Is there any way I can claim some kind of compensation from SFE?

[Graphics_student]

As of the 18/12/09 I have still not received a penny from Student Finance England despite having started my application in June. My application as an independent student has cost me around £400 so far. This is due to the sheer amount of information required by them to come to the conclusion I have, for lack of a better term, been to poor to have been supporting myself for the last 3 years.

 

The cost have been incurred in phone bills for calls such to SFE itself, the job centre and tax offices to track down the information they (SFE) have requested. All in all about 20/25 or more hours on the phone over the months I have been trying to get in contact with them.

 

There was also the sum of £40 in september to get a new birth certificate ordered after I was told my passport would not be admissible. I was not told this by SFE despite asking when I was first asked to submit proof of identity to them whether an out of date passport was acceptable in a phone call. I discovered on applying at a bank for a student account this was not so. I then called them again after discovering this to as how to change what information I was supplying on the website. I asked in this call if I needed to send anything with a birth certificate. I was told no, I only needed to send the certificate.

 

This certificate took nearly 2 months to be processed before I was informed that I also needed to send a declaration form with it. At this point I had made more than a few calls to them trying to see what had happened to my certificate.

 

It was also at this point that I had begun to send them information about the benefits I had been receiving to support my claim as in independent student (i.e. that I was not being supported by family) and have been for over the 3 required years.

 

They finally processed the certificate near the end of October. I then sent this form to them as soon as I was able which seemingly was lost to their files. I then sent it again along with what information I had been able to get from the jobcentre confirming my benefits. I had not been able to get an official letter from the jobcentre central office despite 8 phone calls to them. I had got instead on the advice of yet another SFE advisor the form usually used by a parent, guardian or partner supporting a students application. This was received by them on the 19th of November and has yet to be processed. Had sent it to them help of my student support advisor at University, who have also been lending me money to pay my rent and bills, eat and pay for the other myriad costs of my course.

 

After a futher 2/3 weeks had passed in which they had not even entered that they had received the information into their computer system let alone processed it the Student Support advisor managed to get a direct address for a manger at SFE and resent the declaration form. The Student Support advisor had also gone through official channels to get me the information I needed from the jobcentre. This was sent to them on the 15/12/09. They have now procecced this information and decided that my limited income means I was not supporting myself and there for will not be eligible for a full loan or grant.

 

The lack of income has already impacted my course as I have missed out on trips, and other course opportunities. As I am doing a graphic design bachelor’s degree the amount of work required is intense. As are the printing and display requirements for accessments. The lack of quality printing has lowered my grade already in the first accessment.

 

He stress this has caused me has also impacted my heath with stomach problems, migraines and other “female issues” without being too graphic. I really don’t now what to do now as my course load grows heavier so does the pressure on me. If I cant get a full loan and grant I will have to drop out of university as I don’t have enough time to do my course and tae a part time job.

 

I have also now lost my mobile phone contract as I am unable to pay the last 2 months bills an so no longer have any phone as I don’t have a landline.