High-earning parents are leaving me on my own

Obviously, there is a discrepancy in the law. On the one and, it says that you are not entitled to anything after you are 18, on the other, they base their loan on the parents' pay. It's contradictory. You live in London, look up some lawyers on-line who give free legal advice once a week or something, and try to find out what your options are, legally speaking.
I'd also, if I were you, would go to the uni straight ahead. If you are a student, you can go to a dean's office and explain your situation. There are people who worked in halls for free accommodation, in uni canteens, libraries, labs and such. They would be more willing to help a poor struggling student than a person who walks in from the street.

Reply 85

marple

Is living at home an option if you pay rent? I believe you would get just under £3000 and so could pay "rent/board" of about £200/month. This would give you £50 plus your earning to cover you for transport and everything else.

Would they or family/friends let you stay with them for nominal rent while you took a gap year to work full time save up?

Reply 86

parentlurker

most parents provide some support for their children but when they took the decision to have cildren fees barely existed. The sudden hike in fees has hit parents hard because they didn't budget for it. So many people struggle to help their kids and some do remortgage their homes (you dont have to sell). BUT why should they - you want to be an adult you should support yourself.

I know of only one famiy who sent their child off with £20 - he already had the promise of bar work having taken a day trip before the start of term to look for it. I dont know who paid his fare. Having come from a privileged family he had quite a few possessions he could have sold if necessary. I know his mother has given him a few pounds now and then.

So - sell a few possessions if necessary to get you started. Take a day trip before the start of time and try to find work before the masses arrive. Choose a bank that lets you have an overdraft. Draw up a budget to show your parents how hard it will be and ask politely if they can offer you even a few pounds a month to help. If relatives normally give you Christmas presents ask for cash or practical things like shampoo and conditioner.

Reply 87

Original post by rana96

So, I'll be studying pharmacy in September 2015 and no matter where I go I'll be moving out of my parent's house. My parents' pre-tax income is somewhere around £66,000 meaning my maintenance loan will be around £3,500 a year and I'm not eligible for any grants.

My problem is that my parents are leaving me on my own- They've promised that I'll not have a penny of support and I'm not going to be allowed to live at home. My maintenance loan won't even be enough to cover my accommodation costs and I'm not acc sure what to do about it.

Does anybody have any advice or has anyone been in a similar situation? Is it worth contacting student finance or is there not much they can do for me?

sorry if this doesn't deserve its own thread / belongs somewhere else, let me know. Thanks for any advice.

I think you will get £3610...

Anyway, you could take a year out and work, or get a part-time job at university.

To be honest, if you are not getting any grants then SFE believes that your parents should be supporting you.

Reply 88

Original post by rana96

Is there nothing student finance can do? My job atm doesn't pay much- I guess I'll have to start looking elsewhere. Thanks though

I don't think SFE would help you, sorry, unless you were estranged from your parents.

Reply 89

Original post by rana96

All my family live in another country and have their own families to worry about. Culturally it's really wrong for me to go to them for help anyways and they'd definitely contact my parents to tell them off, lmao.

I think it's just that my parents simply can't afford to keep me at home or to fund me living away. They have a load of mortgage/car/health expenses to pay for, plus my other two siblings, and they're using this as an excuse to lessen the financial burden on themselves. They just don't want to say so because again, culturally it's pretty wrong. They don't expect me to take a gap year; in fact my mum advised against it.

Then what the hell does she expect you to do? You can't just be expected to suffer, it's not fair on you. Many people in your situation have to take the year out to work, that's just the way it is.

Reply 90

Original post by liass

Have the same problem. My parents earn around £150k and are refusing to support me through uni :redface:

I want to study medicine in London, which sucks

What??!

Reply 91

Original post by lovali

Actually I'm coming at this from a position of having lived financially independent since I was 16 with only myself to rely on. Not because my parents couldn't afford to keep me. The OP isn't bitching & moaning about how unfair life is an a spoilt brat entitled way, they're simply looking for advice about how to help themselves & where to turn to for the correct advice.

Sounds like you're bitter that no one helped you out & you've got a chip on your shoulder about perceived rich kids & their non-existent problems. Get over yourself, just because you had to do certain things why does that mean that everyone else should have to have an unnecessarily hard time while getting an education?

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100% agree.

Reply 92

themuffin96

1

my parents joint income is about 60000 and ive been told i wont be getting much support either! ive basically looked around for the cheapest accomodation and places that offer some kind of bursary for getting good grades- means i have to work so hard this year but will get me £2000 a year. ive also got a job at the moment so im saving up...

people say its harsh, but where are my parents meant to find money for me to live on my own and everything? nahh its part of growing up- if i wanna make these decisions, i pay for it, seems fair!

Reply 93

Like_A_G6

19

Original post by namename

With no degree, no prior experience, and paying a rent somewhere, going to and back from work, food, clothes, how will he be able to save 8k? That's a fairy tale.

Companies take on students after A Levels and before University as these companies need a lot of admin work to be done, but done by people with at least half a brain. This would usually mean they'd have to pay at least £25k+ for someone to do it, but these companies have realised there are willing students who they can employ for a year to do it for less. It also feeds their graduate pipeline and gets students used to company procedures so that when they join as graduates, there is a limited transition period. They call this programme Year in Industry. You'd likely get a minimum of £17850 for the work. If you perform well, there's a good chance you'll be invited back to do internships, either another year long one or one in the summer.

After tax and NI, you'll take home around £15k. These companies are usually in the midlands and having a bedsit like students do will cost £70/week including bills (taking Derby as an example here). Thus, one years rent is £3640. In order to save £8k at the end of it, you need to spend a maximum £70/week. As a student at University, I usually average £70/week for everything outside of rent and utilities. This includes big purchases like clothes and electronics.

Reply 94

namename