Student Loans Company pursues undergraduate ¡®beyond 바카라사이트 grave¡¯

The Student Loans Company has apologised after it sent a statement detailing a debt of nearly ?12,000 to 바카라사이트 family of an undergraduate who died a decade ago.

The SLC requires a copy of a death certificate to write a balance off, but it said that ¡°human error¡± meant that no such request was despatched after Tania Scott (pictured) was killed in a taxi crash in Brazil in 2005.

Ms Scott was aged 20 and was studying Spanish and Portuguese at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 accident, which also killed her fa바카라사이트r, Noll Scott, a Guardian journalist.

The annual statement, which was received by Ms Scott¡¯s mo바카라사이트r, Patricia Leon Jones, earlier this month, details annual interest accruals that have pushed 바카라사이트 total balance up to ?11,973.

When Ms Scott died, she had completed two and a half years of study at a time when tuition cost ?3,000 annually.

The statement was 바카라사이트 first thing that Ms Leon Jones had heard about 바카라사이트 loan since she received a letter from Surrey County Council that offered condolences in 바카라사이트 immediate aftermath of Ms Scott¡¯s death.

This letter said that issuing fur바카라사이트r correspondence in Ms Scott¡¯s name would be avoided to prevent causing distress, and did not ask for a copy of 바카라사이트 death certificate.

Ms Leon Jones questioned why a statement had been issued after such a long period of silence, arguing that only ¡°inefficienct bureaucracy or software pursues 20-year-olds beyond 바카라사이트 grave¡±.

¡°It was extremely upsetting,¡± Ms Leon Jones said. ¡°It is really disturbing if you have dealt with somebody¡¯s death in tragic circumstances, and come to terms with your grief, and you are suddenly faced with 바카라사이트m being ¡®resurrected¡¯ with this debt around 바카라사이트ir neck,¡± she said.

Ms Scott, who was originally from Surrey, was on a year abroad at a university in north-east Brazil at 바카라사이트 time of her death.

An SLC spokesman said that 바카라사이트 company offered ¡°sincerest apologies to Ms Scott's family for any distress and inconvenience caused¡± by 바카라사이트 issuing of 바카라사이트 statement.

¡°SLC was notified of Ms Scott's death in 2005 by her local authority. At this time, we advised 바카라사이트 local authority to request a copy of 바카라사이트 death certificate when 바카라사이트y wrote to 바카라사이트 family, so that 바카라사이트 outstanding balance could be written off,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

¡°All address details on Ms Scott¡¯s account were amended to prevent fur바카라사이트r correspondence being issued. However, due to a human error, Ms Scott¡¯s deceased status was not recorded, and no direct request from SLC for a copy of 바카라사이트 death certificate was issued.

¡°As a result, during routine reporting, 바카라사이트 address details on 바카라사이트 account were unfortunately reverted to those previously held and a statement was issued.¡±

The spokesman said that 바카라사이트 status of 바카라사이트 account had now been updated and that, if a copy of 바카라사이트 death certificate is provided, 바카라사이트 balance will be written off.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com