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What are your thoughts on household based maintenance loan???

I personally dont think its fair that kids who's parents make less money get more maintenance loan as opposed to the kids who's parents make more money but results in the kid having lower maintenance loan.

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Original post by Anonymous
I personally dont think its fair that kids who's parents make less money get more maintenance loan as opposed to the kids who's parents make more money but results in the kid having lower maintenance loan.

So the richer you are the more loan you get?
Original post by Anonymous
I personally dont think its fair that kids who's parents make less money get more maintenance loan as opposed to the kids who's parents make more money but results in the kid having lower maintenance loan.

Why not? They've paid for the good catchment area and the private tutors (or private school) - what's a few more thousand pounds to top up the maintenance loan?
Reply 3
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Original post by 999tigger
So the richer you are the more loan you get?

No I think the maintenance loan should be based on uni location, accommodation prices around there, and should have the option for all students to either take the maximum amount or less.
I think the idea that poorer kids get more maintenance loan is broken because the middle class usually end up having to struggle more, ie having to ask parents for money constantly, and worrying about finances, having to take jobs which could be a distraction etc
Where as these poorer kids automatically get the maximum amount
Original post by Anonymous
No I think the maintenance loan should be based on uni location, accommodation prices around there, and should have the option for all students to either take the maximum amount or less.
I think the idea that poorer kids get more maintenance loan is broken because the middle class usually end up having to struggle more, ie having to ask parents for money constantly, and worrying about finances, having to take jobs which could be a distraction etc
Where as these poorer kids automatically get the maximum amount

Middle class parents are expected to contribute a lot such as paying for their child's en suite accommodation, then the students don't have to keep asking for small amounts of money (or worry about sharing a bathroom)
Reply 5
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Original post by harrysbar
Why not? They've paid for the good catchment area and the private tutors (or private school) - what's a few more thousand pounds to top up the maintenance loan?

yeah but what about those in the middle, its those people who suffer the most. Also not all private school students are super rich and fortunate enough to pay for all of the maintenance loan. I went to a private school and my parents have to pay like an extra 5k just for my accommodation, and then on top of that there's living costs.
Where as these other kids get the maximum amount just because their parents earn less, and in turn are actually living a better life than those in the middle. Surely there needs to be a solution
Original post by Anonymous
yeah but what about those in the middle, its those people who suffer the most. Also not all private school students are super rich and fortunate enough to pay for all of the maintenance loan. I went to a private school and my parents have to pay like an extra 5k just for my accommodation, and then on top of that there's living costs.

Yeah I guessed and if your parents were happy to pay for that they can afford to top up your loan
Reply 7
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Original post by harrysbar
Yeah I guessed and if your parents were happy to pay for that they can afford to top up your loan

yeah but I think its unfair for my parents to have an economic burden to pay for me whereas other kids who's parents earn less get the maximum amount.
I think the maximum loan should be offered to all student giving the option to the well off people whether or not they want to take the maximum amount. It's more fair.
I dont know why you're so adamant about my parents having to pay for me just because they have the means
Reply 8
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BrDy
15
the system is broken though, there's lots of people in the middle who really struggle, either cos their parents don't understand/aren't willing to top up the difference (lots of parents are of the mind that once you move out to uni you should be financially independent), or because their parents don't have the spare/disposable income to top up the loan. Maybe they have other siblings at home, maybe most of their money goes on their mortgage. Like someone who is in a household earning 25k but has no siblings, or someone has has 4 siblings but is in a house earning 40k, like it doesn't quite work out.

Not entirely sure how to go about fixing it tbh, but it is kinda not quite right imo
I don’t see an issue with it.

If we’re going to take the ‘it’s not fair route’, then you could argue that it’s also not fair that a poorer student could possibly have no choice but to miss out on studying for a degree and attending a university because their parents don’t earn as much.

The maintenance loan is dependant on uni location and whether the student is living at home or living out, regardless of home income - then the home income is assessed additionally.

So a middle class student having to live out, and in London for uni could well be entitled to more than a ‘poorer’ student living at home but not in London. This is a non-issue imo.
Original post by Anonymous
No I think the maintenance loan should be based on uni location, accommodation prices around there, and should have the option for all students to either take the maximum amount or less.
I think the idea that poorer kids get more maintenance loan is broken because the middle class usually end up having to struggle more, ie having to ask parents for money constantly, and worrying about finances, having to take jobs which could be a distraction etc
Where as these poorer kids automatically get the maximum amount


Isnt that because its the responsibility of the parents who earn more and can choose whether to spend it on children or not?
Original post by BrDy
the system is broken though, there's lots of people in the middle who really struggle, either cos their parents don't understand/aren't willing to top up the difference, or because their parents don't have the spare/disposable income to top up the loan. Maybe they have other siblings at home, maybe most of their money goes on their mortgage. Like someone who is in a household earning 25k but has no siblings, or someone has has 4 siblings but is in a house earning 40k, like it doesn't quite work out.

Not entirely sure how to go about fixing it tbh, but it is kinda not quite right imo

yeah exactly.
I think the best option is to give the maximum maintenance loan to all, whilst making the interests higher so that those who need it most will be able to use the fund
Original post by Anonymous
yeah but what about those in the middle, its those people who suffer the most. Also not all private school students are super rich and fortunate enough to pay for all of the maintenance loan. I went to a private school and my parents have to pay like an extra 5k just for my accommodation, and then on top of that there's living costs.
Where as these other kids get the maximum amount just because their parents earn less, and in turn are actually living a better life than those in the middle. Surely there needs to be a solution

The parents are living a better life or the students?
Its up to your parents to make up the difference.
Original post by Mesopotamian.
I don’t see an issue with it.

If we’re going to take the ‘it’s not fair route’, then you could argue that it’s also not fair that a poorer student could possibly have no choice but to miss out on studying for a degree and attending a university because their parents don’t earn as much.

The maintenance loan is dependant on uni location and whether the student is living at home or living out, regardless of home income - then the home income is assessed additionally.

So a middle class student having to live out, and in London for uni could well be entitled to more than a ‘poorer’ student living at home but not in London. This is a non-issue imo.

no one misses out on university because theyre poor anymore
Those who cant afford it get the full tuition fee paid, plus maximum maintenance loan and they get grants which is simply based on household income and they dont even have to pay that back. So this idea of students not being able to go to uni because theyre poor is outdated
If your parents can afford to pay £30,000 + on your primary/secondary education, then they can afford a few thousand for some accommodation and food costs
Original post by 999tigger
The parents are living a better life or the students?
Its up to your parents to make up the difference.

how is that possibly fair, I'm not saying take away money from those who need it. I'm simply suggesting offer the maximum maintenance loan to all students so those in the middle can take what they need without having a financial burden to their parents.
The attitude that just because your parents can pay for it they should is simply wrong imo
Original post by Anonymous
I dont know why you're so adamant about my parents having to pay for me just because they have the means

I thought you wanted a debate or were you just voicing off?
Original post by Anonymous
yeah exactly.
I think the best option is to give the maximum maintenance loan to all

The country can't afford that
Original post by laurawatt
If your parents can afford to pay £30,000 + on your primary/secondary education, then they can afford a few thousand for some accommodation and food costs

well they cant, private schools offer scholarships and discounts. I don't see why everyone is so against it?
Its not my money its my parents and therefore surely I should be allowed to have that choice on receiving the full maintenance loan because right now my loan doesn't even cover my accommodation, and the maintenance loan is supposed to cover both accommodation and living costs -.-
Original post by harrysbar
I thought you wanted a debate or were you just voicing off?

The country can't afford that

yeah a debate but you're simply saying they should with no reasoning if you get what I mean.

Charging greater interests on the loan would ensure that only those who absolutely need it will use it, and theres no real evidence saying the country cant afford that
Original post by Anonymous
no one misses out on university because theyre poor anymore
Those who cant afford it get the full tuition fee paid, plus maximum maintenance loan and they get grants which is simply based on household income and they dont even have to pay that back. So this idea of students not being able to go to uni because theyre poor is outdated


I see your point, but my last point still stands.

The idea of ‘poorer’ students being entitled to extra maintenance loan stems from the fact that whilst a middle class student for example, would be able to afford at least money to commute to their university, or buy a set of books and stationary or whatever small expenses it may be, a ‘poorer’ student would not be able to afford even that (and if a middle class student couldn’t afford small expenses then I’d hardly count them as middle class).

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