Discretionary Payments

Hello, I just wanted to check what Student Finance discretionary Payments are, since I've been told different things by a couple of different advisors. Basically I suspended my studies in January but due to financial difficulties I've applied to the Discretionary Payments Team to keep the funding for the year, however an advisor has just told me over the phone that discretionary payments are only for people who need extra money while studying.

My last payment is blocked yet I was then told by the DPT that I couldn't recieve any discretionary payments as I'm due to recieve the last payment on the 31st. So if you suspend your studies, is there no way at all to keep the year's funding? Is it possible to allow the final payment and for me to repay it later this year/ add it to my account?

Original post by Georgebr96

Hello, I just wanted to check what Student Finance discretionary Payments are, since I've been told different things by a couple of different advisors. Basically I suspended my studies in January but due to financial difficulties I've applied to the Discretionary Payments Team to keep the funding for the year, however an advisor has just told me over the phone that discretionary payments are only for people who need extra money while studying.

My last payment is blocked yet I was then told by the DPT that I couldn't recieve any discretionary payments as I'm due to recieve the last payment on the 31st. So if you suspend your studies, is there no way at all to keep the year's funding? Is it possible to allow the final payment and for me to repay it later this year/ add it to my account?

Hi,

Our discretionary payment can look to extend the funding after the suspension date if you have suspended due to health reasons and in financial hardship. Have you got all the details on what to send and where to send to?

Thanks.

Reply 2

Georgebr96

OP

Original post by Erin SFE

Hi,

Our discretionary payment can look to extend the funding after the suspension date if you have suspended due to health reasons and in financial hardship. Have you got all the details on what to send and where to send to?

Thanks.

Hi, well there was a delay at my university in notifying student finance so the Discretionary Payments Team seem to think I am going to recieve the final payment anyway, and so rejected my application. However they don't know that it has been blocked as I myself rang SFE and told them I had suspended, so they don't have confirmation from the University yet.

I suspended due to both financial reasons and health reasons, I think it has been noted as financial. Is there any chance of extending funding when the suspension is down as financial? I can still supply medical notes but I was looking into having this last payment cleared and repaying it in the near future.
Thankyou

Original post by Georgebr96

Hi, well there was a delay at my university in notifying student finance so the Discretionary Payments Team seem to think I am going to recieve the final payment anyway, and so rejected my application. However they don't know that it has been blocked as I myself rang SFE and told them I had suspended, so they don't have confirmation from the University yet.

I suspended due to both financial reasons and health reasons, I think it has been noted as financial. Is there any chance of extending funding when the suspension is down as financial? I can still supply medical notes but I was looking into having this last payment cleared and repaying it in the near future.
Thankyou

Hi,

If you were in severe hardship then we would look into releasing the payment but again we would need evidence of this and even the medical notes also to be resent to the discretionary payment team and just advise them the payment has been blocked to see if they can update this for you.

Thanks.

Reply 4

cbp13

I was doing a Degree in 2016 and received
a student finance payment in September. I dropped out of this course in a December and did not receive any more payments.

I have now started a Nursing Degree on 20/03/2017 and student finance have deducted the payment I received in September last year from the total amount I am entitled to from March 2017 to March 2018.

This leaves me with 2 payments of the the amount what is left however they have set my first payment for 25th of august (5 month after my start date) which has caused me a lot of problems.

They have advised me to apply for a discretionary payment but I haven't already received any payment already since starting my course?? I can't understand why they wouldn't schedule one of the payments for when I started my Degree

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Or has anyone applied for a discretionary payment and received it?

Reply 5

Akee786

Hi I am just trying to apply with discretionary payments as they over paid without me knowing early in the course and are now totally omitting a payment without warning. Did you make any progress?

Original post by Akee786

Hi I am just trying to apply with discretionary payments as they over paid without me knowing early in the course and are now totally omitting a payment without warning. Did you make any progress?

Hi Akee,

If you want to apply to discretionary payments for deferring the grant over payment until the end of your course, you can call us on 0300 100 0607 so we can email or post you a financial hardship form to apply for this. Thanks.