Is it fair to allow your child (23) to take a student loan for University in the UK?

While we do support her (we pay her enough to cover her rent and a bit extra), she still needs to take out a student loan. She has already taken the student loan, but as a parent, I still feel slightly guilty about this. Not sure if this is justified or not. My husband and I have always been self employed, and always just gotten by financially without being able to save. In the last year or so, my husband has got a good job, where for the first time we finally have enough left over to actually save some money every month for the future. We are trying to build a nest egg, since we have no pension set up. I think in light of our financially situation, the amount offered to our daughter to help her through school is enough. What do you think? Maybe I should add that about 8 years ago, we were almost completely bankrupt. We have managed to pull ourselves out of that, pay off our debts etc. but it has taken us the last 8 years to do that. Finally now we are managing to save, but we only have about 8 years until my husband has to retire from this job. If we had 20 plus years of working ahead of us, I would be less worried.

Public Comments

1. Don't feel bad my parents had the same situation and taking out the loan didn't bother me a bit. Its not your fault if you had the means you would help more and I'm sure your child appreciates what you did do.
2. well im only 15 but no i dont think its fair but u should help her out more, some parents live there life saving money just for when there child goes 2 university. i say save some money for u and your husband and save some for your daughter to pay of her student loans. and good thing bout student loans is that u dont have 2 pay them back until your daughter has a job that pays her £15,000 atleast. so save money for her to pay them back. after all she is your daughter :) ok after read the extra detail u added il say still save a bit for her, since you pulled yourself out of a struggle and didnt just get another loan to pay off the old ones which wouldn't make any sense. just help ur daughter out with a part of it and im sure she would help you out in the future when you need it and after your husband stop working you get retiring benefits, depend what country u live in really. well good luck in life and good luck 2 your daughter in uni. bye
3. If you want to pay for everything for her ,that way she has no reason to take out a loan.Thats If what your giving her is enough for her books.and other things she needs for collage.You need to go to her and ask her.People get loans all the time.Bottom line here is ask her what she needs. if you are willing to pay for it.If not she needs the loan for her schooling.Feeling guilty I can understand.Maybe she feels guilty to ask you for more money because she sees that you two are starting to get ahead of the game and she don't want to hinder that.Good Luck!
4. I an shure that she is very thankful for what you offerd her untill now. You gave her a home, raised her, thought her everithing she knows, and helped her get where she is today. I think that's enoughf. Besides, your daughter has to learn to get by herself. I'm not very old mysef, i'm about the age of your daughter, and am in a similar situation, but i make my own money and pay for almost everithing (except for the rent, it's assured tome by the state, because my mom is a teacher, at least that's how thing are in my country). It is very hard, but i get by. That's because I would hate the thought that i'm a burden to my parents and genuinely want to be able to face life. Besides, it gives you a great feeling of acomplishement when you know you can take care of your own ass and don't depend on somebody else. And if your daughter is anything like me, i'm shure she'll feel the same way But no matter what you do you should to your daughter about this and ask her what she thinks about this
5. Yes it is fair. Parents (no matter what society pressures) are NOT required to pay for their child's higher education. I'm paying for myself and my husband paid for himself. My father paid for himself, likewise both of my husband's parents paid their own way. It is called self-reliance.