DMB
18 Nov 2009, 10:47 AM
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/nov/18/university-hardship-funds-student-loans
Three-quarters of universities in England have handed out emergency cash to students after severe delays to this year's loans and grants, a survey has found.
Tens of thousands of students are still waiting for their loans due to delays after the Student Loans Company (SLC) took over from local authorities the job of processing applications. This coincided with an unprecedented rise in applications for loans fuelled by higher student numbers and the recession.
The University of Portsmouth said it had paid £80,000 to students waiting for loans and grants. Its vice-chancellor, John Craven, said: "We are angry on behalf of our students who have been badly hit by this."
The National Union of Students has called for the resignation of the SLC chief executive, Ralph Seymour-Jackson. On Monday it emerged that bosses at the company were paid £2m in bonuses last year.
Apart from those left without their loans and grants, more have received only an initial payment.
What a mess! Could an aphorism about breweries, organising ability and pissups apply?
Three-quarters of universities in England have handed out emergency cash to students after severe delays to this year's loans and grants, a survey has found.
Tens of thousands of students are still waiting for their loans due to delays after the Student Loans Company (SLC) took over from local authorities the job of processing applications. This coincided with an unprecedented rise in applications for loans fuelled by higher student numbers and the recession.
The University of Portsmouth said it had paid £80,000 to students waiting for loans and grants. Its vice-chancellor, John Craven, said: "We are angry on behalf of our students who have been badly hit by this."
The National Union of Students has called for the resignation of the SLC chief executive, Ralph Seymour-Jackson. On Monday it emerged that bosses at the company were paid £2m in bonuses last year.
Apart from those left without their loans and grants, more have received only an initial payment.
What a mess! Could an aphorism about breweries, organising ability and pissups apply?