The Student Room Group

Grants-whose income do they measure?

Is it who you live with, if your parents are divorced? For example if my mum is on almost minimum wage yet my dad is on a great salary, but I live with my mum would I get grants?

Thanks for any help!

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Reply 1
Yes you would. You're a bastard for it though.
It is whoever you live with, so in this case your mum's salary.
Reply 3
Original post by davidmarsh01
Yes you would. You're a bastard for it though.



Original post by LiamTheKook
It is whoever you live with, so in this case your mum's salary.


Does the fact my dad's paying for university fees, accomodation, food etc affect this, or will I still get the grants?

I'm planning on getting a student loan ETC, and investing it in ISAs or other more profitable investments, would I still be ok doing this?

Thanks.
Reply 4
Another question:does it matter when your parents split up as to when you get the grants, or not? I.e if it was recent will you still the the grants? What's the cut off date?
I am not overly sure to be quite honest, I'm hardly a financial expert. I think it would depend on how your dad pays. If he puts the money straight into your bank or pays you monthly instalments and then you go and pay for food and accommodation etc, then you possibly might be able to still do it. However if your dad pays it directly from his accounts, then I would guess that you would't be able to do it.

But like I said, this is all just guess work and common sense, I could be wrong but that's what seems the most likely answer in my mind. I don't advocate any of this either haha.


Original post by Peteo
Another question:does it matter when your parents split up as to when you get the grants, or not? I.e if it was recent will you still the the grants? What's the cut off date?


So long as it was before the last financial year then I believe you'll be ok.
(edited 13 years ago)
Reply 6
Original post by LiamTheKook
I am not overly sure to be quite honest, I'm hardly a financial expert. I think it would depend on how your dad pays. If he puts the money straight into your bank or pays you monthly instalments and then you go and pay for food and accommodation etc, then you possibly might be able to still do it. However if your dad pays it directly from his accounts, then I would guess that you would't be able to do it.

But like I said, this is all just guess work and common sense, I could be wrong but that's what seems the most likely answer in my mind. I don't advocate any of this either haha.




So long as it was before the last financial year then I believe you'll be ok.


Thanks, you are great! You say you don't advocate it, why? It's what i'm entitled to! Are you saying if you were in my situation you wouldn't lol?

Also thanks for your advice, will take it into account and think about this carefully.
Oh no if you are entitled to it that's all well and good. But if you were fiddling with accounts or anything like that just so you could get it, I don't advocate that in any way. But since you're doing it the correct and honest way, there's nothing wrong with that. Hope I've helped. :smile:
Original post by Peteo
Does the fact my dad's paying for university fees, accomodation, food etc affect this, or will I still get the grants?

I'm planning on getting a student loan ETC, and investing it in ISAs or other more profitable investments, would I still be ok doing this?

Thanks.


And this is what is wrong with the grants system.

You are completely entitled to that money, and I wouldn't blame you for claiming it. Your Dad can give you the money however he pleases, no one will check up on it. You just put your Mum's income down, they tell you what you will be entitled to, and your Dad can give you what you like.
Reply 9
Original post by modgepodge
And this is what is wrong with the grants system.

You are completely entitled to that money, and I wouldn't blame you for claiming it. Your Dad can give you the money however he pleases, no one will check up on it. You just put your Mum's income down, they tell you what you will be entitled to, and your Dad can give you what you like.


Yes, I agree with you to an extent that it is mad, but of course I am not complaining! In some respects I understand it as parents who split up often don't contribute at all, and it would be vastly unfair if people's parent's who were seperated were not entitled to the same benefits as the rest, and implementing a system to check this would cost a lot and end up in more beaurocracy or whatever they call it lol.

Some people would also argue it's immoral but i'd say that if they were in this situation they would legally take what they are entitled to, I mean why the hell shouldn't I?

So he could even pay the fees direct to the university and they wouldn't check? Or would this mean i'm no longer entitled to the tuition fees, maintenence fees and grants?
Original post by Peteo
Another question:does it matter when your parents split up as to when you get the grants, or not? I.e if it was recent will you still the the grants? What's the cut off date?


If your household income has gone down by at least 15% compared with 2009-10, you can fill in a "current year assessment" form and they will use your estimate of your household income for 2011-12 (assuming you are talking about applying for a loan/grant for next autumn. They will then ask for evidence of income for 2011-12 in April 2012 and adjust what they have given you accordingly.
Reply 11
Original post by tiny hobbit
If your household income has gone down by at least 15% compared with 2009-10, you can fill in a "current year assessment" form and they will use your estimate of your household income for 2011-12 (assuming you are talking about applying for a loan/grant for next autumn. They will then ask for evidence of income for 2011-12 in April 2012 and adjust what they have given you accordingly.


My parents announced divorce on valentines day 2009, does this count as 2009-2010 or does when they measure it from 2009-2010 or does it start later?

Thanks by the way, I really appreciate this :smile:
Original post by Peteo
My parents announced divorce on valentines day 2009, does this count as 2009-2010 or does when they measure it from 2009-2010 or does it start later?

Thanks by the way, I really appreciate this :smile:


As far as I know the financial year ends in March, so I think that would be 2008-2009.
Reply 13
Actually, the parent you are assessed on depends on their status for the academic year you're applying for, not the past financial year. For example they could've been together for the whole tax year, and split in the August before you start. Only one parent would be assessed in this case.

Likewise, a parent could've been single for the financial year being assessed, but a partner moves in with them before the September you start. The partner also has to have their income assessed, but based on that previous tax year when they were not living together.
Original post by Peteo
My parents announced divorce on valentines day 2009, does this count as 2009-2010 or does when they measure it from 2009-2010 or does it start later?

Thanks by the way, I really appreciate this :smile:


In that case, your household income had presumably already dropped by April 2009, so using the default year of April 2009-April 2010 would suit you anyway.
Original post by Peteo
Does the fact my dad's paying for university fees, accomodation, food etc affect this, or will I still get the grants?

I'm planning on getting a student loan ETC, and investing it in ISAs or other more profitable investments, would I still be ok doing this?

Thanks.


That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.
Reply 16
Original post by davidmarsh01
Yes you would. You're a bastard for it though.


:eek:How can you say that when your from Scotland :eek:
Reply 17
Original post by davidmarsh01
Yes you would. You're a bastard for it though.


My parents' income combined puts me over the limit for maintenance grant (I think... or I'd just get 50 quid or something) but because my parents are divorced I qualify for the full amount of grants and bursaries. I've done nothing wrong; all me and my mum did was answer the questions on the student finance forms honestly with my household income etc, and I got a letter through saying what I was entitled to. I'm not exactly going to say no to more money, am I? What would you do in that position, reject it?

I don't even know how I'd be able to ask for less grant as I had to ask for the full loan to be able to support myself, and I don't recall being able to reject grants; you either apply for both, or none at all. On the bursary side, I just got a letter from my uni halfway through the first term stating how much I'd get and when it'd go into my account, with no option to reject that either.

Nice neg. Thanks for explaining your reasoning :rolleyes: I find it hard to believe that there are people who would reject grant money.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Jmzie-Coupe
That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.


It is the advice moneysavingexpert.com give you.
Original post by Peteo
Yes, I agree with you to an extent that it is mad, but of course I am not complaining! In some respects I understand it as parents who split up often don't contribute at all, and it would be vastly unfair if people's parent's who were seperated were not entitled to the same benefits as the rest, and implementing a system to check this would cost a lot and end up in more beaurocracy or whatever they call it lol.

Some people would also argue it's immoral but i'd say that if they were in this situation they would legally take what they are entitled to, I mean why the hell shouldn't I?

So he could even pay the fees direct to the university and they wouldn't check? Or would this mean i'm no longer entitled to the tuition fees, maintenence fees and grants?


If daddy pays the tuition fees you will not get a tuition fee loan!

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