Why is my grant still based on my parents?

dlofnep

Just rang the grant's office cos I need to move out - I'm currently only get €855 a year grant. It can't be increased even though I'll essentially have nothing left after rent and food - all because my parents earn X amount?

I'm not sure why this affects me because:

A) I'm not living with them and I'm 25 this year.
I don't get a penny from them.

<Snip>

smashey

dlofnep, while we will try to help you here, please refrain from generalisations about other people and their entitlements.

dlofnep

Sorry man - just venting. You know how it gets. Just really irked about the whole situation..

coffee_cake

dlofnep wrote:

Just rang the grant's office cos I need to move out - I'm currently only get €855 a year grant. It can't be increased even though I'll essentially have nothing left after rent and food - all because my parents earn X amount?

I'm not sure why this affects me because:

A) I'm not living with them and I'm 25 this year.
I don't get a penny from them.

<Snip>

It shouldn't affect you over 23, did you mark clearly on whatever application form that you're a mature student? I filled out county council grant forms and you have to mark that in several places, and then in theory the parents shouldn't be counted...

dlofnep

dlofnep wrote:

Just rang the grant's office cos I need to move out - I'm currently only get €855 a year grant. It can't be increased even though I'll essentially have nothing left after rent and food - all because my parents earn X amount?

I'm not sure why this affects me because:

A) I'm not living with them and I'm 25 this year.
I don't get a penny from them.

<Snip>

Unfortunately, it simply is the way the system is at present. Although you are 25, I assume that you were either living with them when you started college or that you were under 23 on the 1st of January in the year you started college. If you feel that you should be earning more, you can engage with them, try to get something signed from your parents declaring how they haven't supported you for X years, but this is not foolproof. It is up to the Council or VEC, so the only thing you can do is engage with them. If there is an obvious disagreement, you can go above them to the Dept. of Education.

But if you are 25 (or over 23 on the 1st of January in the year you are starting college), independent from your parents, can prove you pay your own bills, live away from home and are starting college, then you should be assessed only on your own income.

There's nothing wrong with consulting with your Council to enquite why exactly you only receive a certain amount per year. If you're struggling, your college should have something called the Student Assistance Fund which you can apply to. This is essentially an emergency fund to help anyone who is struggling in college. You can get more information from your Students' Union and/or your tutor and/or the relevant Student Advisors/Services.

Good luck.

dlofnep

Yes, I said it to the guy on the phone that I'm a mature student and he said it's whatever I was initially means tested with last year.

dlofnep

Myth wrote:

Unfortunately, it simply is the way the system is at present. Although you are 25, I assume that you were either living with them when you started college or that you were under 23 on the 1st of January in the year you started college.

I was 23 when I started college. I applied as a mature student. I'll see what I can do. I'm not very confrontational so when someone says something, I usually just accept it. But this is one case where I really do need the assistance.

I wouldn't apply for college assistance as that is a loan and I wouldn't be able to pay it back. I already have a car loan.

dlofnep

dlofnep wrote:

I was 23 when I started college. I applied as a mature student. I'll see what I can do. I'm not very confrontational so when someone says something, I usually just accept it. But this is one case where I really do need the assistance.

I wouldn't apply for college assistance as that is a loan and I wouldn't be able to pay it back. I already have a car loan.

Just to be clear - there's 23 when you start college, and 23 on the 1st of January in the year you start college. The first one will leave you in the dependent mature student category (if you turned 23 after the 1st of January that year), the second will leave you in the independent mature category.

And the Student Assistance Fund isn't a loan, you don't have to pay it back. If it does get difficult, keep it in the back of your head. It might only be around €200, but it might be essential at one point during the year. College is expensive!

dlofnep

I started college last September (2006) and I was 23 at that time, and 23 from the december before it (2005). So I would of been 23 when that january came around.

Grand, well then assuming that you were completely independent of your parents (and could prove it with bills etc.) you should be assessed on your own income. Sounds like they made a mistake.

Time to be confrontational

dlofnep

Cheers man, gunna pop into them tomorrow. Can't really accomplish too much over the phone. I wasn't away from home last year, but am this year BTW.

dlofnep

dlofnep wrote:

I wasn't away from home last year, but am this year BTW.

Ah, unfortunately this might change everything. Sorry for dragging this out, but if you were living away from your parents on the 1st of October 2005 (the october before you started college), as well as all the independent stuff I mentioned, you would be and independent mature candidate. If you were living at home then, you would be a mature candidate but dependent still in their eyes on your parents/guardians, thus assessed on both your income, your spouse's (if applicable) and your parents/guardians. But do drop into them to find out for sure.

Sorry if this is confusing you at this stage

eve

When you go talk to them be nice and tell them that there's been a change in your circumstances since you were assessed last year and you want to make sure that they have taken that into consideration

dlofnep

Ok thanks

dlofnep

I popped down today, she said I can't change my grant and the only way around it would be to drop out of college for a year, then reapply for a new grant next year. Absolutely fuming I am. I'm going to speak to local minister Martin Cullen first thing monday morning about it.

McGinty

Hi Op

Unfortunately this also happened to a friend of mine, the assessement for each year is based on the first year on college and they are pretty inmoveable on that factor. You can take it further by writing to the Department of Education and they may be able to reassess it that way.

dlofnep

Cheers McGinty, I plan on it.