113 Peasehill

Ripley
Derbyshire
DE5 3JN
Student Finance England
PO Box 210
Darlington
DL1 9HJ
7 June 2015
To whomever it concerns
RE: Reference number: 91368636153
I would like to appeal the decision regarding my Student finance for the year 2015/16.
The decision was that I would not receive help with my course fees for my first year at
university, on the basis that I have been to university before. I had phoned Student Finance
before applying and was told that attending university previously would not be a problem,
which is why I continued with the application.
In the letter dated 9 June 2015, you have said it says that an appeal can be made on
circumstances with evidence to support.
I started university in September 2009, and for my first year everything went rather
successfully. The problems started towards the end of my first year/in the summer of 2010.
My parents separated, this was very disruptive to my studies as I was still living at home
when this started. And although separated, my mother was not able to move out of the
house until July 2011. It was not a pleasant breakup. And as the eldest sibling in the family I
felt very responsible for my brother and sisters, trying to look after them as much as I could.
During this time I was financially supporting the household, knowing that my father and my
sibling would suffer if I did not help.
Eventually I moved out in October/November 2010, living with friends, financially supporting
myself in this household, as well and lending money to my father to ensure the family house
did not struggle. Moving out of the family home did not diminish the family problems, and I
still felt very much in the middle of my parents separation and problems, coming home often
to act as a buffer for my younger siblings.
Looking back, with the knowledge I have now, it is my belief that I was suffering from
depression during my studies, which had a severe negative effect on my time at University. I
suffered from many of the symptoms of depression, both physical and psychological, but at
the time, I was not in a place to recognise these and go to my doctors.
My mother eventually moved out in July 2011, 12-18 months after the official separation.
Although she had found somewhere else to live, by July 2011, I feel the damage had already
been done as I failed the exams in my second year. After failing my exams in my second
year, I decided I could not go back to University to re-sit the year.
At the persistence of my partner, I eventually went to my doctor and was diagnosed with
Moderate Clinical Depression in 2013.
I have provided evidence of the following;
A letter from Michael Marson, my Form Teacher from 2003-2010, explaining the
situation from his point of view, as an impartial outsider.
A doctors note, evidencing that I was diagnosed with depression and this could have
been a contributing factor to failing my studies/exams in my second year.

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To summarise;
I was caught in the middle of my parents separation
I was financially supporting my fathers household throughout university
I was financially supporting my own household
Stress of commuting to and from university
Although finishing my second year in 2011, after failing the exams it became too
much for me, and I did not return to re-take the second year
I was diagnosed with Clinical Depression in 2013.
Depression is a mental illness that you can have for years before the symptoms are
diagnosed formally and help is sought.
Please could you advise on how long this process will take, as if the appeal is declined I
need to find another method to be able to pay for my first year.
Many thanks for your consideration for this
I look forward to hearing from you soon

Adam Walton
Mobile number: 07553 118 813
Email: timer67@hotmail.com

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