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Will I Get Less For Living With My Boyfriend?

I'm a little worried that once I declare that I'm living with him, it'll drastically effect how much I'll be getting. I only just finished fighting to get the maintenance grant, which wasn't available to me until I could prove that I'm actually estranged from my family. Which was a nghtmare, but glad to have it over and done with.

My partner earns about £1150 after tax, and we're currently having a lot of money problems. He also has a £2000 overdraft: from when he was at university, then homeless for a while, and then managed to get a room at a youth hostel. I don't work, I've looked for summer jobs and sent in applications, but I just get ignored. I also can't work whilst studying as my depression makes university extremely draining, and I just wouldn't be able to cope with studying and working at the same time. On top of that, I'll also be commuting to university this year which will take some time from me. Our rent and bills come to £855, not including his travel, which is roughly £14 a week, sometimes more as he has to take a taxi if he's working on a sunday, holiday, or bank holiday because the timetable of his bus changes on these days. When I go back to uni, I'll also be having to pay for travel which will cost me £80 a month.

The amount I've been offered is the full maintenance grant, and loan which is going to make everything so much easier. I'll even be able to save up so that we have emergency funds for next summer in case I have trouble getting a summer job again. I'll also have enough to get us some proper storage that we really need; we've been here for two months and the only reason we're not sleeping on the floor is because his mother gave us money for a bed as a moving in gift. Our clothes and belongings are scattered across the floor, and in bin bags and moving boxes.

I'm just worried that if I get much less I won't be able to contribute as much, and won't be able to save up as much for emergencies. Then there's also the cost of books and equipment I may need throughout my course. The idea of debt, or unexpected costs scares the hell out of me as it is; having the full amount helped dull some of that anxiety. Does anyone know if living with him will cause me to get less funds? - even with his circumstances of low income, and my circumstances of being estranged from my family.

Reply 1

Demilb

I think you should be fine, just don't marry him.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 2

parentlurker

actually on that level of income you probably could marry him and still get a full grant.Many students live with friends,whether you sleep with them is irrelevant.

If you aren't getting summer jobs then you need to look at your cv and covering letter (you do always add a covering letter, don't you?).

Reply 3

applicationa

Original post by VickiRichards7

I'm just worried that if I get much less I won't be able to contribute as much, and won't be able to save up as much for emergencies. Then there's also the cost of books and equipment I may need throughout my course. The idea of debt, or unexpected costs scares the hell out of me as it is; having the full amount helped dull some of that anxiety. Does anyone know if living with him will cause me to get less funds? - even with his circumstances of low income, and my circumstances of being estranged from my family.

First: if you are classed an independent student, you are required to declare to Student Finance England that you have a partner.

Second: you will not receive less maintenance grant. £25,000/yr is the level at which sponsors' income begins to reduce entitlement. Anything below this, and you are awarded the maximum.

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