Legal help with university issues

[fldomingues]

I am an adult with autism and I am having issues with my university and Student Finance England. That has contributed to severe worsening of my mental condition.

Could someone guide me in where to find legal advice (free of charge - I can't afford legal fees) please?

[Cat33]

Have you tried Citizens Advice ? Sure they could steer you in the right direction

All the best

[Chickenmath101]

Honestly, I think the best thing to do (being a uni student myself) is to send an email to a wellbeing officer assigned to your degree major, or if your university has a student hub, just walk in and ask (especially if your wellbeing team is slow with responding to emails). Make sure you detail exactly HOW SFE is worsening your mental condition.

I wouldn't bother with phone calls: far too long, plus I don't think there's a mental health option on the SFE phone line anyway.

[Bee-bop]

Hi there,

My daughter is at uni too but hasn't been able to do any of the SFE stuff, I have fone that for her, but has accessed support through disability services where she is studying. Ask in your student services for help with this as they can hopefully work either you and SFE.

Legal help wise, I am curious as to what has happened and whether something else can be done so you don't have to go down that path. You could try citizens advice or, where I live there is a disability service group that advocates for people and was helpful for my other daughter so they could help if you have one in your area. We accessed our one after speaking to the social prescriber at our Gps.

[PassionFruit8]

Ask your student union for help

Submit a formal complaint with evidence

Ask OIA for extra help - Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education

oiahe.org.uk

Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education

Ask citizens advice for legal support and disability advocates that are local

Depending on your subject therefore industry the institution might help, for example institution of medics etc.

Good luck !!!

P.S. complaints against universities are notoriously tough, so build a stable support net work of friends, family, health professionals etc. E.g. use the dsa through sfe mentoring support