A MUM has discovered a quick way to get a refund from the government and she’s found it to be a big game-changer.
The 32-year-old is currently in £19,000 worth of debt and has been trying to get herself out of it by using different money saving techniques.
The woman, who is known as @thatgirlindebt on TikTok, took to her social media page to share a “surprisingly easy” refund request on student finances.
The main student finance package from the government includes a tuition fee loan, and a maintenance loan.
And those who studied at university and colleges may have previously had one.
However, this mum has found that anyone can put in a request for a refund and it’s “simple.”
You can find out if you are owed a refund by heading to gettingrefund.campaign.gov.uk, which explains the four different options which will mean you are entitled to one.
These are, ‘you earned below the threshold,’ ‘wrong plan type,’ ‘started repaying too early,’ and ‘paid off your loan.
Talking to the camera, the mum gave a step-by-step guide on how to do it.
The mum says: “It’s surprisingly easy to request a student finance refund.
“All I had to do was Google student finance login, and then it asks you for your email, password and secret answer.”
Because she hadn’t logged into her account for a while, the mum had to reset her password and memorable words – so she called up the helpline, and quickly got it reset.
Once you are logged in, she explains that you get taken to a page which says ‘Welcome to your student finance.’
She continues: “Then you have to scroll down, and it says ‘view or re-manage your repayments online.’
“Click on that, and then it comes to ‘manage your student loan balance.’
“Scroll down to the bottom there’s a big green button that says ‘start now.’
“Scroll down, and then it says ‘what do you want to do?’ and you can either sign in to manage your student loan balance, or make a quick repayment without signing it.
“So you click the ‘sign to manage your student loan balance’, and click continue and it takes you to your balance.”
The page revealed that her balance was £22,652.09, so then she scrolled down to get to the 2024/25 summary.
The mum continues: “Then underneath it says, ‘request a refund.’
Some have got hundreds or even thousands of pounds which is incredible
@thatgirlindebt
“And underneath that, it says ‘repay your student loan in full.’
“All you have to do is click the request. You don’t have to write anything. I find it oddly easy.
“You scroll down, and it tells you why you can apply for a refund and why you can’t apply for one. It says you just need your bank account details and your email address.
“So click the green button that says continue.”
The system then says to check that your bank details and email address are correct and to correct them if not.
She says: “Then there’s a big green button that says send an email request, and that is all you do.
“Then they send you an email saying we will let you know within 28 days but I found out within one day.”
Unfortunately, the mum wasn’t entitled to a refund but she had many people saying that they managed to get one.
According to gettingarefund.campaign.gov.uk there are four ways you could be due a refund
You earned below the threshold
– Get a refund if your annual income for a previous tax year was below the repayment threshold.
Wrong plan type
– Get a refund if you’ve been making repayments on the wrong plan type.
Started repaying too early
– Get a refund if you started making repayments before you were supposed to.
Paid off your loan
– Get a refund if you’ve made repayments after having already paid off your loan.
She says: “Some have got hundreds or even thousands of pounds which is incredible.
“But I am really pleased I did it and I didn’t even know about it before.
“So give it a go, because you are never going to pay off your student loan.
“It’s definitely worth just getting a little bit of money back off them I think. So good luck and I hope that helps.”
Her video received over 199,900 views, with many rushing to the comments section to share their thoughts and also reveal how much they got refunded.
One wrote: “Student loans are often taken as a percentage of earnings over a certain value and the loan providers have been known to take payment early when you technically don’t owe anything yet.”
Another added: “Student loans are wiped after a set number of years.
“If you aren’t likely to finish paying before that time frame, it’s worth getting back what you can.”
A third wrote: “I requested on Monday and then on Tuesday I got an email saying I’m owed £149.”
A fourth added: “I just did this and got £200 back.
“One for a maternity year and another random year.
“Chap did it over the phone and had to update bank details so he checked.”
Someone else said: “I did it after I saw your last video.
“I’d always known I’d paid when I shouldn’t have and I’ve managed to get it back!
“Didn’t know this was a thing and as I will never pay it back so worth it!”
Managing and relieving debt can be a daunting task, but with the right strategies and discipline, you can make significant progress. Here are some top tips.
1. Create a Budget
Track Spending: Monitor where your money goes each month.
Set Limits: Allocate funds for essentials and cut unnecessary expenses.
2. Emergency Fund
Initial Goal: Save at least £500 to £1,000 for emergencies to avoid accruing more debt.
Long-Term Goal: Aim to eventually build a fund covering three to six months of expenses.
3. Debt Avalanche Method
Focus on High-Interest Debt: Pay off debts with the highest interest rates first while making minimum payments on others.
Save on Interest: This method reduces the total interest paid over time.
4. Debt Snowball Method
Start Small: Pay off the smallest debts first to build momentum.
Motivation Boost: The psychological benefit of quick wins can keep you motivated.
5. Consolidate Debt
Combine Debts: Merge multiple debts into a single loan with a lower interest rate.
Simplify Payments: Easier to manage one payment and potentially lower your monthly obligations.
6. Negotiate with Creditors
Lower Interest Rates: Ask for reduced interest rates or more favourable terms.
Settlement Offers: Some creditors may accept a lump-sum payment for less than what you owe.
7. Balance Transfer Credit Cards
0% APR Offers: Transfer high-interest credit card debt to a card with a 0% introductory APR.
Pay Down Principal: Use the interest-free period to pay off the principal.
8. Increase Income
Side Hustles: Consider freelance work, gig economy jobs, or part-time employment.
Sell Unused Items: Declutter your home and sell items you no longer need.
9. Cut Expenses
Review Subscriptions: Cancel unnecessary subscriptions and memberships.
Frugal Living: Adopt cost-saving habits like cooking at home and using public transportation.
10. Automate Payments
Avoid Late Fees: Set up automatic payments to ensure you never miss a due date.
Consistent Progress: Regular payments help in steadily reducing debt.
11. Use Windfalls Wisely
Tax Refunds, Bonuses: Apply any unexpected income directly toward debt repayment.
12. Professional Help
Credit Counselings: Seek advice from credit counselings agencies for tailored debt management plans.
Debt Settlement: Consider professional debt settlement services if you’re overwhelmed.
13. Stay Educated
Financial Literacy: Continuously educate yourself about personal finance to make informed decisions.
14. Avoid New Debt
Credit Freeze: Consider freezing your credit to avoid taking on new debt.
Cash Only: Use cash or debit cards to prevent accumulating more credit card debt.
15. Mindset Shift
Positive Attitude: Maintain a positive outlook and stay committed to your debt-free goal.
Remember, the key to successful debt relief is consistency and discipline. Choose the strategies that best fit your situation and stick with them.
