Reduced UC

[Sls88]

Hi, I started university in September and received my student maintenance loan.
I get £13,635.00 a year plus £4,014.00 for special support element and £1,821.00 in grants. I am a single parent to 4 children. My universal credit payments are only £338 per month which doesn’t even cover my rent. On the bottom of my student finance award letter it states that the first £4,014 of the maintenance loan is disregarded as it is for essential living costs.
I have argued with UC that they have calculated my payment wrong but they are saying it is correct.
a breakdown is as follows-
standard allowance- £324.84
housing- £510.64
children- £756.66
total entitlement before deductions- £1592.14

deductions from income- £1253.50

which leaves £338.64

i know online calculators are not accurate but if I put in my student maintenance money as income from work I’m entitled to a lot more.

can any one help please as financially I’m really struggling for money

[Kate Lamb]

Sls88 hi & welcome to the community

apologies for the delay in replying - its been a crazy busy day

You sf deduction seems very high but I can check what they have done & give you the correct calculation if theirs is incorrect

I have a feeling they haven’t disregarded your special support element & done;
£13,635/10 - £110 = £1,253.50

I just need a couple of dates from you; firstly what are your uc ap dates? And what are your exact course start & end dates for the academic year please?

[Sls88]

Hi,
so my assessment period dates are 15th-14th.
my academic dates are- 20th September- 6th June

[Sls88]

[Kate Lamb]

Fab thank you

So first relevant ap 15th sep-14th oct
final ap 15th april-14th may
= 8 ap’s

For some reason it looks like they have done as above £13,635 / 10 - £110 = £1,253.50

However they haven’t taken into account your special support element & they have divided over too many ap’s

The correct sum should be;
£13,635 - £4,014 = £9,621
£9,621 / 8 = £1,202.62
£1,202.62 - £110 = £1,092.62

so you are being underpaid by £160.88 per ap & they would of been taking the deduction for longer than they should of.

You need to pop a note on your journal asking your case manager to check your student finance calculation as it has been wrongly calculated & not taken into account your special support element disregarded & over too many ap’s

[Sls88]

Who do i ask for this decision to be reviewed please as this was there latest response when asking for decision maker.

[Kate Lamb]

Pop this on under “a payment”

Dear case manager,

I have sought advice from universal credit essentials (registration number SC050201) & believe my student finance deductions to be incorrect

My course dates are 20th September 2021 - 6th June 2022 making the relevant ap’s for deduction 8 ap’s

For my student finance calculation you have done maintenance loan (£13.635) / 10 ap’s - £110 = £1,253.50

However, you have not disregarded the special support element within my maintenance loan of £4,014 therefore the correct calculation should be;
£13,635 - £4,014 = £9,621
£9,621 / 8 =£1,202.62
£1,202.62 - £110 = £1,092.62

My student deduction should be from ap 15th sep-14th oct 2021 until the final deduction ap 15th april-14th may as the ap in which the course ends is diregarded

Please rectify this & have it reflected within my statements & generate underpayment that is owed to me

If I do not get a response or have this rectified I will be raising a complaint online & involving my local MP

regards