Too MUCH maintenance Loan

Student Finance are insisting on basing my son and daughters maintenance loan on my earning (sole parent) from 2021/22 - when I was not working.

My daughter recieved the maximum loan for her first year which was correct. However, last year she also recieved the maximum loan even though I was working and it should have been 3k less. I had assumed it would be corrected this year and I would repay the overpayment but it has not.

My son also starts Uni this year and they still insist on basing his and and my daughters maintenance on the same 2021/22 earnings meaning this year they will also both be overpayed with subsequent repayment later plus (I assume) interest on the overpayment that I don't want. They refuse to recalculate this or last years payments based on last year actual earnings or this year estimates - even though they have these figures.

What is the best way forward? Should I instruct my kids to request a reduction in their requested amount? If I do this will this impact the actual loan amount when they funally take into account actual earnings? Can my daughter repay some / all of the overpayment that she has recieved last year?

Spent 90 mins on phone to SF today but they were unable to suggest a solution.

Hi there, we can't access accounts on this platform. If you're able to contact us on 0300 100 0607 we'll look into this and help you further. Thanks, Jason

Thanks Jason - As I mentioned I tried that and spent an hour an a half on the phone talking through someone else while they consulted with someone else that knew more. It was quite frustrating and at the end of the day the answer was - we cannot base calculation off more accurate / recent estimates.

The question is kind of general and does not really require access to specific information. In a nutshell - Does reducing the amount a student requests potentially impact the amount that would be later calculated on actual confirmed earning.

I'll work it out.

Hi there,

For a 23/24 application we'll ask for your 21/22 income, so that sounds normal. Is there a reason why you think this will result in an overpayment, can you please clarify?

Thanks, Graeme

Hi Graeme,

Maybe I have misunderstood. Is the actual amount recalculated when actual earnings for 23/24 are known? Or is the loan fixed based on 21/22 earnings?

Hi there,

We assess all students based on 21/22 (for 23/24 applications). If you expected your 23/24 income to be 15% less than 21/22 then we can do a reassessment and assess the students based on your 23/24 expected income. Once the tax year is complete we'll ask for evidence of your actual earnings and a form for you to complete so that we can check the student isn't overpaid (or underpaid) based on the previous estimations. Thanks, Jason

OK thanks Jason but still not clear. So if, and only if, you ask for an assessment based on estimated 23/24 will actual figures be asked for and an adjustment made?

Otherwise 21/22 actual earnings is used and no adjustment will be made later?

That's correct. You only need to do the current year if you expect the household income to be 15% less than 21/22 and or/if you wish to do a reassessment. He also has 9 months from when the course starts to submit this evidence to us. Thanks, Jason

Thanks Jason, all clear.

Now just need to work out why my son has been awarded more than the maximum in his first year while my daughter has the minimum in her last year but I'll call on that.

Hi there,

We assess all students based on 21/22 (for 23/24 applications). If you expected your 23/24 income to be 15% less than 21/22 then we can do a reassessment and assess the students based on your 23/24 expected income. Once the tax year is complete we'll ask for evidence of your actual earnings and a form for you to complete so that we can check the student isn't overpaid (or underpaid) based on the previous estimations. Thanks, Jason

This has turned out to be incorrect.

My daughter has been told that her loan this year has been recalculated based on my actual earnings reported for 22/23 and that she now has to repay this. Even though they still want to base this years loan on 21/22.

They are a total mess and so difficult to understand.

Hi there,

Sorry to just confirm, for your daughter, you previously submitted a CYI form to base your figures on the current tax year, is that correct and is the current tax year (23/24) expected to be 15% less than 21/22. Or are you wanting to use the 21/22 figures and not the 23/24? Thanks, Jason

No - that's not correct.

My earnings INCREASED in 22/23 - I could not submit a CYI form as my earnings had NOT decreased, they had increased - in fact they still will not let me do this now which is why I started this question. Therefore they never recalculated for the increase. i was told they would not recalculate for this increase - but now they have.

They're not even talking about 23/24 - just 22/23.