Hi Everyone,
I'm sorry for the relatively-long post, but I just can't seem to reduce my story into smaller text.. Please seat comfortably and read into it if you have a spare minute. Tnx!
So, there are others in a very similar situation as I am! The SLC has been a total joke this year, I can't believe this is possible!!! They have taken my status that the LEA had given me before and have taken all my grants away for this year.. I had difficulties accepting this after 3 years of successful applications through the LEA (I'm now in the 4th year after 2 years + 1 Erasmus year), but I did accept it and lived with it.. However, they are now asking back ALL the money from the grants for the last 3 years (more than £7,000!!) with immediate due date and they do it in the most neutral robotised manner possible: "This is a letter from overpayment department.. this this and that.. Please send us a cheque or pay by a bank transfer. Thank you." !?!
Isn't this just ridiculous? How is that possible in the first place? There should be some sense, there are people in there too, or are we just Customer Reference numbers for them?
So, to put my long, very long as short as possible, I moved from Bulgaria the UK in August 2005 at the age of 16. I lived with my mum (she has the status of a settled person - indefinite leave to remain) and my step-dad, a UK citizen. In 2006 (Bulgaria was still not in the EU so I needed a Visa) I obtained an Indefinite leave to enter/remain in the UK as a child under 18 (my mum had already had a settled status). In April 2007, I started working part-time at local solicitors office and continued doing this for 3 years.
In September the same year, I got accepted at Uni and applied for the loans. I did that at the Local Educational Authority. I had no clue how it worked so I just submitted what they asked for. One day I ended up seeing a large amount of money on my bank account - they had decided to give me the full maintenance loan and grant. Excellent, I thought, so I qualify, lucky me. This continued for 3 academic years until this fatal 2010/11.
They stated that I was going to be considered by the Migrant Worker Team (centralised up in Darlington, no more decision power given to the LEA). I applied already in January 2010 for the 2010/11 year. After this I kept receiving letters and email with confusing information. Finally, I got them all the documents they needed (seemingly). I received a reply that I was rejected (because I got the student 20h per week work allowed yellow card because that's what they told me I needed actually! and the documents from my employer which I provided.
So, there it is: August 2010 I received a letter: We're sorry, but this is not enough to prove to us that you are working sufficiently as it only limits you to 20h per week. I then dug into my documents and realised that the Visa I was granted in 2006 gives me full working rights. I sent them a copy of it.
They stated the following: no, you have a settlement visa and you are treated as a UK citizen. Therefore, you are not eligible because you need to have lived in the UK for the 3 years prior to the start of your degree. So, I had moved to the UK in Aug 2005, started Uni Sept 2007, 2yrs 1 month. They said that I can no longer rely on being a EU migrant worker.. Then they asked for everything back! How is it possible? I think it is grossly unfair... Through no fault of mind did I obtain the grants from the LEA, I had not intended to deceive or mislead anyone.. Now they turn and they take my status away? Can they overrule the LEA for the past 3 years? Well, they did.. But how is this any just..
It's like telling your kid: hey son, here are £10, go buy sweets. He buys them and then you say: now now, give me back all the £10! ? It's ludicrous.. I appealed on 2 stages now, but they keep saying that I am not a "Migrant Worker".. How can they be so stuck into words? It is also about human lives... And, if anyone knows, is it possible for them to prevent me from exercising my right as a European Citizen to be a "European Migrant Worker" and is it just to say that my settled status overrides it? I only have a Bulgarian citizenship at the end of the day, surely I am still an EU citizen before everything else..
Well, thanks for reading into my story and if anyone can help with anything, it's very welcome..
Cheers!