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Technicalities of "Parents' income plus your own"??

I am trying to apply for University to start in 2015 and the fine details of the whole income-based support inclusive of your parents' income is confusing me.
At present I work full time and have been for about two and a half years, on £15,000-ish a year, however I will ultimately be quitting this job when I leave for Uni so that will be wiped out. My parents say their income is about £18,000, which is literally just enough to support them as I have been paying £35 a week rent since leaving college. This brings the total current income to £33,000 which decreases my maintenance grant and loan total to something that would barely even cover my rent at Uni and they would have no chance of supporting me.
It seems like the system has the flaw of current-income-versus-income-at-start-of-year that seems to loophole people under 25 who work. (I'm 21)
Can I get away with classing myself as independent as I've sort of supported myself for three years? Or is there a way to explain to SF about how the income will decrease once I start Uni? Total nightmare!

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 1

Klix88

Original post by charlox

Can I get away with classing myself as independent as I've sort of supported myself for three years? Or is there a way to explain to SF about how the income will decrease once I start Uni? Total nightmare!

I'm afraid you're going to be assessed on your parents' income. As an under-25, in order to classed as 'independent', you must have been financially self-supporting for a full three years before the start of your course. The general rule of thumb is that you must have been earning a minimum if £7500 for each of those years (although the amount isn't set in stone). Unfortunately, "about two and a half years" isn't three years (which *is* set in stone).

You could defer for a year, so that by the time you start your course you will have been self-supporting for the full three years. At that point, it will be assumed that you are giving up full-time work in order to become a full-time student. If SF accept your proof of being self-supporting and you have no other income like interest on savings, investments etc.,, then you will automatically be given the maximum Maintenance Loan and Grant combo.

Reply 2

balotelli12

Your income is utterly irrelevant.
You will get full loans and grants on your parents income.

Reply 3

Tiger Rag

You'll get full loans and grants on their income.

Reply 4

charlox

Original post by balotelli12

Your income is utterly irrelevant.
You will get full loans and grants on your parents income.

Original post by OU Student

You'll get full loans and grants on their income.

Okay great thanks guys, just seems kinda strange that they ask for your own income anyway, like people retain their job when moving halfway across the country? Nice to have that weight off my shoulders though, thanks.

Reply 5

charlox

Original post by Klix88

Unfortunately, "about two and a half years" isn't three years (which *is* set in stone).

It would've been three years at the start of the course (May 2012 > September 2015) but I don't have any proof from my last job because it was kind of off the books and I never saw an official payslip, which I guess rules out that theory anyway. Not sure as to why a "mature student" is over 21 but they still assess your parents from 21-25 anyway. Ah, who knows, the whole thing is kind of overwhelming to be honest.