is it going to cost to get a letter from one? Can anyone help?

Hi, i have EXACTLY the same problem, my mum was receiving 25% single person discount for several years, and only from this tax year she receives council tax bill saying "25% discount for disregarded person" because I am 20 and still in full-time education counted as a student. Student Finances of course rejected it saying it is not a proof of a single occupancy. Don't know what to do, my father lives in a different country, there is no way of getting a solicitor letter. Has anyone actually managed to deal with this problem without any solicitor letters?