Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TheTeacher..]

I've been here just under two years now and I've never informed student loans that I'm working abroad. Guess there's quite a few more folk out there who have done the same right???

I kind of started with my head in the sand and i've firmly kept it there as i've realised the problem maybe getting a little more serious.

I've just popped on the loans website and found their assessment that if i'm earning over the equivalent of �9000 a year (the calculated threshold for Korea) and I've not previously notified them then i'm liable to pay back �147 per month I've been here..

So by that calculation my current predicament is �147 x 23 months = �3381

Just wondering what other people think? Do I just keep quiet or do I cut my losses and call them now? What have other people done?
To be honest I just want to take my chances now and see what happens.. I mean if I tell them now, I pay back a ton regardless...

[Julius]

This was recently discussed on this thread:
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=2283366&highlight=#2283366

[hugekebab]

Don't panic mate. You have two options, maybe three.

Option one, don't tell them. risks attached, but not big risks; it's not a criminal matter, it's a civil matter. Worst case is a CCJ. (I would do this; wait until you get back to the UK.)

Option two, agree to pay whatever they ask for which I suspect will be the normal payment from now and not that worst case scenario you posted. (Don't do this!)

Option three, tell them and if they do that worst case scenario (147 x 24 etc) you posted (which I think they probably won''t do) don't agree to what they say you should pay, in writing, sent recorded delivery. Say in writing (recorded delivery; keep a copy of all correspondence and date it.) that you only have the means to pay the normal standard assessed monthly payment (9% of any earnings over 9000 per annum) from now on as you have no savings (don't expand on this, just keep it to the minimum) They will almost certainly have to agree to this (they don't want to go to court openly offering monthly payments to them, as the SLC get destroyed when they take people to court.)

Go to the money saving UK forum that deals with this specifically, there are loads of people that will have experience of this scenario and will be able to predict what the SLC will ask for in terms of payments. I'm fairly sure that if you approach them, they should be reasonable.

Money saving expert forum (lots of people with experience of going to court with the SLC) http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/

Remember you have nothing to worry about as long as you state your position in writing and keep copies. Worst case scenario is it goes to court and the court will set payments that you can afford, but I think slc will settle on normal payments beforehand unless they are mad.(courts are very generous to the average joe in these circumstances.)

Just to clarify, don't write anything other than what you will agree to pay them (don't write reasons,circumstances; just tell them what you can afford.) Anything else you write is potentially information that they can use against you if it comes to the county court.

Overall treat them like the police, in that you shouldn't give them any information other than what you are willing to pay. Please stick to this!

Don't panic, it will be fine. Just do everything in writing, recorded delivery and don't give them any info unless you absolutely have to. Make sure you go to that forum first.

[spyro25]

dont do anything. the SLC have enough problems of their own at the moment....

[hugekebab]

What problems? Any problems they have is a wider smile on my face!

[LL Moonmanhead]

this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8427304.stm

[chica_fille]

You will not be charged the �147 default for all those months.

Here is the way it works.

When you graduate SLC try to match up your details with HMRC to see if you are eligible to repay and what your's up to (working, on benefits etc).

Sometimes they cannot get people matched up properly and they send out what's called a 'Confirmation of Customer Details Pack' - This includes a form to complete if you are living in the UK and also a form for Overseas people.

On the UK form you have the options such as, providing employment details if you are working, stating if you are unemployed and being supported by a third party or unemployed and on benefits.

The overseas form asks if you are working overseas, travelling, unemployed and living from savings or third party support. You can go to www.studentloanrepayment.co.uk and check out the overseas form.

Ok so, if you have been abroad for a while now and not had any 'Confirmation of Customer Details Pack' from SLC then you are fine - They will just think you are working in the UK but not earning enought to pay back.

Thing is, over the past few months they have been trying to make it harder for overseas people to get away with stuff, so now HMRC send through updated information every week/month to let SLC know if people are in the UK or not.
There have been thousands of 'Confirmation of Customer Details Packs' going out to people over the past 2/3 months and this will continue - They are even going out to people who are in the UK tax system and clearly paying through salary.

If you do not reply to the form within 28 days they will send out a reminder giving a further 28 days to reply and then one furth reminder before they start adding the defualt charges to the account.

If anyone else wants to know more just PM me,

Cheers