Going back to uni at 24 after leaving in second year

Hello,
I went to Cambridge at 18 to study languages, but had a nervous breakdown in the second year and took a 'year out'. During that year, I found a job and got too used to earning money so ended up never going back.
Having now been working full-time for 3 years in a dead-end job, I'm seriously considering going back to uni to increase my chances of getting a more interesting and fulfilling job and career.
I rent on my own, and earn about £23k before tax. Obviously I wouldn't continue working full time at university, but I might still work one day a week to support myself.
I am 23 now but will be 24 when I start uni (assuming I even get in).
My question is: I understand that I am entitled to a Tuition Fee Loan for the length of an undergraduate degree + one year. I left during the 2nd term of my 2nd year - does that mean I have to pay for 2 terms myself, or do I lose that whole year because I started it?
Will I be entitled to any Maintenance Loan?

Have you got any evidence of your reasons for leaving Cambridge - Compelling Personal Reasons (like you've described) negate the rules on previous study.

https://www.westminster.ac.uk/study/prospective-students/fees-and-funding/undergraduate-student-funding/previous-studies is a good page that spells out the rules for previous studies - you should be eligible for a maintenance loan as you didn't qualify. If you can prove CPR then you'll be eligible for tuition fee loan too. If not then your tuition fee loan funding will be
length of new course + gift year - years of study at Cambridge
Any missing funded years under this will be front loaded - you'll need to find the tuition fee up front for your first years on your new course.

You should be classed as an independent student - although you're under 25 you should be able to prove that you've self supported (P60s showing ~£7k pa income) for 3 years (this doesn't have to all be consecutive). That means your loans would be based on your own household income (excluding your own part time employment when studying) so you'll likely get the maximum maintenance loans.

The P60s are no problem, I can find them.

I couldn't have asked for a more helpful reply, thank you!

I have doctor's notes on my medical record from when I had the nervous breakdown and a psychotherapist's report from a session after I had returned home in which she summarised that I probably have high-functioning autism and the fact this was never spotted or addressed led to the breakdown.

That should be enough, shouldn't it?

That sounds ideal to me - SFE are pretty cagey about what they will and wont accept as CPR but that sounds like exactly the sort of situation which they'll consider and the sort of evidence that they'd want to see.

When you apply (I'm assuming you're looking at 2017 entry?) make sure you get your SFE application in as early as possible. If there's any queries or issues with proving anything then giving yourself the time to resolve issues will prevent you ending up starting your course without all your funding in place.

Sound advice, thank you.

Do I inform them of the CPR to try to get the year credited back before I apply for the finance, or do I apply as usual and then send off a letter after applying?

Hi there.

Yes, all of the above is correct. A situation where any aspect of health directly affected your ability to study is one of the easiest ways of being granted CPR.

It's entirely up to you when you want to apply for CPR. You can send in evidence just now and it will be recorded on your account for future reference, or you can wait until you are ready to apply for the main body of your funding.

However, if you're not going to be applying anytime soon, I would suggest sending in the CPR evidence at the time of applying, this ensures the information isn't received years apart and minimises the chances of the CPR being overlooked at a later time.

Thanks.