Students angry over loan staff cuts

By JO THORNHILL
Updated:

Student leaders have reacted angrily to news that the bungling Student Loans Company is to cut 150 jobs at its Glasgow and Darlington offices.

The SLC, which employs 1,894 staff across four sites, struggled to complete payments of loans and grants to new students last year for the start of the 2009-10 academic year.

Students reported widespread processing problems and paperwork going missing. More than 100,000 were left waiting for their cash at the start of their first term, with many having to depend on hardship funds from their university, or - more commonly - loans from their families.

three female graduates

Delays: Many students were left waiting for cash at the start of their first term

SLC says the job cuts follow the completion of work to move loan and grant applications online. The bulk of redundancies will be in IT.

The company denies that reducing staff levels will have any impact on SLC's ability to get applications processed and funds paid on time.

It also says staff numbers involved in customer service will not be affected.

But Aaron Porter, National Union of Students vice-president, says he is still concerned.

'We are seeking cast-iron guarantees from SLC that the chaos of last year is not repeated,' he says.

Becky Leeman, 18, from Norwich, a law student at Hull University, has just received her student loan after months of delays and lost paperwork at SLC.

She says: 'I would have thought that it was more important than ever to get things right and have enough helpful and knowledgeable staff on hand - not to cut numbers.'

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