Cashpoint Issue I.
Spring 2012
A termly newsletter giving financial information, updates, hints and tips to University of Reading Students
Next Year’s loans & grants: Apply now Apply by 29th June 2012 to ensure your money comes at the beginning of term. Students who apply after this date will receive funding, but it may be late. Student funding works
on a sliding scale, depending on household income. If you think your loan may be wrong, the Reading University Students’ Union (RUSU) Student Advice Team can check it and assist you to con-
tact Student Finance England for a reassessment. Apply at: www.direct. gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance
Next Year’s Loan Figures for Returning Students Household Income
Maintenance Grant
< £25,000
£2,984
Maintenance Loan
University Access Bursary
£3,458
£1,400
£40,000
£755
£4,573
£470
£55,000
£0
£4,106
£0
>£60,000
£0
£3,564
£0
* final year students will receive slightly less maintenance loan
Paid for but not claimed Have you forgotten to pick up your NUSextra card? RUSU reception still has cards waiting for collection. Don’t miss out on the bargains you have paid for!
You can still apply for an NUSextra card for this year. Visit RUSU reception with £11 and proof that you are a Reading student, and they can issue a card immediately.
Could you be owed a tax rebate?
Protect your housing deposit
April 5th is the end of the current tax year. If you have worked parttime, especially if you have had more than one job, you may have paid too much tax.
The law requires the landlord or letting agency to protect your deposit in one the following schemes:
This year, you should only pay tax if you earned over £7,475. Non UK students are can also claim tax refunds. It is easy to claim a refund. Visit www. hmrc.gov.uk/students for details.
• Deposit Protectio Service (DPS) • MyDeposits • Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) If you have not been informed of the scheme being used to protect your deposit, contact your landlord now, as it will make it easier to get your deposit back at the end of the tenancy.
RUSU gets new cashpoint The new Barclays Cashpoint is situated opposite Blackwell book
shop, and gives free cash withdrawals when using a debit card.
New cashpoint up and running inside the Students’ Union building
National Student Money Week 12th – 16th March
NUSextra card can save you money - what’s not to love
Is your bank balance in the red? Did you know that Student loans only cover 59% of student expenses*, and many students need to work or borrow from family and banks to supplement their loans. During National Student
Money Week universities all over the country are giving out money saving tips to help you get more for your money. In Reading, RUSU’s Student Advice team are launching this termly newsletter, giving fun and factual
information, so that you can work out the best ways to control your money. The next newsletter will be out in May, and will give tips on getting housing deposits back, money over the summer holidays and much more.
Cashpoint
Issue I.
Spring 2012
Produced by RUSU Money Doctors: part of the RUSU Student Advice Team
Cash Shortage manner, and your department do not need to be involved. Final year students, mature students and students with caring responsibilities are a priority. Paper application forms available at the Carrington building or RUSU Student Advice centre. If you are short of cash speak to the RUSU Student Advice Team who can help identify potential sources of funding
Did you know the University has a hardship fund for undergraduate and postgraduate
students? This includes non-UK students. All applications dealt with in a confidential
More details can be found at: www.reading. ac.uk/life/life-moneymatters.aspx
Students warned over payday loan risks Students are being warned of the risks of taking out payday loans, as part of National Student Money Week (NSMW), 12th-16th March 2012, organised by the National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA). Lynne Condell, NASMA Chairperson, says: “There have been examples recently of payday loan companies targeting students with information about high interest money lending options. For some students both legal and sometimes illegal mon-
ey lending can seem like an attractive route to additional funds. However, students taking this approach often realise too late that they are in serious financial trouble with no easy escape.” Debt charity Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) is warning young people of the dangers of responding to unsolicited text messages from loan and debt management companies. The charity is running a Twitter campaign to encourage people to tweet with
the hashtag #debttext if they receive a spam text, to expose the scale of the problem. Delroy Corinaldi, CCCS Director of External Affairs says: “Students should be extremely wary of any text message offering them credit out of the blue. If you’re short of cash before the end of term, a text offering you a short-term loan might seem like a tempting offer – but this kind of borrowing can quickly lead into a serious debt problem.”
Budget Easter entertainment The chaplaincy has produced a guide to local Easter events, including Easter egg hunts, festivals, guided walks and shows. Many are
free or low cost. Download the guide by visiting: www.reading. ac.uk/web/FILES/ chaplaincy/Easter2012. pdf
Easter Egg Deals
Cheap lunch on campus
Looking for bargain Easter eggs? MoneySavingExpert.com compares the best deals around. ‘3 for 2’ and ‘Eggs for a £1’ can be found at www.moneysavingexpert.com/ deals/bargains-dealsdiscounts/easter-eggs
Get help sooner rather than later
to provide evidence of costs and a letter from your tutor or department.
Jacket potatoes and toasted sandwiches for £1.50 each.
Free Money Advice The RUSU Student Advice Team offer are trained professionals, offering confidential and independent information and advice to all students.
Cheapest tea on campus
Contact us by email at: stu.adv@reading.ac.uk or come to a drop-in session:
Café Mondial
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays 10.00am – 12.45pm.
80p for a regular or large cup of tea. Drink in or takeaway and with a free slice of toast between 9.00-9.30am
The Donor Study and Travel Fund The Donor Study and Travel Fund may be able to help with these costs. You will need
Upstairs 3sixty RUSU
More information is available at: www. reading.ac.uk/life/lifemoneymatters.aspx
Wednesdays 2.00pm – 4.30pm. We are open through the Easter holidays.