Estrangement Full-time students 2022/23
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Estrangement
Full-time students 2022/23
What is family estrangement? relationship being irreconcilable where the
Family estrangement generally means physical parent and child stop communication.
and emotional distancing between family Estrangement might be from just one member
members. Estrangement occurs when no of the family, but can often mean
emotional support or parental guidance is estrangement from the entire family, or even
provided, and the relationship breaks down. the entire community. This can cause a number
You may no longer have a relationship with of very difficult feelings, which may feel difficult
your parents, have very limited communication to manage and affect your well-being.
with your family occasionally or have no
communication at all. This is known as family How can I apply to be assessed as an
estrangement. independent student due to estrangement?
If you are claiming independent status on the
Some parts of Student Finance England funding basis of estrangement, SFE consider you as
(SFE) i.e., part of the Maintenance Loan, are being estranged if you can demonstrate that
income assessed based your parent’s income if you are ‘irreconcilably estranged’ from your
you are under the age of 25. This means that parents on or before the 1st day of the
you are considered a dependent student and academic year for which you are applying for
you must provide evidence of your parent’s funding.
income. However, if you are estranged from
your parents, there is an exception to this rule, And/or
and your Student Finance can be assessed you have had no contact with your parents for
against your own income as an independent a period of one year on or before the 1st day of
student (on the grounds of estrangement) the academic year for which you are applying
which normally means that you would get the for student funding
maximum amount of maintenance loan. Or
you can demonstrate in another way that you
How can estrangement happen? are irreconcilably estranged from your parents.
Estrangement can take many forms and be for This means that for the short to medium term
many different reasons; often resulting in the you don’t see that you will be able to resume
your relationship with your parents. It’s more Independent team – you can also
about the likelihood of the situation being upload your scanned form to your SFE
irreconcilable than the actual period of online account via the Digital Upload
estrangement. section
• Independent team review form and if
However, if you become estranged during an acceptable re-assess the student's
academic year, it may still be possible for SFE to application
accept that you have become estranged. • If form is not acceptable an email will be
Contact Student Advice to discuss your sent to the student detailing why and if
circumstances if this happens. applicable, requesting further evidence
• A revised notification letter is then
Please bear in mind that if you normally live automatically sent, and a manual letter
with one parent only and you become issued to confirm that estrangement has
estranged from that parent, SFE will expect you been awarded
to also have no contact with your other parent
in order to be assessed as an independent In place of the estrangement declaration form,
student and they will require evidence of this. Student Finance England can also accept a
letter from an independent third party
The Student Finance England Process of confirming:
Applying as an Estranged Student
• Their relationship to the student and
• Student applies for funding and the length of time they have known the
indicates estrangement student
• Estrangement declaration form • The reasons for estrangement from
available on student's account to both parents and when this occurred
download and complete • Current contact levels and if
• Student passes estrangement reconciliation is likely with both parents
declaration form to a third party to
complete If you do not have third party evidence of your
• Third party completes form and returns estrangement, a case worker / telephone
it to the student appointment route may be offered by SFE.
• Student sends form to Student Finance
England and case is passed to the
Once you have been assessed as estranged by documents such as a Court Order, forced
SFE, you will receive an email confirming you marriage or FGM order
have been awarded independent status on the
grounds of estrangement. The email should Students sometimes ask someone who knows
have an attachment PDF letter confirming your their situation and is not a member of the
status and you can also present this letter when family to provide a letter although this is often
you apply for the university Estranged Students less effective than the supporting letter from a
Bursary. Keep your letter somewhere safe. professional person.
* Please note – if you would like a copy of the The supporting document should be on headed
SFE Declaration of Estrangement form, you can paper, if possible and the person must normally
also email us requesting this have historic knowledge of your situation as
studentadvice@westminster.ac.uk well as being able to verify that you have not
had any contact with your parents for a
What evidence should I give to SFE? substantial period, or they should be able to
SFE will require confirmation of the confirm details of any recent estrangement.
estrangement from a professional person You should not be expected to provide any
outside your family who knows about your statement that would compromise your
circumstances, for example a Teacher or Social personal safety or in doing so if it would
Worker, Doctor, Counsellor, Housing Support present significant harm to your emotional
Worker, Police or Student Welfare/Adviser at wellbeing. Student Finance England assessors
College/School. Student Finance England need will look at cases on an individual basis.
to build a picture of your family estrangement.
They can either complete the Estrangement If you have difficulty in providing robust
Declaration Form or provide a letter. evidence as described above, SFE can contact
you directly to discuss and help you to review
other possibilities. If you are contacted by SFE,
However, often students who are estranged you will be given a named Estrangement
from their parents have not had any contact Assessor who will be a consistent point of
with a professional person in relation to the contact. If no or minimal evidence of
estrangement, so it can be very difficult to get estrangement can be sourced, a telephone
such a letter. You can also submit alternative review will be arranged at a convenient time to
enable SFE to make their assessment.
What information should I include on my SFE of estrangement in the subsequent academic
Estrangement Declaration Form? year of your course, you will be contacted again
You will need to explain the nature of your to confirm your circumstances through another
individual estrangement on this form. This does telephone review.
not mean that you are saying you will never be
able to resume your relationship with your Other students who can provide evidence, will
parents, it is just saying that you don't currently be asked to complete a Declaration of
have contact with them, and don't expect to for Estrangement form each academic year and
the foreseeable future. SFE will not show this have this signed by a professional who can
form to your parents. confirm continued estrangement.
You should mention on your form the SFE Confirmation Letter of Estrangement
circumstances that led to the estrangement, You should automatically receive an email
when this happened, how it happened i.e., did attached letter confirming estrangement from
you move out and if so where did you go etc. SFE. You can also request a letter confirming
Mention your situation now (e.g., do you have that you have been assessed as independent on
any contact with your parents at all, if so, how the grounds of being estranged by ringing SFE
often and by what means – phone/email/in on 0300 100 0607. SFE staff will then refer your
person) and why you feel that the situation is query to the Independent team in order to
now irreconcilable. process your letter within a few days. Once
received, you can use this letter as evidence of
If you find this process difficult, a Student estrangement when applying for the university
Adviser can offer help and guidance with doing Estranged Students Bursary.
this. (See example letter at the end)
Am I required to prove my estrangement What should I do if my Student Finance
every year? application has been refused?
Students who have a telephone review to Please contact Student Advice as soon as
confirm their estrangement (i.e., who were possible. An Adviser can help you appeal
unable to provide full third-party evidence) will against the decision or request a reassessment.
be contacted in the following academic year to You may be required to submit further, more
seek any updated evidence. If this is the case detailed evidence.
and you are unable to provide further evidenceIs there any financial support for estranged www.westminster.ac.uk/study/current-
students from the University of Westminster? students/support-and-facilities/student-
The University of Westminster is committed to advice/support-for-estranged-students
supporting estranged students and recognises
that the transition to university and becoming a Westminster Living Expenses Support Scheme
student can be challenging, especially as an (LESS)
estranged student. Consequently, if you are The university offers additional support to
identified by SFE as being estranged, you may students who are experiencing financial
be eligible for the university Estranged Students hardship through the Westminster Living
Bursary of £1,000 each academic year. You can Expenses Support Scheme. This is a non-
apply after you have enrolled on your course. repayable grant and applications are means
You must provide SFE evidence that you have tested. Estranged students are given priority
been assessed as estranged – an SFE letter or when applying to this fund.
email confirmation of this is acceptable.
You can read about detailed support offered by
If you think you may be eligible, please contact the university here;
the university Student Funding team for an www.westminster.ac.uk/study/prospective-
application form students/fees-and-funding/undergraduate-
studentfunding@westminster.ac.uk student-funding/living-expenses-support-
T: 020 3506 6989 scheme-less
What other help and support is available from Unite Foundation Accommodation
the university? Scholarship –
The University of Westminster is delighted
The University of Westminster recognises that to have a partnership with the Unite
the transition to university and becoming a Foundation. Each year, Unite offers several
student can also be an exciting prospect but full accommodation scholarships for Care
may sometimes be challenging for young Leavers and Estranged students to live in
people studying without the support and Unite Hall accommodation for the duration
of their course. Applications close 8 June
approval of a family network. 2022 for the academic year 2022/23.
An opportunity not to be missed!
You can read about detailed support offered by For detailed Information & Guidance and
the university here; also the application form, please see;
https://thisisusatuni.org/unite-foundation-
scholarship/Or Contact: Priority is given to Care Leavers and you find
E: studentfunding@westminster.ac.uk out more about this by contacting Janet
T: 020 7911 5000 ext. 66989
Willoughby, Careers Consultant;
Career and Employability Service E: J.Willoughby@westminster.ac.uk
The University Careers team is here to help you T: 020 7911 5184
find the right job, choose a fruitful career, or
enhance your employability while at the Student Accommodation
University of Westminster. They provide help The university student accommodation office
with searching for vacancies, drafting job can offer priority Hall accommodation for
applications, preparing for interviews, and estranged students which can be all year round
finding volunteering opportunities. They also (including vacation periods) and for the
offer advice and guidance in relation to duration of your course.
choosing a career path, finding job Please contact E:
opportunities, writing CVs, completing studentaccommodation@westminster.ac.uk
application forms, preparing for interviews, and T: 020 7911 5817
preparing for psychometric testing.
The Academic Learning Development Centre
The Career and Employability Service also Aims to support you in your learning and
offers a valuable Mentoring programme. A academic development. Their role is to help
mentor facilitates personal and professional you reach your academic potential. The centre
growth in an individual by sharing the offers one-to-one academic skills tutorials and
knowledge and insights that have been learned workshops in a number of areas, like essay
through the years. Simply put, mentors are writing, presentations, and critical thinking.
people who help others to succeed. Our
schemes are designed to widen the aspirations You can read about detailed support offered by
and enhance the personal effectiveness of the university here;
students. With the help of mentors as role www.westminster.ac.uk/study/current-
models, students can build a solid foundation students/support-and-facilities/academic-
of skills from which to launch a variety of learning-development
successful careers.
Free Interview Clothes
If you are attending job interviews, you may be
aware that appropriate interview clothes areessential but can be costly. The university has
collaborated with several organisations who Student Funding Department
provide free interview clothes and aim to For information and application forms for the
empower clients to achieve economic university Estranged Students Bursary of £1,000
independence by providing a p.a and the university Hardship Fund called
network of support, professional attire, and the Living Expenses Support Scheme (LESS) You
development tools to help clients thrive in work may be eligible to apply for both funds.
and in life. You will need to provide evidence of Please contact: E:
your interview in order to be referred. studentfunding@westminster.ac.uk
T: 020 3506 6989
If you would like a referral to one of these
organisations, please contact: Janet Counselling Service
Willoughby, Careers Consultant; For personal and emotional support in order to
E: J.Willoughby@westminster.ac.uk help you deal with the difficulties that
T: 020 7911 5184 estrangement can cause, you may find it
helpful to talk confidentially to the university
The organisations we collaborate with are; Counselling Service.
Smart Works (for women) Please contact: E:
www.smartworks.org.uk counselling@westminster.ac.uk
Suited & Booted (for men) T: 020 7911 5000 Ext 6689
www.suitedbootedcentre.org.uk
Standalone
Student Advice Service Standalone is a charity that supports people of
For information and assistance with applying any age who are estranged from their family.
for Student Finance as an independent student They can offer guidance and support around
on the basis of estrangement and information issues such as finding accommodation and
about the university Estranged Students applying for Student Finance as an independent
Bursary of £1,000 p.a. student.
Please contact: E:
studentadvice@westminster.ac.uk Standalone run meet-up groups, therapeutic
T: 020 7911 5000 Ext 66080 groups, and a mentor programme to connect
people for ongoing emotional support. They
also have an online support group for studentswhere you can meet others in the same External Funding - Grants (these don’t need to
situation and talk about your experience of
be repaid)
student life without a family network.
Some organisations help young people in need by awarding
grants. Read websites carefully for full eligibility details before
You can join this group via their website applying. Usually, grants are made if you have tried all other
www.standalone.org.uk options.
Note Buttle UK
Awards grants of up to £2,000
Please keep in mind that you cannot claim to estranged young people
independent status just because you don’t get aged 16-20 for support with
on with your parents or have had a education, employment, and
training, setting up home, and
disagreement with them or because you don’t improving emotional and
live with them, or because your parents don’t physical wellbeing.
want to give details of their income to SFE, or Applications should be made
by statutory or voluntary
they refuse to provide financial support to you. organisations on your behalf.
You must be estranged in accordance with the www.buttleUK.org
guidelines above.
Lawrence Atwell’s
Charity
Awards grants of £100-£1,500
to young people aged 16-26 to help with training courses,
including buying equipment, living expenses during the course
and fees for tuition, enrolment, or exams.
https://www.skinners.org.uk/atwell/
The Prince’s Trust
Awards grants for young people aged 17-25, working fewer
than 16 hours, or in education for fewer than 14 hours per
week, to help with getting into work, education, or training;
loans are also on offer to help you start a business.
www.princes-trust.org.ukTurn2Us
Is a grant search tool. Enter your postcode for info on grants
you could apply for.
www.turn2us.org.uk
Family Action Educational Grants
www.family-action.org.uk/what-we-do/grants/educational-grants/
The Mary Trevelyan Hardship Fund
https://www.ish.org.uk/financial-support/
Struggling to pay utility bills?
Some major providers have debt relief funds. See which ones,
and how to apply at
http://www.charisgrants.com/
Student Advice also has a book ‘The Guide to Educational
Grants’ and you are welcome to book an appointment to look
through this.
Feb22/AMGEXAMPLE LETTER OF SFE ESTRANGED STATUS
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