Student Finance

[parris]

Why do Student Finance require evidence of parents' income at the time of the application for dependent students when it would be a lot easier and quicker for them to check this out with HMRC directly when the application is submitted.

I have seen some parents distressed as they feel that they are being hassled via Student Finance even though they sent in the required evidence of income but Student Finance is not satisfied with that. A friend of mine is being queried on ther final tax code on the P60 which according to Student Finance indicates that she has another job or source of income whereas she only works part-time in one job without any other source of income. She was receiving Widows Mother allowance and had sent in proof of that when applying for her son's 2nd year uni fees/loan.

[boxtops]

It's up to the individual applicant to evidence income - the universities don't have either the time or the right to investigate without side agencies. (There's a question of data protection too - I wouldn't want my tax affairs revealed to anyone without my express permission.) It's up to the parent to clarify the situation with the university, not for them to verify it from the other end.
There was a similar question earlier about benefits - the applicant has to provide full details, the onus for doing that is theirs not the the funding organisation.

[boxtops]

^ with outside agencies