In the modern age, government organisations and potential employers harness social media to check up that people are who they say they are. Employers may wish to know what sort of person they may be employing, while financiers wish to ensure that a claimed financial status is correct. It is the latter that now sees Student Loans Company at the centre of a storm.
Challenging Estranged Students
Modern student loans assessments are based on the income of parents. However, that leaves problems for students estranged from their biological parents (they don’t live with them and have no contact). Such students are treated as independent and subject to extra support but due to the risk of fraud, there are further checks. A recent report discovered SLC has been monitoring the social media of such students and in some cases cut off funding, leading to these students dropping out of courses.
150 Chosen at Random
Due to the nature of how loans are allocated, SLC has an ongoing fraud prevention programme. Earlier this year, they wrote to 150 students at random asking for proof of estrangement. If they did not provide such evidence within 28 days, their support would be cut off. Those sent letters had their social media accounts monitored looking for evidence that they were receiving parental support and contact. This was discovered by The Guardian newspaper and published in early August. According to leaked notes, 81 of those 150 students had funding withdrawn.
The students affected by the investigation are now being supported by relevant charities such as Stand Alone through their university institutions.
Financially and Emotionally Vulnerable
Charities involved spoke out against the “heavy-handed” measures of the SLC, urging them to reconsider. It is understandable that the loan organisation needs to ensure that people are being honest about their situation and receiving the right support in response. However, estranged students are estranged for a reason – some may have some domestic or sexual abuse at the hands of one or both biological parents, neglect or parental rejection. Some may have spent time in care too. They often have no family emotional or financial support and feel alone. Receiving a letter demanding proof that they are estranged can lead to anxiety and other mental illnesses on top of the stress of academic work.
SLC Responds
The Guardian gave SLC the right to reply. They pointed out that several cases of fraud had already been uncovered. One student had lost all funding after the letter submitted claiming estrangement was discovered to be fraudulent. A further five had lost extra support for estrangement (but not full support) and a further three withdrew their estrangement claim voluntarily before the application began; one more withdrew the claim during the process. 34 had yet to respond.