Student Grant

[iloveglee]

Would welcome some clarification of the student grant situation as the gov. website is not awfully clear. my grand-daughter has started uni and her grant for year 1 is based on her parents income as she was living at home with them when she applied. she has now left home and is living with her boyfriend. they are not lodgers, they have a privately rented flat. when she puts in her grant application for next year, will this be based still on her parents income, or on her boyfriends income. she is 19 now.

[factor-fiction]

Parents' income, I'm sure, otherwise all students would claim they are not linked financially to their parents

[Prudie]

I believe you have to be 25 or over before a partner's income is considered rather than parents.

[factor-fiction]

I think that's right, Prudie. It seems harsh to me but that's how it is

[iloveglee]

thanks for the clarification. the gov website does say under 25, dependent on parents, use parents income. over 25 living with partner, use partner's income. it doesn't say what happens if you are under 25, living with a partner. it is a bit harsh when you are genuinely in a relationship and living with someone, having severed ties with parents financially, to then expect your grant to be dependent upon your parents. can understand it between the age of 18 and 21, which is the usual age of university students, but over 21, not right. parents in this situation often are not willing, or able to support grown children who have left home and are living with a partner. usual thing isn't it, OK for the wealthy, those with very little have to suffer the consequences. incidentally, what is the situation for a married couple under age 25.

[Prudie]

I have found this - "If you are married, your partner's income will also be taken into account. If you are under 25, your parents' income may be taken into account unless you have been self-supporting for at least three years or married for at least two years prior to the start of the course".
It does seem unfair but there are lots of other unfair situations in the system - personally my daughter received no grant whatsoever because our household income was way over the threshold because of my partner. We had only been living together a year before she went and he made no financial spend on her upbringing.
When the Govt wants half of all school leavers to go to University they are going to have to be very frugal with who they give grants to.

[iloveglee]

and the result is: the rich kids go to university and the poor kids, no matter how clever they are don't. what a waste. lets all move to scotland