21 minutes ago, DirtySanchez said:

I went to uni in 1994, so well before Blair and the type of degrees you mention

No tuition fees, grant off the Council to cover the rent etc etc

It was the thing to do, right of passage etc

Most of the people I knew were exactly the same 

But I know plenty who just tossed it off and a lad I knew got kicked off as he just wanted to do Es and go out clubbing

There was no streaming to the most capable, if you got the necessary A-levels then you were in 

I spent a good time getting pissed and shagging around but also did what I did academically to get me through 

 if you got the necessary A-levels then you were in

That is the "streaming" I was referring to... do 6th Form, work at it and then go to Uni.

PS: I graduated in 1980 and had a grant from Bolton Council (4 A Levels) with a little bit of parental contribution.

 

20 minutes ago, Sweep said:

9M does seem a lot. Is that 1 in every 7 people?

3.7m as of jan last year according to gov.uk

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-statistics-to-january-2025/personal-independence-payment-official-statistics-to-january-2025

so unless its more than doubled in 12 months Jim is talking bollocks

Does 9 million include child benefit?

If so, then that’s most people who have kids (not the Wways £150k club).

A quick search suggests that could be nearly 7 million families.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-benefit-statistics-annual-release-august-2024/child-benefit-statistics-annual-release-data-at-august-2024

1 minute ago, Jol_BWFC said:

Does 9 million include child benefit?

If so, then that’s most people who have kids (not the Wways £150k club).

A quick search suggests that could be nearly 7 million families.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-benefit-statistics-annual-release-august-2024/child-benefit-statistics-annual-release-data-at-august-2024

I would imagine so......

1 hour ago, crawshawbooth said:

Just askin !

Sir Jim says 9 million are taking our brass (yours)

wondered if any one on here benefits 

askin for a friend , not myself

Do you have kids? Did you claim child benefits?

9 minutes ago, Jol_BWFC said:

Does 9 million include child benefit?

If so, then that’s most people who have kids (not the Wways £150k club).

A quick search suggests that could be nearly 7 million families.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-benefit-statistics-annual-release-august-2024/child-benefit-statistics-annual-release-data-at-august-2024

if its all benefits it'll include Universal Credit too, a good chunk of which is paid to folk who work to top up their wages to a level the government deems livable and so you'll always be financially better off working.

We’re entitled to £75 a week due to child’s current disability being on home oxygen. Not put a claim in yet. Does it make me a scrounging bastard if we do? 

7 minutes ago, London Wanderer said:

We’re entitled to £75 a week due to child’s current disability being on home oxygen. Not put a claim in yet. Does it make me a scrounging bastard if we do? 

Depends if you’re and immigrant.

The nine million figure relates to Universal Credit 

Of that figure, around a quarter are in work but claiming Universal Credit as a top-up to a low salary

PIP is a separate benefit

3 hours ago, frank_spencer said:

3.7m as of jan last year according to gov.uk

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-statistics-to-january-2025/personal-independence-payment-official-statistics-to-january-2025

so unless its more than doubled in 12 months Jim is talking bollocks

His population figures were all over the shop. 

3 hours ago, frank_spencer said:

3.7m as of jan last year according to gov.uk

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-statistics-to-january-2025/personal-independence-payment-official-statistics-to-january-2025

so unless its more than doubled in 12 months Jim is talking bollocks

That’s PIP, I don’t think he was taking about that, it’s just short of 10 million working age folk claiming benefits in the uk 

1 hour ago, London Wanderer said:

We’re entitled to £75 a week due to child’s current disability being on home oxygen. Not put a claim in yet. Does it make me a scrounging bastard if we do? 

Nope - I claim mine - pays for school lunches.

Just now, Not in Crawley said:

Nope - I claim mine - pays for school lunches.

Organic chicken and avocado with a seeded sourdough? 

1 hour ago, London Wanderer said:

We’re entitled to £75 a week due to child’s current disability being on home oxygen. Not put a claim in yet. Does it make me a scrounging bastard if we do? 

Absolutely not. Claim it. I’d be surprised if anyone disputed your entitlement to it. 

29 minutes ago, London Wanderer said:

Organic chicken and avocado with a seeded sourdough? 

Mr Pasta and pop chips it appears.

You get to see what they are buying now with ParentPay.

48 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Mr Pasta and pop chips it appears.

You get to see what they are buying now with ParentPay.

Yes, Parent Pay was a real eye-opener when Jnr was at high school.

39 minutes ago, Traf said:

Yes, Parent Pay was a real eye-opener when Jnr was at high school.

Well it cut the breaktime pizza quick sharp. I get up at 6 to make them breakfast, im not then spuffing 40 a week on break time.

Eats better then I do when im in the office.

6 hours ago, frank_spencer said:

Mate did his physics degree at Heriot Watt it sat between McEwan's brewery and the McVitties biscuit factory depending on the wind he'd either be starving or craving a pint come the end of his lecture.

The whisky distillery course graduate show apparently sold bottles for a small fortune to collectors.

My campus at uni was right next door to the wards brewery in Sheffield and it fucking stank of sweet yeast all the time and was fucking grim 

Did anyone on this board who went to uni come out with 60k worth of debt?

Thats the issue now, despite the simplistic protestations.

Just now, Not in Crawley said:

Did anyone on this board who went to uni come out with 60k worth of debt?

Thats the issue now, despite the simplistic protestations.

3k a year when I went. Dropped out after 2 false starts and a bunch of 'emergency loans' still think I owe a bunch. Not quite 60k

7 minutes ago, frank_spencer said:

3k a year when I went. Dropped out after 2 false starts and a bunch of 'emergency loans' still think I owe a bunch. Not quite 60k

Free for me. I had 4 years of loans after getting kicked out of Leeds, still only left with about 6k - paid it off in about 5 years.

11 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Did anyone on this board who went to uni come out with 60k worth of debt?

Thats the issue now, despite the simplistic protestations.

4 student loans, probably came to something like 6k, on low interest, took about 5 years to pay off at £100 month 

And an overdraft 

Fortunately I didn't fully grasp how credit cards worked back then, I thought you had to pay them off in full each month, otherwise I'd have acquired as many as I possibly could 

At the end of my final year we discovered the student hardship fund where you came up with a story as to why you're skint and they gave you anywhere between £100-£300ish which was spaffed away quick smart 

2 hours ago, London Wanderer said:

Organic chicken and avocado with a seeded sourdough? 

That's pretty much my daily dinner tbf