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How much does a letter from a solicitor to say parents have separated cost?
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I had a friend who had this very problem - his dad was completely out of the picture. Eventually he sent a copy of his mum's benefit entitlement showing she got some sort of single parent support and they accepted that 
Alasdair
Well, marriage is essentially a financial contract between two people that incurs certain consequences (student finance implication, for one). If you don't want those consequences to occur any more, they should end the contract - ie, get divorced. Until they do, the implications of that contract continue...
Legally, fair enough, but the fact that there are humans involved in this contract, complicates it somewhat, and the Student Loans company know this. All that is needed is proof, and getting a divorce to prove they are separated is not viable. Besides, there are other ways of proving this: eg showing household income is only from one person etc.
Alasdair
God knows. Although to be fair, if your parents are seperated but not divorced or legally seperated, then I imagine Student Finance would be within their rights to assess you on both their incomes in the same way they do for parents who aren't seperated...
this makes no sense... how is that within their rights? if your parents are separated, you only live with one of them. therefore one of their incomes does not help you... :/ which is the situation with me. if they based it on my dads income, that would be extremely unfair as i do not live with him and he does not give me any money.
Alasdair
So why don't your parents get divorced?!
I didn't say it was neccesarily right, but they would be reasonably within their rights...
I didn't say it was neccesarily right, but they would be reasonably within their rights...
they may not be able to afford it? just something you may consider....
well i've sent in benefit entitlements to show my mother is now single, a council tax bill, but theyre saying the council tax bill doesn't count because she doesn't get a discount, which sucks because that's only because me and my sister are over 19. they are also saying the fact she is claiming benefits isn't enough proof either. i swear every advisor tells people different things, i only literally got told yesterday i needed a solicitors letter, for the past few months they have been saying a council tax will with or without a discount would be enough.
i hate student finance. why cant their advisors just tell us the same information, instead of wasting time!
i hate student finance. why cant their advisors just tell us the same information, instead of wasting time!
jinglepupskye
My parents are seperated and I never needed a letter from a solicitor.
In any case, as a solicitor has never been contacted by my pearents, it would mean that one or other of them would have to visit a solictor, who is probably a stranger to them, tell him they are seperated and then he writes a letter to tell the Student finance people that they are seperated, which is stupid.
Get your parent to write a letter saying that they are seperated but that they haven't begun divorce proceedings and don't have an official seperation agreement.
In any case, as a solicitor has never been contacted by my pearents, it would mean that one or other of them would have to visit a solictor, who is probably a stranger to them, tell him they are seperated and then he writes a letter to tell the Student finance people that they are seperated, which is stupid.
Get your parent to write a letter saying that they are seperated but that they haven't begun divorce proceedings and don't have an official seperation agreement.
when did you do that?? they are saying this wont be enough and to get my loan income assessed they need proper proof
my parents have never contacted a solicitor following their separation either...Alasdair
Surely a copy of the Decree Nisi (if they're not properly divorced yet) should suffice?!
they don't have one..
ash-corbett-collins
My letter was free. Took a while to come though
How long?! I need it ASAP really otherwise it will delay my loan even more and a none income assessed loan which they are putting me through for wont even cover my rent
man this sucks...
madeline06
when did you do that?? they are saying this wont be enough and to get my loan income assessed they need proper proof my parents have never contacted a solicitor following their separation either...
my parents have never contacted a solicitor following their separation either...I think that you need to ask to speak to a manager.
I applied five years ago and then again three years ago with no problems. I would definitely ask the manager what exactly constitutes proper proof especially as no solicitor has been involved up to now.
If they say a solicitor's letter then ask why is that proof, given your parent simply has to walk in and say they are seperated and the solicitor will not ask for any evidence of that statement.
So why will they accept the same information from the solicitor if they won't accept it from your parent? It doesn't make sense.
Effectively you only live with one parent. If the other parent does not contribute to the household income then why should their income be considered? After all you have no access to it.
jinglepupskye
I think that you need to ask to speak to a manager.
I applied five years ago and then again three years ago with no problems. I would definitely ask the manager what exactly constitutes proper proof especially as no solicitor has been involved up to now.
If they say a solicitor's letter then ask why is that proof, given your parent simply has to walk in and say they are seperated and the solicitor will not ask for any evidence of that statement.
So why will they accept the same information from the solicitor if they won't accept it from your parent? It doesn't make sense.
Effectively you only live with one parent. If the other parent does not contribute to the household income then why should their income be considered? After all you have no access to it.
I applied five years ago and then again three years ago with no problems. I would definitely ask the manager what exactly constitutes proper proof especially as no solicitor has been involved up to now.
If they say a solicitor's letter then ask why is that proof, given your parent simply has to walk in and say they are seperated and the solicitor will not ask for any evidence of that statement.
So why will they accept the same information from the solicitor if they won't accept it from your parent? It doesn't make sense.
Effectively you only live with one parent. If the other parent does not contribute to the household income then why should their income be considered? After all you have no access to it.
I have to pay £70 for a solicitors letter
was on the phone to student finance loads this morning and thats the only proof theyll accept now.the solicitor said the same thing as you though - he said its strange theyd accept a letter from a solicitor who doesnt know the people rather than a joint letter from the parents or something.
£70 man, im kind of gutted but i bet it will be worth it in the long run. ******* student finance.
madeline06
How long?! I need it ASAP really otherwise it will delay my loan even more and a none income assessed loan which they are putting me through for wont even cover my rent man this sucks...
man this sucks...It took about two weeks. The solicitor kept insisting she was doing it. But she's unreliable. As long as your solicitor is decent enough, they should be able to just do it straight away.
ash-corbett-collins
It took about two weeks. The solicitor kept insisting she was doing it. But she's unreliable. As long as your solicitor is decent enough, they should be able to just do it straight away.
What did the letter actually say? Dates etc of when they separated or what?
Another issue now is - my parents split in 2008, and student finance this year is based 2007 - 2008, so my parents were actually together for a bit of that time and I'm worried that student finance will want to take his income into account for that year even though I don't live with him now. and he was unemployed when i did live with him in 2007 anyway so I don't really know what to do to prove this.
student finance is such a headache.
madeline06
What did the letter actually say? Dates etc of when they separated or what?
Another issue now is - my parents split in 2008, and student finance this year is based 2007 - 2008, so my parents were actually together for a bit of that time and I'm worried that student finance will want to take his income into account for that year even though I don't live with him now. and he was unemployed when i did live with him in 2007 anyway so I don't really know what to do to prove this.
student finance is such a headache.
Another issue now is - my parents split in 2008, and student finance this year is based 2007 - 2008, so my parents were actually together for a bit of that time and I'm worried that student finance will want to take his income into account for that year even though I don't live with him now. and he was unemployed when i did live with him in 2007 anyway so I don't really know what to do to prove this.
student finance is such a headache.
It explained that my father left the marital home in 2005, and there has been minimal contact since. It also explained that my parents are in the course of a divorce, which should be finished within the calendar year.
With your case, since they split within the financial year that is to be assessed, then you would need to request that the solicitor highlights that circumstances are now different to what they were that year. This should then be taken into account my Student Finance. You should also request that the solicitor highlights any financial arrangements between your parents involving you. This means they are able to assess any support received from either parent when deciding your loans and grants.
madeline06
I have to pay £70 for a solicitors letter was on the phone to student finance loads this morning and thats the only proof theyll accept now.
the solicitor said the same thing as you though - he said its strange theyd accept a letter from a solicitor who doesnt know the people rather than a joint letter from the parents or something.
£70 man, im kind of gutted but i bet it will be worth it in the long run. ******* student finance.
was on the phone to student finance loads this morning and thats the only proof theyll accept now.the solicitor said the same thing as you though - he said its strange theyd accept a letter from a solicitor who doesnt know the people rather than a joint letter from the parents or something.
£70 man, im kind of gutted but i bet it will be worth it in the long run. ******* student finance.
That is so unfair! Most single parents don't have a spare £70 hanging around and if they did then I'm pretty sure that they could find better things to spend it on.
In these cases the student should be able to claim back the cost of providing evidence if the Student Finance bods say that is the only evidence they will accept in your circumstances.
jinglepupskye
That is so unfair! Most single parents don't have a spare £70 hanging around and if they did then I'm pretty sure that they could find better things to spend it on.
In these cases the student should be able to claim back the cost of providing evidence if the Student Finance bods say that is the only evidence they will accept in your circumstances.
In these cases the student should be able to claim back the cost of providing evidence if the Student Finance bods say that is the only evidence they will accept in your circumstances.
you are right, my mom doesnt have that kind of money and nor does my dad (asked him to help earlier) and nor do i, so im using my student overdraft to pay it. it sucks. they better accept it as proof after all this!! it seems they tell me that a kind of proof will be acceptable, then i send it in and they decide it isnt acceptable, i think after all the trouble ive had im just expecting the worst now!
wooo
ignore that. i cant do it
Original post by ash-corbett-collins
My letter was free. Took a while to come though
How / where did you do this?!
I'm in the same situation, my dad refuses to pay for one!
My friend had this problem, and she got a letter from her doctor, which they accepted.
Original post by asherss92
How / where did you do this?!
I'm in the same situation, my dad refuses to pay for one!
I'm in the same situation, my dad refuses to pay for one!
Wow, this was a while ago now. If I remember rightly, my mum's solicitor happily did it for free because she was able to confirm her marriage status since she was handling her divorce. Ages ago now though!
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