How much do you give your student offspring?

[bqf]

M'dear PHers

My lad is off to Uni in a month. Being an insanely old person (50!), I can't really remember much about my uni days, except I got a full grant, took as much loan as possible and worked every holiday. I had no parental financial support, so I paid my own way.

My son is in a different position. No grants, all loans etc.

So I'm wondering - ignore tuition fees and accommodation for now - how much should I give him per month to live on? Just subsistence and entertainment?

What do other people give? Trying to get a sense of it. He's on campus in Keele, but perilously close to the bright lights of Manchester....

Any thoughts welcome

[superlightr]

isnt that what the student loan is for?

We have 3 children with 2 going to Uni at the same time in 2 yrs. We will pay for their food but thats it. I have fast and expensive cars to fund.

[randlemarcus]

I don't think any of my three had regular income - they certainly didn't from me, maybe their Mum gave them some, but I doubt it. The loan is sized to feed, house and minimally entertain them, and that theory proved to be true. There have been mutterings, but am not rich enough to have funded them, and I did take them out for the odd feed if passing

[Evanivitch]

OP, assuming bills are included at this time? And transport costs?

£100-200 a month would cover food and a limited social life. You might find yourself coughing up for train tickets etc. And then the rest will require a part time job.

superlightr said:

isnt that what the student loan is for?

We have 3 children with 2 going to Uni at the same time in 2 yrs. We will pay for their food but thats it. I have fast and expensive cars to fund.

Student loans are means tested. The government's expectation is that the more your parents earn the more they will support you financially. Which is absurd as they're adult students.

[liner33]

We paid accommodation and £400pm

[craig1912]

We pay his rent and he uses his loan for living expenses. He’s managed to save enough to live on during his masters year (only tuition fees are loaned for a Masters).
Rent is around £430pm.

[JagYouAre]

superlightr said:

isnt that what the student loan is for?

We have 3 children with 2 going to Uni at the same time in 2 yrs. We will pay for their food but thats it. I have fast and expensive cars to fund.

My student loan covered my tuition fee and nothing else (this was when it was still about £3k a year c. 2002). If my parents hadn't given me an allowance to cover food and rent, I'd have had to get a job

[bompey]

Ours gets the £9250 plus maintenance grant of about £5k and we top up with another £140 per week. We’ve just upped that from £120 pw.

[AndyAudi]

Just a word of caution, I’ve seen quite a few kids really struggle to manage cash. I’d perhaps suggest giving whatever you decide half monthly & half weekly as a start (eg standing order for £50/week with a £200monthly top up). That should help them think/plan spending on non essentials a little & allow you to vary the top up if needs be

[Countdown]

I'm a complete tightarse.

They all worked from 16 onwards to save up from University costs (evening and weekend jobs at Asda and maccy's). The older ones have left but my youngest is still at Uni and will have worked from the beginning of June to the end of September in a combination of various internships and maccy's.

Nothing wrong with having a good time but you need to work for it and not expect to be funded by others.

[cb31]

AndyAudi said:

Just a word of caution, I’ve seen quite a few kids really struggle to manage cash. I’d perhaps suggest giving whatever you decide half monthly & half weekly as a start (eg standing order for £50/week with a £200monthly top up). That should help them think/plan spending on non essentials a little & allow you to vary the top up if needs be

Absolutely, one of my mates was straight down the record shop as soon as his student loan came in. Skint for the rest of the term.

[RicksAlfas]

£100 a week for food and booze other daily expenses. Sheffield.

[Evanivitch]

Countdown said:

I'm a complete tightarse.

They all worked from 16 onwards to save up from University costs (evening and weekend jobs at Asda and maccy's). The older ones have left but my youngest is still at Uni and will have worked from the beginning of June to the end of September in a combination of various internships and maccy's.

Nothing wrong with having a good time but you need to work for it and not expect to be funded by others.

Government's own expectation is that parents support students financially through their studies. Hence why maintenance loans are means adjusted.

Even working 4 months a year full time, and 8 months at 15 hours a week (on top of potentially 20+ uni contact hours and further 15+ hours studying), you'd be looking at £10k-15k annually. Accomodation costs are now £6k in uni halls, and nearer £8k in private halls. Cheaper in HMO, but bills are crazy and you can't control the thermostats...

[bompey]

AndyAudi said:

Just a word of caution, I’ve seen quite a few kids really struggle to manage cash. I’d perhaps suggest giving whatever you decide half monthly & half weekly as a start (eg standing order for £50/week with a £200monthly top up). That should help them think/plan spending on non essentials a little & allow you to vary the top up if needs be

If this is their first year I’d suggest an up front loading, say £500 -£1000 extra as memberships can have joining fees, eg gym, rugby club etc.
I also agree with staggering it which is why we transfer weekly rather than termly.

[Jakg]

superlightr said:

isnt that what the student loan is for?

We have 3 children with 2 going to Uni at the same time in 2 yrs. We will pay for their food but thats it. I have fast and expensive cars to fund.

Evanivitch said:

Countdown said:

I'm a complete tightarse.

They all worked from 16 onwards to save up from University costs (evening and weekend jobs at Asda and maccy's). The older ones have left but my youngest is still at Uni and will have worked from the beginning of June to the end of September in a combination of various internships and maccy's.

Nothing wrong with having a good time but you need to work for it and not expect to be funded by others.

Government's own expectation is that parents support students financially through their studies. Hence why maintenance loans are means adjusted.

https://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2020/09/martin-lewis--how-much-the-govt-expects-parents-to-give-their-ch/

[bqf]

His loan won't even cover the accommodation, sadly. It's means-tested and i appear to be rich, although I am clearly not.

I was thinking around £140pw, so that seems to chime with others, thanks

[theboss]

Evanivitch said:

Government's own expectation is that parents support students financially through their studies. Hence why maintenance loans are means adjusted.

Which IMO is ridiculous when they are deemed a legal adult and means tested accordingly for any other form of government support. Parental finances shouldn't come into it. I'm a tight and won't be paying for any of mine unless I'm convinced they're doing something seriously worthwhile.

[Tom8]

Make them earn it. Help reduce the sense of entitlement of which we see so much in this country these days. Help out by all means but don't let them not work to contribute and appreciate the value.

[Evanivitch]

theboss said:

Which IMO is ridiculous when they are deemed a legal adult and means tested accordingly for any other form of government support. Parental finances shouldn't come into it. I'm a tight and won't be paying for any of mine unless I'm convinced they're doing something seriously worthwhile.

I agree, but that isn't a decision made by students, or even people that had to pay for their university education!

[Ziplobb]

going into his final year and nothing !
he has just had a years placement with BAE and they have paid him £1500 a month net. If he cant get by on his savings there is something wrong. He has lived at home FOC during that time.