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Anyone else having major Student finance troubles?

I'm going into my third year and I am having massive trouble with Student Finance England.

I received my entitlement a few months ago saying I was eligible for 2,000 pounds less than what I have received the last two years of study. So I rang about 8 times with no luck trying to find out what went wrong. They eventually told me it's because I haven't applied for the Special Support Grant this year. So I sent off the documents to prove it, and I heard nothing back. So I rang again and they told me the letter was out of date, so I sent a few more with the correct date.

I now have less than a week before I move back into university and I ring them, asking them about the evidence that I sent a month ago and 3 of them tell me it's waiting to be assessed. Not believing this, I ring again, only to be told that my evidence has been sent to the wrong department for the third time and because of their mistake, I have to now wait two weeks to be assessed again.

I have actually been told complete lies about the way the system runs several times now to get me off the phone, and many, many conflicting things.

I'm just lost for words how poor this system is. They lose my documents, not tell me, then they tell me because of their mistakes, I have to wait longer to be assessed. Even after all this time, I still don't know if I have sent the correct evidence to them. And truthfully, because of this major cut in funds I can't afford to return to finish my degree.

Anyone else pulling their hair out this year with student finance?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 1

lascelles

They drove me mad this year. On my online application, it wouldn't let me select whether or not I'd been supporting myself financially for three years prior to stating the course (which I was so it was kind of important).

First time I phoned them, I was told it would be sent to the IT team to fix. A week later, nothing had changed so I called again.
This time I was told to try a different browser. No change. Called again.
Then I was told to try a different computer. No change. Called again.
This time I was told to carry on with the application anyway. But that meant putting in my parents details which I didn't want to do.
Eventually, I was told to print off a paper copy and send it in.

I think I'll opt straight for the paper copy for my third year.

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