Maintenance loan query

Hi, is there anyone that could help me with this please?

I am a lone parent carer starting a full-time degree (child is under 20 in fulltime education). My student finance account showed £10,337 for my maintenance loan until today. I have applied for the Special support loan (£4327) and PLA (£1963). Today my maintenance loan has increased to £11,768 and when I queried the £1541 increase I was told it's made up of the following;

Maintenance loan - £7441
Long course element £110
Special Support Loan £4327
TOTAL £11,768

The PLA is being awarded in addition to this as a grant.

I don't understand why my maintenance loan has suddenly been reduced to £7441. I have checked with an online assistant and they said it was due to my income but this has not changed since I applied.

Can anyone offer any advice?
Thank you

Reply 1

Leah SLC

Official Rep

Hi there. The reason the Maintenance Loan (ML) looks as though it's reduced is because the Special Support Loan (SSL) is making up part of the ML now. The SSL is essentially the Maintenance Loan under a different name. It’s deemed non-taxable and is not considered as student income by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

So, the entitlement is not £10,337 (ML) + £4327 (SSL). We recalculate the ML with the SSL entitlement, the part that is disregarded by the DPW. Thanks, Leah.

Reply 2

Deebs3

Original post by Leah SLC

Hi there. The reason the Maintenance Loan (ML) looks as though it's reduced is because the Special Support Loan (SSL) is making up part of the ML now. The SSL is essentially the Maintenance Loan under a different name. It’s deemed non-taxable and is not considered as student income by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
So, the entitlement is not £10,337 (ML) + £4327 (SSL). We recalculate the ML with the SSL entitlement, the part that is disregarded by the DPW. Thanks, Leah.