Miss W gave compelling personal reasons for not completing a year of her course but the Student Loans Company (SLC) did not tell her whether or not it would accept them. This influenced whether she would receive a Special Support Grant in the next academic year.
What happened
Miss W complained to the SLC about problems she had with the Childcare Grant in 2012-13 and that it had not considered the serious personal reasons why she had not completed the previous academic year. The SLC explained what payments she had received for her Childcare Grant. It initially said that it did not consider Miss W's compelling personal reasons because they related to an incident in 2009-10. When this was proved to be wrong, it said that it would not consider them because they related to events after the end of the 2011-12 academic year.
What we found
The SLC had paid Miss W the correct Childcare Grant in 2012-13. It should have considered Miss W's personal reasons because they still related to events in the 2011-12 year, even if they happened after the end of the final term.
Putting it right
The SLC apologised to Miss W, and looked again at her personal reasons.
Student Loans Company Ltd
UK
Came to an unsound decision
Did not involve complainant adequately in the process
Replied with inaccurate or incomplete information
Apology
Taking steps to put things right