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Student VS Student Finance. APPEAL HELP PLEASE!

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some guidance in terms of appealing my student loan decision. SFE (Student Finance England) have awarded me the minimum maintenance loan and no maintenance grant while I study full time at a London university. This is after weeks of sending in evidence, being told that a decision would be made next week, then the one after, then the one after etc.

To give you a brief bit of background on my situation, I moved out of my family home in 2011 aged 17 due to my rapidly deteriorating relationship with my parents and have not spoke to them in some years. I have applied to student finance as an independent student, a status that they have apparently approved. The problem stems from the fact that even though SFE apparently recognise me as an independent student, I haven't earnt enough money to prove that I live independently. This is despite me sending them a letter from a social worker confirming that I am estranged from my parents, letters detailing my addresses and confirming that I was a paying tenant for the last 3 years, a letter stating that I am on housing benefit to support my low income, payslips, P45's and P60's and I just don't understand how I can earn too little to claim for further finance when I know just how hard it's been to pay my own way on minimum wage in London, with no outside support from other people.

Sorry for the essay, but I am having sleepless nights and bouts of anxiety attacks. Through my own fault I am in quite a bit of debt, and there's just no way for me to go through university with the overheads I do on a student loan that falls some way short of my yearly rent. I really do not know what to do, I had to leave university a couple years ago due to money problems, as they refused to acknowledge me as independent then (due to me being on my own for less than 3 years), and I feel like history is repeating itself.

Is there anything anyone can recommend?

Thanks in advance!

MJF.

Reply 1

umayah8

go to your student union. there is definatley somethings wrong here on sfe part. you should appeal the decision therefore someone will look at ur application on a more personal level.. and even still if no success appeal even further to get an external assor assess your application. i would definatley go to student union here. sound like u have good case for appeal. all the best

Reply 2

Fawkesgirl33

I would call SFE and contact your local citizen's advice bureau. Get a meeting with the citizens advice bureau and go through your problem, bringing all your evidence and everything.

Reply 3

Popadom1992

Hi Moe,

I was wondering if you had any success with your appeal. I am in a very similar situation (moved out at 16, self supporting for four years) and I just can't seem to get SF to see any sense.