113 PeasehillRipleyDerbyshireDE5 3JNStudent Finance EnglandPO Box 210DarlingtonDL1 9HJ

7 June 2015

To whomever it concernsRE: 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.

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 thisI look forward to hearing from you soon

Adam WaltonMobile number: 07553 118 813Email: timer67@hotmail.com Enc.