Sandy 4 St Albans

I have been reduced to a gibbering wreck by this year’s student finance process.  Both my sons successfully registered their details on-line.  But when my wife and I tried to register and input our supporting data, we both got locked in a loop of endlessly having to change passwords, not being recognised, and eventually being locked out.  As for the “helpline”, it is either always engaged or a recorded announcement explains that they are overwhelmed with the demand (why am I not surprised?) and try calling later.

Even when doing it by hard copy and sending off by post which is what we have finally done, I am struck by the complexity and impenetrability of the forms.  It just seems to be designed to be as difficult and incomprehensible as possible.  Meanwhile my sons have received a “final” notification of their settlement with no account taken of parental income.

We are stressed about it and so must be everyone else caught up in the shambles.  We left a rude comment on Ed Balls’s website since it’s his responsibility.  But there has to be a better way – not least getting the on-line system working properly before launching it on an innocent public.