NHS Bursary

[Lifeisontheup]

My DD is a student nurse in her final year. At the beginning of her course she appied for the NHS bursary. the fees element is not means tested but the living element is.
We duly sent off all our information and it was returned to us in due course. At the beginning of her first year she received an amount into her bank account from the NHS and all was well. In the second year our income had increased so we didn't apply for the living expenses component, at the end of that year my daughter received a demand for repayment of the living expenses part as they had made a mistake two years previously. They have admitted, in writing, that it was totally their mistake and that the payment had been signed off by their accounts team.
Obviously my daughter has used the money for her living expenses and cannot pay it back and we do not think she should have to as it was their error.
Is there any legal comeback we could use to help her at least to pay it back in small installments if at all? It's causing her a lot of worry and distress.
Will be out at work all day so am not ignoring thread.

[BabyStone]

Hi, I have been in a similar situation myself, I had to repay it back in installments/they added it to my student loan. You could always go to Citizens Advise Bureau to see if there is anything you can do as it was there fault.
Also, I thought with a bursary you didn't have to pay it back? only a loan

[Lifeisontheup]

The only reason they want her to pay it back is because they made a mistake awarding it in the first place. It wouldn't be repayable otherwise. They have admitted it was totally their mistake as we supplied all documentation and that she could reasonably expect the money to be hers as they didn't send her a letter saying she had/had not been awarded a bursary.

[BabyStone]

ahh I see, citizens advise might be able to help

[VivaLeBeaver]

You would think that considering the time frame and the fact she had o reason to think it wasn't her money that she shouldn't have to pay it back. Is she in the student union? Or even in the nursing union? If so she should contact a union officer. All students unions will have a full time union officer who will be able to advise. But yes, get some advice from cab as well.

[TheMouseDancing]

I have had a similar situation where I i was overpaid an nhs bursary which was completely their error, I had filled in all the forms correctly etc.

There is a clause, which i think you will find in either the application paperwork or the notification that the nhs send to you stating how much you will receive, which states that you agree to repay any overpayment even if it is their mistake.

They did initially want the full amount repaying in one go but when I refused this they agreed to accept
installments.