Lying to SFE about where I live

I have looked at the student finance calculator and noticed if you live at halls or somewhere rather than the family home during uni you get an extra £1,100 a year loan.

I live at home and commute to uni but am wondering if I could get away/what the risk is of saying I live at a friend's flat during term time while remaining to live at home.

I am perfectly morally ok with this since the extra money I get will only be my 'own' money anyway that I have to repay. I wouldn't be considering this if it was any sort of grant or free money. All it would be is that instead of working part-time now to make an extra grand, I would be advanced it by student loans and pay it back in the future when I'm earning a decent salary.

I'm just worried what might happen if they find out. If they say I have to pay back the extra that would be fine, but I wouldn't want to lose all my finance and/or face legal troubles.

Has anyone advice on this or does anyone else actually do this?

Many Thanks

Reply 1

Shani

They may or may not find out. If they do they are likely to withdraw all funding and make you pay it all back immediately, and offer you no further funding in the future.

Reply 2

Wateroil

Original post by Shani

They may or may not find out. If they do they are likely to withdraw all funding and make you pay it all back immediately, and offer you no further funding in the future.

That does sound very harsh, anyone else gotta any advance on this?

Reply 3

username739587

Original post by Wateroil

That does sound very harsh, anyone else gotta any advance on this?

Why do you need this extra money? Surely if you live at home (maybe even get food at home too), then you don't actually need more than a few hundred.

Reply 4

flown_muse

Original post by Wateroil

That does sound very harsh, anyone else gotta any advance on this?

Not really no. It could go from never finding out-making you pay the extra immediately-refusing future funding-fraud court case.

It could be anywhere on that scale. No one can tell you for sure. Perhaps you should phone them and ask? :ahee:

Reply 5

PatrickD

As others have said, there's no telling how far it could go if you were caught but I think you could get away with it.

With the amount of loan/grant applications that are dealt with, it's likely that it will get through the system quite easily and won't be picked up on.

Even if it is noticed, I think you could just about get away with claiming it was a genuine mistake. You would then have to pay it back but you wouldn't exactly be in any trouble, in a legal sense.

As I'm sure you realise, it isn't strictly right to do this sort of thing but you'll be paying it back anyway so, if you think you can get away with it, I say go for it.

Reply 6

Shani

Yeah, you might get away with it... but do you want to spend the next X years at Uni wondering whether or not you're going to get caught and potentially f* up your whole education when you've *probably* worked really hard to get to where you are? Is £1000 worth that much to you? The risk is yours to take... the extent of the risk and whether you want to take it or not is entirely your decision.

Reply 7

Wateroil

Original post by stroppyninja

Why do you need this extra money? Surely if you live at home (maybe even get food at home too), then you don't actually need more than a few hundred.

Original post by flown_muse

Ha, damned uncertainty.

Original post by PatrickD

I'll have a think but I was hoping for more definite answers on here maybe, with the not being sure I think it is a bit risky.

Original post by Shani

As I said above, probably a bit risky without knowing more outcomes so I can think about risk vs return.

Reply 8

modgepodge

Original post by PatrickD

Even if it is noticed, I think you could just about get away with claiming it was a genuine mistake. You would then have to pay it back but you wouldn't exactly be in any trouble, in a legal sense.

You sign a declaration to say you've read the terms and conditions and haven't lied in your application. Just saying "whoopsie, made a mistake" will not stop you getting in to trouble.

Original post by Wateroil

I don't know, I seem to spend it really easily. Quite a lot goes on maintaining my car, insurance and fuel and parking since I drive to uni. I buy all my own food and pretty much everything else, clothes, toiletries etc.

Theres also the fact that I may be homeless at some point before the end of the uni year and I don't think you can backpayment for this so an extra safety net would be good.

Ha, damned uncertainty.

I'll have a think but I was hoping for more definite answers on here maybe, with the not being sure I think it is a bit risky.

As I said above, probably a bit risky without knowing more outcomes so I can think about risk vs return.

They're not stupid. They might never find out, but if they do you're f*cked. I spend money really easily too, but rather than lying to get more, I cut back on my spending.

Reply 9

Shani

lol A definite answer is, IF they do find out (and yes, some may have got away with it, but some have got caught) then you're royally screwed.

The risk may be 1/10, 1/100 or 1/1000... but it is still a risk, regardless of the way you look at it.