Poorer students will now get 2 free years uni. another attack on middle income family

Why would you assume that I come from a middle class family?

"unable" and "more of a proplem are not the same thing are they?
Something can be a problem without making somebody unable.

Ill say it again because you are obviously having difficulty catching on... family income is about much much more than finances. Security, confidence, and opportunities would be three others.

You seem to genuinely believe that money makes no difference to a person beyond its financial aspects, well...you're just wrong.

A child from a poor family who gets onto the same university course than you, has worked and will have to work much harder than you.

This money would be better spent on increasing maintenance grants/loans, which are what can be really restrictive. Tuition fees shouldn't stop anybody from going to uni, but living costs can.

Having said that, for lots of poorer students I think the prospect of massive debt is more of a deterrent to going to uni, so this measure might help prevent that from happening. But I'm not really sure its fair, and like I said, it could be better spent.

My Parents pay my tuition fees and we are not rich at all - in fact i am eligible for the full maintenance grant

Again, this is completely unrelated to what I'm saying. The two people will be worlds apart personality wise, in the past they won't have had the same oppotunities or life style. But I still don't think that people from a poorer family should recieve more help than those from a wealthy background where the parents choose to cut them off completely. Regardless of who they are or where they came from, it's not going to make it any easier for those people to pay for food and accomondation, while at university, if they get no help. And I STILL don't think that the amount of help should be down to what they parents have if they aren't supporting the child.

They can, they just choose to pay for other things instead...like a big garden, new kitchen or a nice holiday. when they choose to spend money on these luxaries, they are making the decision to have less money available for other things.

Poor families dont have enough money to begin with.
Middle income families do, they just dont spend it well.

There is nothing stopping you from going to university. If your parents want to make things easier for you though, they are going to have to accept that they cant have all the luxaries they want .

But I still don't think that people from a poorer family should recieve more help than those from a wealthy background where the parents choose to cut them off completely.

This has got nothing to do with families (and you are making some hideously naive comments to do with middle income families). The coalition have said that you will only start to pay off your debt when you are earning 21,000. So why should anyone have some of their debt paid when they are apparently earning enough to start to pay off their debt?

Please explain how the government are meant to know if someone's well off parents won't help them out? It's reasonable to assume that if someone has parents from a wealthy background, the parents will help their child out should they not have enough money for things like food, whereas someone who comes from a poorer household will not have this support or may struggle more, and should get more help to avoid such a situation.

The threshold is £25,000 not £10,000 I believe? 30 Years? Is that it?

Maybe you might not be getting money off your parents, but I sure as hell if you got into any trouble they'd bail you out, if you were desperate for food they'd get you some. If you dropped out they'd take you back into their home. You and other middle class people may have a safety net, but many lower class people do not.

And I'm sorry, if you're going to tell me your parents wouldn't do any of the above, you're bull****ting. Do not overestimate your own independence.

Yes, there is.

The maintenance loan that I would receive does not cover the living expenses of university. There are 5 kids in my family and we plain and simple cannot afford university. Why should my entire family suffer just so I can go to university?

Please explain why a graduate should have some of his debt paid if he is earning an amount which the government think is reasonable salary to start paying his debt off himself.

Right on Winston, old bean! Jolly good show, old boy! You show those ragamuffins!

Question is made irreleveant by the fact that you do.

Please explain how the government are meant to know if someone's well off parents won't help them out? It's reasonable to assume that if someone has parents from a wealthy background, the parents will help their child out should they not have enough money for things like food, whereas someone who comes from a poorer household will not have this support or may struggle more, and should get more help to avoid such a situation.

This thread is about the proposal to give students from low income backgrounds reduced tuition fees for up to two years. I don't see how your post and the thread topic are related.

Of course it's difficult, and will be miss used. And normally parents would probably support the student if they could. But what I'm saying is, if they can't/won't, why should that student not get the same help? I don't have an answer to how to make the system work perfectly and I admit that.

The place I grew up, university is free, if you make the grades through hard work the goverment will pay the fees for you. And if you work hard and attend a higher education beyond the age of 18, everyone can apply for support.