Advice needed for partners child's student finance

2

My partners son has started at uni and had applied for student finance and received the full entitlement, I was not named as a sponsor on his application, due to me not being a biological relative nor financially responsible for him.

My partner has recently started uni and applied for student finance and I am named as a sponsor. In turn this has triggered me being added as a sponsor to my partners sons claim and as a result his finance has reduced.

Am I eligible to remove myself from my partners sons claim, due to not being financially responsible for him, and if so will this have a further detrimental affect on his claim or will it return to the previous full amount awarded.

Thanks for your time.

Reply 1

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post

by Mr.P6

My partners son has started at uni and had applied for student finance and received the full entitlement, I was not named as a sponsor on his application, due to me not being a biological relative nor financially responsible for him.

My partner has recently started uni and applied for student finance and I am named as a sponsor. In turn this has triggered me being added as a sponsor to my partners sons claim and as a result his finance has reduced.

Am I eligible to remove myself from my partners sons claim, due to not being financially responsible for him, and if so will this have a further detrimental affect on his claim or will it return to the previous full amount awarded.

Thanks for your time.

No
Your partners son was asked to provide HOUSEHOLD income. That means income of his parent and any partner that the parent lives with. SFE and the regulations around student finance don’t consider your family financial arrangements - if you live with his parent then your income is considered as part of the household income. He’s lucky that SFE have just reduced his loan and not taken any more ruthless steps given that he submitted an application that was technically fraudulent.

The form is very clear:

He could opt to have his student finance supported by his other parent in which case their household income would be assessed instead.

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 2

Mr.P6

OP

2

Original post

by PQ

No
Your partners son was asked to provide HOUSEHOLD income. That means income of his parent and any partner that the parent lives with. SFE and the regulations around student finance don’t consider your family financial arrangements - if you live with his parent then your income is considered as part of the household income. He’s lucky that SFE have just reduced his loan and not taken any more ruthless steps given that he submitted an application that was technically fraudulent.
The form is very clear:

He could opt to have his student finance supported by his other parent in which case their household income would be assessed instead.

Thankyou for this comprehensive reply. I wasn't involved in this process so was unaware of what the requirements were.
Student finance have told him that if I supply a letter essentially refusing to give my details (although they already now have them) then his claim would return to as it was before. This doesn't sound right to me, do you have any insight into this?

Thanks again for your time.

Reply 3

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post

by Mr.P6

Thankyou for this comprehensive reply. I wasn't involved in this process so was unaware of what the requirements were.
Student finance have told him that if I supply a letter essentially refusing to give my details (although they already now have them) then his claim would return to as it was before. This doesn't sound right to me, do you have any insight into this?

Thanks again for your time.

I think you’re best waiting until one of the SFE representatives can clarify that. It doesn’t tally with my understanding at all.

Unfortunately SFE has outsourced a lot of the telephone queries to some additional staff who seem to be spouting all sorts of nonsense over the phone :frown:

the staff on TSR have a much better understanding of the systems and rules.

Reply 4

SFE Jason

Official Rep

9

Original post

by Mr.P6

Thankyou for this comprehensive reply. I wasn't involved in this process so was unaware of what the requirements were.
Student finance have told him that if I supply a letter essentially refusing to give my details (although they already now have them) then his claim would return to as it was before. This doesn't sound right to me, do you have any insight into this?
Thanks again for your time.

Hi there,

You can refuse to provide your details and indeed send us a letter to have your information removed but that would then result in them being assessed for the 'non income' amount of the loan - essentially the basic lower rate of the maintenance loan.

Unless your partners son went down the independent route - if he had 3 years of self support prior to the start of his course. Otherwise, we would need your details to assess them for the higher amount. This is because we require the full household details - even if they aren't financially dependant on you.

Thanks, Jason

Reply 5

Mr.P6

OP

2

Thanks both, for your replies, I feel clearer on the intricacies now.
Thanks for your time.

Reply 6

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post

by Mr.P6

My partners son has started at uni and had applied for student finance and received the full entitlement, I was not named as a sponsor on his application, due to me not being a biological relative nor financially responsible for him.

My partner has recently started uni and applied for student finance and I am named as a sponsor. In turn this has triggered me being added as a sponsor to my partners sons claim and as a result his finance has reduced.

Am I eligible to remove myself from my partners sons claim, due to not being financially responsible for him, and if so will this have a further detrimental affect on his claim or will it return to the previous full amount awarded.

Thanks for your time.

One other thing.
If your partner starting university means that her income will fall then it might be worth her son completing a CYI form to request a reassessment based on estimated household income in the 2024/25 tax year.