This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Don't you just love getting back from holiday

I didn't think I'd be writing another one of these long threads in H&R for a while! But here I am again needing to vent! I posted a thread a couple of weeks ago about my dad maybe having skin cancer, well I went away last week and he was supposed to be getting the results last tuesday, but they didn't contact him, and my mums told me they told him they stll haven't got the test results back.

I got back off holiday yesterday and could tell something was wrong straight away, I thought it was the cancer, but my mums still adamant that we haven't had the results back yet. She was being really funny and a few things happened that didn't add up. Later on she told me that she'd lied and she didn't want it to ruin me getting back off holiday but there is something wrong. She still says that he hasn't got cancer. But she says there's a pretty good chance he's being made redundant either today or tommorow, they're laying off 95 workers, and 4/7 of the teamleaders, my dads one of them. To top it off, we thought we had mortgage insurance of £520, but when my mum rang up to sort it out, we only have something like £150, so my mums getting all panicky trying to sort that out, and if she doesn't we're buggered, our mortgage is way to big to manage without it.

And to top it all off, the car MOT yesterday is going to cost £300, and we've just brought an xbox 360 for my bro, an ipod video for my dad and they spent a grand on my holiday! So I feel awful!

So I come home from an amazing week and find out that in a few days I found out if my dad has cancer and if he's losing his job. Ok the rants over, just needed to get it all out my system, again don't want to bother my friends because they'll still be on a holiday high/getting over their holiday flings.

I don't know what to do for the best, everyones all touchy and like jumpy, and don't know what to say and haven't got a clue how to help, I just want to go back out there and get away again!! Anyway thats my 'why me' rant over, I'm not being selfish, but I am trying to think practically, I'm going to uni in september and if my dad loses his job we'll be up **** creek, I've already sent off my loan and what not, what do I do?? Who can I contact about it/talk to? I haven't got a clue! Tried looking on the student loans websites but can't find anything, will we not get any extra help at all?? My mum says theres no way I'm not going to uni but I might not be able to if we can't afford it! Arrrrrgh why does everything always go wrong at once!!

Reply 1

hitmanuk2k

Well if your household income is going to fall below a certain amount for the next year then yes you will get everything paid for regarding university, plus get more loan and a 1,000 pound grant.

Reply 2

MagicNMedicine

20

The most important thing is your Dad's health, and the frustration of the delay while your waiting for the test results will unavoidably magnify every other problem whilst the real big issue is that one. I remember being in a similar boat about 6 years ago when I thought my Mum might have breast cancer and it was in the middle of the divorce, Dad was playing really dirty over the finances etc, me and Mum faced a very uncertain future we didn't know if we'd have a house or not. Fortunately Mum was clear and everything else was manageable after that.

If your Dad gets redundancy then it changes the situation as regards what you are entitled to, especially as (given that you said you had a big mortgage) I am guessing you have had to pay fees as well? If you can't find anything on the Student Loans website then I would try the university that you are going to - they might know what to do in order to get your fee status re-assessed. If you find you're coming up against people passing you around etc ask to get in contact with the counselling department at the uni you're coming to, they will give you practical advice on it and they will treat you as a student already even though you haven't started yet.

What you are experiencing now is probably going to be one of the toughest times that you will find yourself in in your life, take the time you need for yourself and make sure you talk about it to someone, if the easiest way is to use this forum then thats good. Keep safe and stay in touch x

Reply 3

SianyLou

10

Sorry to hear about all the things going on at the moment, my family's been through a rough time of it in recent months too...but it'll get better. Your dad will get redundancy money to get him by til he gets another job, so that'll be ok for a while...and you'll be off to uni before too long!

By the way...A grand for your holiday? Where did u go? I went all inclusive to Turkey 4weeks ago for £227 :biggrin:

bargain.

Reply 4

tinkerbellejess

13

babynessontoast

Sorry to hear about all the things going on at the moment, my family's been through a rough time of it in recent months too...but it'll get better. Your dad will get redundancy money to get him by til he gets another job, so that'll be ok for a while...and you'll be off to uni before too long!

By the way...A grand for your holiday? Where did u go? I went all inclusive to Turkey 4weeks ago for £227 :biggrin:

bargain.

227?? How? With what company? Sounds like just the sort of holiday I need! Went to mallorca 2weeks ago, and it cost that for our flights alone!

My dad got made redundant at the beginning of the year, but you will get through it, even though with us, money was tight for a while. The annoying thing with student finance, is that theyt want P60s from the last year, even though hs new job pays far less than the old one he had, so I get less money than I should this year! And they only take that into account next year!

Reply 5

tinkerbellejess

13

The frand for the holiday was probably for all of them, which would make it about the same price as your holiday to turkey, I would think anyway

Reply 6

pink_lucie

14

i sort of understand what your going through.
My mum lost her job cos of her drinking, and now my family is ****ed. my sisters back from uni with no job, and no degree. My dads doing up the house and we can just about live off his income. Which means my mums gonna spend her days drinking, my sister will be depressesd, and im not going back to college so i can get a job and move out :frown:

God life sucks

Reply 7

xoxo_GossipGirl

OP

11

Thanks everyone =D

By a grand I meant the £350 weeks holiday, £350 spending money, clothes, toiletries etc

Regarding uni, do I just need to contact my LEA then??

Reply 8

tinkerbellejess

13

I gotta admit, I don't think they'll be too interested, they weren;t with mine (my dad was made redundant just before i sent the form back, and they still wanted his p60 from his last job, despite not having a job at the time) And it happended to my friend at the beginning of his first year of uni, he had to wait until the next year with the next forms before anything was done.

Reply 9

Maya

1

I was wondering about the finance thing a while ago and found this:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/FinanceAfterYourFirstYear/FinanceAfterYourFirstYearArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=10034853&chk=suwf0r

Reply 10

sunday

If you're wondering about money issues at uni etc, why don't you get a job? That might take the pressure off a bit? :smile:

Reply 11

tbm

13

-x-buttercup-x-

Thanks everyone =D

By a grand I meant the £350 weeks holiday, £350 spending money, clothes, toiletries etc

Regarding uni, do I just need to contact my LEA then??

I reckon you should contact your LEA ASAP and tell them your change in circumstances.

I was in a similar situation to you a few years back- I was just about to start Uni in Bristol when my dad was diagnosed with cancer. I couldnt go that far away from home and decided to change to a uni closer to home, which also meant the living costs were lower. My dad wasnt working because he was too ill and basically living off incapacity benefit, so I told my LEA and they sorted it out for me quick sharp- I got the highest loan available, grant, etc, all in time to start my course, and I only gave them about 3 weeks notice. So I would say phone them up tomorrow and explain, if you let them know sooner than later, they'll be able to help.

In the meantime try not to stress too much otherwise you'll make yourself feel worse! You cant do anything now until your dad gets his results so just try and relax in the meantime and see what happens. I know its hard, but you've got to stay positive.

Don't you just love getting back from holiday

Related discussions

Articles for you