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Do most students get financial help from parents?

I have been surprised that in my 2 years thus far of uni, most students I have met and spoken to seem to be getting financial help from their parents.

Granted I'm at a London Uni, but it was my understanding that most students were expected to live off of their maintenance loan?
I get about a grand over the minimum loan so maybe this is easier for me to do, but I've yet to speak to someone at uni who doesn't get money from their parents.

Was I completely wrong in thinking students supported themselves purely via their loan, and is it actually the case that most students are receiving financial help from their parents?

I'd be very interested to hear people's answers.

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To my knowledge, the government actually expect your parents to help you out. That's why there is a difference in loans. Student finance give you a larger loan, as they feel your parents can't support you as much.

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Original post by CaptainBanana
I have been surprised that in my 2 years thus far of uni, most students I have met and spoken to seem to be getting financial help from their parents.

Granted I'm at a London Uni, but it was my understanding that most students were expected to live off of their maintenance loan?
I get about a grand over the minimum loan so maybe this is easier for me to do, but I've yet to speak to someone at uni who doesn't get money from their parents.

Was I completely wrong in thinking students supported themselves purely via their loan, and is it actually the case that most students are receiving financial help from their parents?

I'd be very interested to hear people's answers.


I got the minimum loan and it was impossible to live off, it didn't even cover my accommodation and I was at a fairly cheap uni! My parents gave me £100 a month which helped with food, I worked full time every summer to earn as much as possible but I still ended up graduating with almost £3000 of overdraft to pay off which took my first 2 paychecks to get anywhere near clear
I don't know about most, but myself and a good friend of mine were in the complete opposite situation on this issue.

Me:
My parents refused to give me a penny. I had to pay board before I went to Uni, and now I had to pay my own rent, buy my own food and... well... everything. During first year, I remember being deep in my overdraft and needed to pay my rent for the coming term. I called my parents and asked for a hand and they said "No, find the money yourself. You're supposed to be grown up." I got a loan spread across a few of my friends and quickly changed my spending habits.

Friend:
His parents paid for his accommodation and bills, covered the cost of some of his food (they gave him enough to eat off of, but he ate more than that :biggrin:) To top it off, he would ask them on almost a weekly basis for an extra £50 to go out with and spent his entire time in his overdraft.

Could very well to be to do with our families financial situations though. My parents don't earn close to what his do.
The student loans system is designed so that most students do get help from their parents which is why it is means tested. However this can't exactly be enforced so many students who receive lower loans struggle, as this generally won't even cover accommodation. However those from the poorest families easily receive enough to cover their costs without a family contribution.
Original post by Skyy9432
I don't know about most, but myself and a good friend of mine were in the complete opposite situation on this issue.

Me:
My parents refused to give me a penny. I had to pay board before I went to Uni, and now I had to pay my own rent, buy my own food and... well... everything. During first year, I remember being deep in my overdraft and needed to pay my rent for the coming term. I called my parents and asked for a hand and they said "No, find the money yourself. You're supposed to be grown up." I got a loan spread across a few of my friends and quickly changed my spending habits.

Friend:
His parents paid for his accommodation and bills, covered the cost of some of his food (they gave him enough to eat off of, but he ate more than that :biggrin:) To top it off, he would ask them on almost a weekly basis for an extra £50 to go out with and spent his entire time in his overdraft.

Could very well to be to do with our families financial situations though. My parents don't earn close to what his do.


Agree. It depends on your parents and their situation. Mine couldn't give me any more, and I lived in my overdraft with barely any help. Yet I had 2 friends who didn't even need student loans, their parents paid for all their tuition fees and accommodation fees, as well as giving them any money when they wanted to buy themselves something or have a bit of general spending money. But tbh, would rather struggle a little bit, it teaches you some respect for money and hard work, one of my "friends" who got everything given to her will never get anywhere because she doesn't understand the meaning of money and work, and she's just a stuck up tosser haha
Never got help from parents

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Sorry I don't mean this to be disrespectful, but to those of you who don't receive any help from your parents, why not? If they have fed you, bought you clothes, paid for your car/bus pass, taken you places etc where does the money suddenly disappear to? I know some parents just refuse to help but I don't understand how any wouldn't be able to afford it.
Original post by Kayleighw27
Sorry I don't mean this to be disrespectful, but to those of you who don't receive any help from your parents, why not? If they have fed you, bought you clothes, paid for your car/bus pass, taken you places etc where does the money suddenly disappear to? I know some parents just refuse to help but I don't understand how any wouldn't be able to afford it.


Why do you assume they've bought everything until uni? My parents fed me but I had to pay for everything to do with my car and work to pay for any clothes I wanted... My parents do standard working class jobs (midwife and driving instructor). I actually don't know if they would have afforded to help me loads but it's also that you should be able to sort yourself out once you're 18 and at uni, and not everyone likes sponging off their parents, people like to try and be self sufficient and not beg for help all the time
Original post by Kayleighw27
Sorry I don't mean this to be disrespectful, but to those of you who don't receive any help from your parents, why not? If they have fed you, bought you clothes, paid for your car/bus pass, taken you places etc where does the money suddenly disappear to? I know some parents just refuse to help but I don't understand how any wouldn't be able to afford it.


because of the idea that they're now adults, who've flown the nest and thus the apron strings are cut.

Its fair for parents to not want to fund an adults in my opinion however I believe the student loans system should be able to help those more in need. Perhaps a declaration from parents during the application process that they are unwilling to help finance the student in question.
Original post by Physflop
Why do you assume they've bought everything until uni? My parents fed me but I had to pay for everything to do with my car and work to pay for any clothes I wanted... My parents do standard working class jobs (midwife and driving instructor). I actually don't know if they would have afforded to help me loads but it's also that you should be able to sort yourself out once you're 18 and at uni, and not everyone likes sponging off their parents, people like to try and be self sufficient and not beg for help all the time


Well I know everyone's situation is different but I'd assume most people's parents would at least pay for some of those things until they go to uni. And even if you have a part time job they would have looked after you as a child/young teen. I wasn't saying whether it was right or wrong or if they should or shouldn't but I have heard quite a few people saying their parents couldn't *afford* it and was wondering how this could be true.
I do feel it would be much better to have the maximum loan available to everyone. Then if wealthy parents want to help out, they can do so by helping to pay off the loans. Surely the only difference this would make is that everybody could afford to live, regardless of how much help they did or did not receive from parents. I, personally, would much rather be in student debt and be able to support myself whilst i focus on my studies, then struggle to do the work at uni because I have to work to afford a crappy, noisy, squalid flat in a bad area. Maybe London is just a no go unless you're getting parental aid...

As it stands currently, those who don't get a large loan or receive money from parents seem to be slightly screwed.
Original post by Kayleighw27
Well I know everyone's situation is different but I'd assume most people's parents would at least pay for some of those things until they go to uni. And even if you have a part time job they would have looked after you as a child/young teen. I wasn't saying whether it was right or wrong or if they should or shouldn't but I have heard quite a few people saying their parents couldn't *afford* it and was wondering how this could be true.


I think honestly once parents have funded school and childhood, they do have a lot of other things to pay for and so most students actually hear "we can't afford it" from their parents, who simply are not willing to fork out yet more money for education which isn't compulsory. I have to agree, when I'm a parent in the future I won't be paying for uni for my kid, you want to go then you work hard and manage your money well, which is the attitude my parents had :smile:
Original post by Kayleighw27
I have heard quite a few people saying their parents couldn't *afford* it and was wondering how this could be true.


It may be that parents have a good income, but are paying off a mortgage and also have several kids. May result in their child not qualifying for a large loan, but also not being able to get much help from parents.
It may also be that parents have told their child they can't afford it, when really they could, but desire not to.
Original post by SnooFnoo
because of the idea that they're now adults, who've flown the nest and thus the apron strings are cut.

Its fair for parents to not want to fund an adults in my opinion however I believe the student loans system should be able to help those more in need. Perhaps a declaration from parents during the application process that they are unwilling to help finance the student in question.


I think you've slightly missed what I was trying to say. I wasn't suggesting they should or shouldn't, but some people have said their parents couldn't *afford* it and I'm genuinely confused as to how this can be true when I'm sure parents whose children live with them would be spending some sort of money on them.

And your suggestion is a good idea but unfortunately I don't see how it could be enforced. You'd just get parents who'd sign the form anyway so that their kids would be able to get government help as well as the money their parents were giving them (not in all cases but it would happen a lot).
Original post by Kayleighw27
I think you've slightly missed what I was trying to say. I wasn't suggesting they should or shouldn't, but some people have said their parents couldn't *afford* it and I'm genuinely confused as to how this can be true when I'm sure parents whose children live with them would be spending some sort of money on them.And your suggestion is a good idea but unfortunately I don't see how it could be enforced. You'd just get parents who'd sign the form anyway so that their kids would be able to get government help as well as the money their parents were giving them (not in all cases but it would happen a lot).


income/bank/credit checks. You can't give money to anyone (particularly family) with out a paper trail accessible to HMRC
Original post by SnooFnoo
income/bank/credit checks. You can't give money to anyone (particularly family) with out a paper trail accessible to HMRC


The first thing that comes to mind is them giving them cash in that case. Or pretending it's a gift, and/or giving them things they would otherwise need to buy anyway as gifts rather than actual money. But I agree the current system is incredibly unfair, and I have friends at uni who are struggling. At the very least the loans company could take into consideration bills etc rather than only the amount of money going into the household.
Most do because that's how the system is designed to work, you should only really be living purely off your loan if you come from a low income background. Mine helped me out with flights, settling costs and housing admin during first year and just flights in the beginning of second year but now I'm pretty much on my own because since then I've gotten a job and earn more pro rata than my Dad and most of my friend in full time jobs and when including my government grant also I get more per year than my Mum.
Original post by Kayleighw27
The first thing that comes to mind is them giving them cash in that case. Or pretending it's a gift, and/or giving them things they would otherwise need to buy anyway as gifts rather than actual money. But I agree the current system is incredibly unfair, and I have friends at uni who are struggling. At the very least the loans company could take into consideration bills etc rather than only the amount of money going into the household.


cash could work but you'd still be committing fraud as its income and needs to be declared. As for gifting money theres a approx 3k limit on that per child. Buying things for the student would work however as most leave home when attending uni that would be difficult unless they were billable items like accommodation fees, or perhaps one of those sainsbury's top up meal cards (which I actually think is a good idea as you can't purchase booze with them so it atleast ensures your child is eating)
Original post by Kayleighw27
Sorry I don't mean this to be disrespectful, but to those of you who don't receive any help from your parents, why not? If they have fed you, bought you clothes, paid for your car/bus pass, taken you places etc where does the money suddenly disappear to? I know some parents just refuse to help but I don't understand how any wouldn't be able to afford it.


Because they don't want to have to financially support their adult daughter/son?

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