The Budget

[Samdy Gray]

And fucking well done if you only spend £100 - £150 on groceries a month, I can spend that each week, but most groceries are going to be zero rated surely?

I don't know if you're being sarchastic there (I sense you are), I'm sorry I don't earn as much as you your Lumpiness to spend as much as you on my shopping.

[oxford_fan]

Surely he can take his credits to another course? Might even be able to join and go into his 3rd year as before.

[pauld]

Is there no right of appeal or any way to reclaim the fees? Not a lot can be done about the two years 'wasted', unless there is a possibility of transferring. I bet even then there would be 2 more years to do.

He apparently can transfer the two years as "credit" or something and finish off the final year somewhere else. If he can find somewhere running the course. By himself, cos the Uni (and the SU) couldn't get shut of him fast enough. And if we can persuade him that it's actually worth doing as, unsurprisingly, having worked his knackers off for two years with side jobs etc while doing the course and still run up a load of debt, he's a little disillusioned with the whole idea now. And I can't say I blame him. It's not like we can even say to him "Well, if you have a degree, you'll stand a better chance of getting a better job".

[Rich Pullen]

Many Universities have been cutting courses significantly for the last few years.

Don't underestimate the Media crowd though, it makes academic establishments millions.

You'll see a lot of specific courses merge to become a much general one.

For example, I did a course which to many is considered a "Mickey
Mouse" and the modules were merged into History shortly after I left.

What happened to PaulD's step-son occurred in Exeter in about 2005 (chemistry), the students had to look for another Uni to finish it off.

[Batch]

Name and shame the Uni Paul.

Disappointed to hear the SU being dismissive. I assume this includes the NUS itself? I'm sure you've been down this route though.

I have no idea how I will support my 2 if they get to uni. Sell a kidney is the best option but its not likely to be worth much by that time.

[Mexicano Rojo]

i will buy your kidney now.

[Batch]

Sorry Mex, I didn't think before posting.

[pauld]

Name and shame the Uni Paul.

Bath Spa. Shouldn't have been surprised as they seemed throughout his time there to have been more of fee-grabbing machine than have any genuine interest in the pastoral care/academic career of their students. But then I do have quite a biased and embittered source on this so maybe others have had a better experience with them.

Even so, I was pretty shocked, I didn't even know they could do that. I was torn between suing them for breach of contract or just going down the Vice Chancellor's (or whatever they have) office and sorting it out with a bat. Consequently, the missus dealt with most of it, I was firmly kept at arm's length.

Disappointed to hear the SU being dismissive.

They weren't dismissive as such, just not much help. Although I don't know how much they could have done anyway - as I say, I was kept away from dealing with it as the whole subject made me incandescent and so I had a somewhat "unconstructive" attitude.

I'm sure it won't happen to dave and Lucien - hope not anyway, and best of luck in getting through your courses, chaps, and hopefully coming out with something worthwhile to show for it at the end (a job as well as a qualification)

[Bogus Dave]

That sounds well shit Paul. What happened in the end?

It must be said the reality seems a bit scary, so i'll continue in blissfull ignorance

[Talk Talk]

I'm not even Adver standard.

The Adver have a standard?

 

[Colin Todd]

I'd cut available uni places in half.  50% of the youth going to uni is pointless, many will end up in shit / semi shit jobs they could have done without a soft degree and £20k of debt.  How was people in their early 20's being in that much debt with employment prospects no better than someone with half decent a levels and a bit of employment experience ever a good idea?

[Simon Pieman]

Won't the average person's increase in 'VAT spend' be covered by the increase in personal allowance? Admittedly, I haven't had a chance to go through most of the budget and only seen/heard the headline stuff.

[Colin Todd]

Give or take a bit depending on how much you spend, yes

£180 p/a is the figure i've seen mentioned for personal allowance

[pauld]

That sounds well shit Paul. What happened in the end?

Nominally, he took a year out to work off some of the debt while he looked for somewhere else running a similar course so he could do his final year. But in reality, I doubt he'll now go back - he's done quite well in his "stop-gap" job, worked hard to pay the worst of the debt down and doesn't want to get back into that situation again. Now his girlfriend's finished her final year and they're talking about going working/travelling for a year. And good luck to them. Very much doubt he'll want to pick up the final year when he gets back. And I can't say I blame him. Thanks a fucking lot Bath Spa. Fortunately, he's a good lad, he's bright and works hard at whatever he applies himself to so I'm sure he'll find his own path despite their "help" in setting him back at the start of his career.

It must be said the reality seems a bit scary, so i'll continue in blissfull ignorance

Meh, tbh, despite my obvious scare tactic I don't think it will be the reality for very many, I was (initially) just using what I'm sure is a pretty extreme case as a way of saying the cutbacks etc will affect everyone in some way even if it's not immediately obvious from the Budget today - this is just the start of it.

But, like I say, I'm sure you'll be fine dave. Best of luck!

[pauld]

Give or take a bit depending on how much you spend, yes

£180 p/a is the figure i've seen mentioned for personal allowance

Going purely on the basis of a snippet I heard on the radio on the way home (so almost certainly wrong!), they reckoned households earning around £20k (I think) would be about 200 quid a year worse off overall, over £50k and it goes up to about £1500. And IIRC up to around £30k, they seemed to think 3-400 quid a year. God knows how that breaks down though.