Have you had your loan stuff back yet? Cos i ain't.

[Matt Hamer]

Howdy everyone

Hope everyone is well. I knew the first place to come to about this, and
here i am.

I haven't had owt back off the student loan people/my LEA (Lancashire) yet.
i heard a rumour, that apparently, it has all been cocked up this year, and
hardly anyone has had their stuff back...thus meaning hardly anyone will get
their first installment of wonga on time!! DISASTER!!!

Does anyone else have any info on this matter? Are we gonna be living off
Asda Smartprice for September and October?

Thanks loads
Matt

[Matt]

Post by Matt Hamer
I haven't had owt back off the student loan people/my LEA (Lancashire) yet.
i heard a rumour, that apparently, it has all been cocked up this year, and
hardly anyone has had their stuff back...thus meaning hardly anyone will get
their first installment of wonga on time!! DISASTER!!!

Today I got the confirmation letter telling me how much I'll get (and 2
more for my parents, which annoys them no end...) and another two letters
pestering me for bank account details, which I haven't given them yet
(because I haven't opened an account yet... any recommendations/
experiences?)

Post by Matt Hamer
Does anyone else have any info on this matter? Are we gonna be living off
Asda Smartprice for September and October?

Adsa? Nothing wrong with Asda!

Try Lidl, or Aldi, or Nisa, or, I think, Netto. Lidl have good Belgian
chocolate, to be fair. And Aldi have excellent deals on computers
sometimes.

Results tomorrow....

[Matt Hamer]

Post by Matt
(because I haven't opened an account yet... any recommendations/
experiences?)

Hmmmm i see. Which LEA are you with?

Barclays. Top banana. HMV/waterstone voucher freebies too. 1,500k interest
free o/d in your third year. v good graduate package.

Post by Matt
Adsa? Nothing wrong with Asda!

Asda - WHAT A SHOP. but Smartprice - ive been there and done that, and it's
not a happy place.

Cheers
Matt

[Ian B.]

Post by Matt Hamer

Post by Matt
(because I haven't opened an account yet... any recommendations/
experiences?)

Hmmmm i see. Which LEA are you with?
Barclays. Top banana. HMV/waterstone voucher freebies too. 1,500k interest
free o/d in your third year. v good graduate package.

So HMV/Waterstone vouchers (totalling £50 max IIRC) are better than £55 of
hard cash or £100 worth of railcard? I'd go with Natwest or HSBC if that's
what your after. Can't remember about overdrafts OTOH, but these three are
pretty similar. If all goes well tomorrow maybe Matt should consider
Natwest, as they have a branch at Imperial?

Post by Matt Hamer

Post by Matt
Adsa? Nothing wrong with Asda!

Asda - WHAT A SHOP. but Smartprice - ive been there and done that, and it's
not a happy place.

I thought being a student, living on Asda Smartprice comes with the
lifestyle (or Tesco Value)? Anyhow, I got my stuff back quite quick, but I
sent it off in April (Herts LEA). It has been cocked up, but they have said
anyone who applies by the deadline will be getting their loans on time. If
it was really long ago you applied maybe you should phone 'em up to check.
If not your big (interest free) overdraft should tide you over anyhow.

[Matt]

Post by Ian B.

Post by Matt Hamer

Post by Matt
(because I haven't opened an account yet... any recommendations/
experiences?)

Hmmmm i see. Which LEA are you with?

Leicestershire. And I gave the form in on the last day (my parents were
being uncooperative in telling me what I needed to know).

Post by Ian B.

Post by Matt Hamer
Barclays. Top banana. HMV/waterstone voucher freebies too. 1,500k
interest free o/d in your third year. v good graduate package.

So HMV/Waterstone vouchers (totalling £50 max IIRC) are better than
£55 of hard cash or £100 worth of railcard? I'd go with Natwest or
HSBC if that's what your after. Can't remember about overdrafts OTOH,
but these three are pretty similar. If all goes well tomorrow maybe
Matt should consider Natwest, as they have a branch at Imperial?

Yes, I saw Natwest and HSBC were doing Railcards. I think I'd get the cash
though, I'm not sure the railcard would be that useful -- after all, I can
get a coach to Leicester for £1, and a bus home for £1.25. The coach
wasn't too bad either, I used it when I went for my interview. Even
arrived on time! I prefer the train, but at that price... well, the train
seems to be around £20!

[Matt Hamer]

Post by Matt
Leicestershire. And I gave the form in on the last day (my parents were
being uncooperative in telling me what I needed to know).

I see. I had mine in on time too. ...

OK, Natwest are pretty good, and yea you do get 60 quid if you open it at a
"student" branch. I forgot about them. I have an account with them which i
use to pay my house bills out of. (Cheeky, ey). Plus, Tracey at my Natwest
is a top bird, and got me a copy of a cheque once when Severn Trent water
were robbing me of money, and she even phoned me when it was ready.
Excellent.

As far as i remember, (although who knows what its like these days - this
was 2 years ago) HSBC are pretty lame with their OD's, Plus, you had to
apply for the student account at some ridiculously early date. But I think
that was a misprint and they extended it. Anyway, whatever bank you're at,
if you get to know your student banker person, and they like you and your
finances, they will give you whatever OD you want. :)

Thanks for all the comments so far. And hope everyone's results went OK and
you enjoy your celebrations tonight...i remember my A level results night
very well (so to speak) at the now closed Waterfront in Blackpool, and it
was ace. Apart from the fact my mate gave me a firemans lift and i lost
loads of money and my 'phone....I never wore those trousers again.

Cheers
Matt

[Ray Pang]

Post by Matt Hamer

Post by Matt
(because I haven't opened an account yet... any recommendations/
experiences?)

Hmmmm i see. Which LEA are you with?
Barclays. Top banana. HMV/waterstone voucher freebies too. 1,500k interest
free o/d in your third year. v good graduate package.

I think Smile offer £2000 in the final year. I think Natwest's graduate
package is better, but you can change banks when you graduate to take
advantage of who is best at the time.

[T.]

Post by Matt
Today I got the confirmation letter telling me how much I'll get (and 2
more for my parents, which annoys them no end...) and another two letters
pestering me for bank account details, which I haven't given them yet
(because I haven't opened an account yet... any recommendations/
experiences?)

Open them all. Pick one for the student finance stuff.

[John Porcella]

As I got my PGCE place confirmed way back, I sent off my paperwork so early
that the LEA sent it back with a note to state that I had to wait a couple
of months before sending it to them again! Thus I sent it at the very
earliest that they would process it, April, and it still took an age to get
it approved for a student loan and a HE grant.

I just shudder to think how undergraduates are going to cope if they get no
money at the start of their courses, as is rumoured to be the case.

[aonghus heatley]

Post by Matt Hamer
Howdy everyone
Hope everyone is well. I knew the first place to come to about this, and
here i am.
I haven't had owt back off the student loan people/my LEA (Lancashire) yet.
i heard a rumour, that apparently, it has all been cocked up this year, and
hardly anyone has had their stuff back...thus meaning hardly anyone will get
their first installment of wonga on time!! DISASTER!!!
Does anyone else have any info on this matter? Are we gonna be living off
Asda Smartprice for September and October?
Thanks loads
Matt

Only a provisional statement so far... the final one usually follows
shortly. This year for some reason, my fees are half what they
usually are!