Communication with SLC "Customer Care"

[totalmichael]

Hi,
I recently applied for further student support as I have started a new course this year. I was unable to progress my support as the SLC have reported me to be in arrears.

I have a loan from 1996 that is allegedly in areears, as many other have experienced. SLC have 2004 as the last deferal point. The last phone call with them they informed me that the loan has passed maturity. i.e. they will no longer accept deferals. Is this possible?

Also, after an hour and a half on the phone to an agent and her manager, I have managed to push for a vulnerable person review as I have been suffering with mental illness. Partly to do with their harassment amongst other things.

While this case is in review of Customer care, they have temporarily suspended any action regarding arrears. I am expecting a call from them tomorrow so they can find out why I was unable to defer previously. I think they want to eliminate deferal as an option at all costs!

I reallly need this deferal so I can continue study as I cannot pay off £2500 before they will release further student support.

Can you offer any guidance about talking to them?

I think I have the rigth place for SLC issues, so no surprises that here is another unhappy customer!

Regards,
Total

[daveydavey]

hi what is a vulnerable person review ? never heard of this before. Were you or are you in receipt of DLA ? was your last deferment 3 years or 1 year ? what happened with the last deferment - did you get a new deferral form sent to you ? have you tried the formal complaints procedure ?

[totalmichael]

OK,

I will post some transcripts of emails in due course.

This may be of help to some people who have been in a vulnerable situation such as:
Financial Hardship
Mental Illness
Extenuating circumstances.

People will need to ask for this kind of review as it is only meant for those in vulnerable situations.

More will follow.

[totalmichael]

Ok,

Read on if you have had difficulty with SLC deferring AND you can qualify yourself as being in a vulnerable position. SLC will term a vulnerable position with one of following but not limited to:

Extreme financial hardship/poverty
Mental health issues/illness
Extreme personal circumstances
OR any qualifiable reason that you were not able to manage your loan effectively.

You will need to prove such a case with some kind of hard evidence such as a letter from your doctor or CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse), letter from a counsellor or any kind of physical evidence to back up your claim.

I am not defending SLC here but you will need yo make sure you have a definite case or they will throw your case out.

In my case, I was suffering extreme poverty whilst waiting for a Crown Court Case and was being looked after by a CPN. SLC took letter fom my doctor as physical proof and reset the loan from the start. I will still need to defer every year but I now have a template deferment form (I will try and post it here).

In light of this, I would recommend the method of threes for contacting SLC with deferment forms:
1: FAX
2: Email
3: Post

THey cannot ignore all three forms and each has their own proof of postage/delivery. Keep these records!

There is too much to write here so ask any questions and I will try and answer them. This process took about two weeks, exepct a timeline of 4-6 weeks if you try it yourself. Good luck.

Total