Been told i have been overpaid a maintainence loan when i was paid correctly..

I began studying a full time course and was entitled to the full amount of maintainence loan but approximately 2/3 of the way into the course I changed to being part-time. I rang up and was told i need to complete a change of circumstances form which asked me for the start date of my course. I am now being told that the overpayment has occured because i put the start date when asked and not the date i became part-time which it didn't ask.
I am worried sick about this overpayment i don't technically owe.

I have rang SFE but they are adamant i do have to immediately repay the sum I was paid when full time due to putting the start date of my course on the form and this leading them to assume I was part time from the start, which was not the case and my university can account for this.
I am considering legal advice should i still get no resolution to this because it is stressing me so much that such an error has been made.
Can someone pls help by offering any advice?

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 1

normaw

Volunteer Section Leader, Clearing and Applications Advisor

I moved your thread to the Ask SFE forum so that an official SFE/SLC rep can advise you.

Reply 2

Drew SLC

Official Rep

Hi there,

Is this for the 2023/24 academic year? Why did your course change part way through from full time to part time? Have you been asked to provide any evidence?

Thanks, Drew

Reply 3

Uni_jill

Original post

by Drew SLC

Hi there,
Is this for the 2023/24 academic year? Why did your course change part way through from full time to part time? Have you been asked to provide any evidence?
Thanks, Drew

I changed to part time. I filled in a chnage of circumstances form

Reply 4

Drew SLC

Official Rep

Hi there,

Why did you change to part time. Was the Maintenance Loan and Tuition Fee Loan already been paid? If you had already applied as a full time student then a Change of Circumstances form would not be processed and change your application to part time as they are different applications.

Thanks, Drew

Reply 5

Uni_jill

Original post

by Drew SLC

Hi there,
Why did you change to part time. Was the Maintenance Loan and Tuition Fee Loan already been paid? If you had already applied as a full time student then a Change of Circumstances form would not be processed and change your application to part time as they are different applications.
Thanks, Drew

Wow! That's absolutely incredible. I was sent that form twice after explaining my situation and that i vould no longer manage the full time hours due to other commitments. I also rang up to query it because there was no section on the form to document the date i became a part time student.
How can this be resolved? It is causing me immense stress.

Reply 6

Uni_jill

Original post

by Drew SLC

Hi there,
Why did you change to part time. Was the Maintenance Loan and Tuition Fee Loan already been paid? If you had already applied as a full time student then a Change of Circumstances form would not be processed and change your application to part time as they are different applications.
Thanks, Drew

Do you have a contact number? I have tried so many times to resolve this and no advisor cares enough to help properly and be a consistent on this. I need help with this desperately.

Reply 7

David SLC

Official Rep

Original post

by Uni_jill

Do you have a contact number? I have tried so many times to resolve this and no advisor cares enough to help properly and be a consistent on this. I need help with this desperately.

Hi there. Our contact number is 0300 100 0607 or you can speak with us via live chat from your online account. I can understand your frustration with this but if you contact us again above we will be able to assist further and advice correctly on what the next steps required would be. Thanks again, David

Reply 8

Uni_jill

Original post

by David SLC

David, i have contacted this number numerous times, in addition to me doing it i also have a caseworker trying to establish a regular point of contact on this matter as he is getting continually passed around, hung up on, put through to email addresses where the respondent disappears etc etc etc also.
I cannot be asked to repay a debt for something where someone has made an error and refuse to sufficiently help and assist.
You provide that telephone number like it wasn't the one that's woen the buttons off my phone already. I am posting on this forum as a LAST RESORT, the next is legal advice. I do noy routinely employ solicitors to deal with ossues that just require a phone number be given to me.

Reply 9

David SLC

Official Rep

Hi there. I understand but there is not another contact number that we can provide. As mentioned previously in this thread, for your situation we would not be able to process this with a Change of Circumstances form as this would not be a simple change. Your situation is for a change in Mode of Study, and for this we require a completely new application. However from here, we can only provide general information and cannot access accounts. Due to this, we can only advise again that you contact us on the number provided so an adviser can review this further. Thanks again, David