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Proving estrangement

I started my undergraduate course in 2015. I retook my first year, so am only now about to begin my second. I have been estranged from my parents since 2013 and lived in a homeless hostel, as well as my own apartment through a supported accommodation scheme. I moved out in July 2016 and rented a room privately in an attempt at a more 'normal' life.
For the past two years my housing support officer provided me with letters to support my student finance application. I now have had no contact with her since I moved out. I have been asked my SFE to have an estrangement form filled out, which I forwarded to her but received no reply. I have no one else who can do this, I never reported anything to my doctor or university. The ironic thing is if (or should I say when) I am refused student finance, I will become homeless again, and can then provide the stupid evidence they want.
During my first year I received no money until 6 months into my course due to difficulties in proving my estrangement. This time I have absolutely no way of finding a third party to fill out the form. What do I do? Intentionally make myself homeless now and get it over with? Student finance is a joke.

Reply 1

Catherine SFE

Official Rep

Original post by KUO101

Hi KUO101,

Students who provide third party evidence of estrangement for the first academic year of their course will not generally be asked to provide evidence again in future years of the course. The way in which a student currently self declares that their circumstances remain the same is by selecting the estrangement category from Section 7 of the application form.

They may be asked to provide further evidence if the original evidence received was light in detail or the estrangement has occurred very recently. Assessors who pick up the returning application will review the initially received evidence and then make a decision whether or not to request further evidence in the current academic year.

Thanks Catherine