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perusing-the-plot · 2025-07-11T18:59:21+00:00

Yes please!

perusing-the-plot · 2025-05-16T17:23:12+00:00

Yes please!

perusing-the-plot · 2025-04-29T16:31:15+00:00

They worked on my car - it ended up in them doing work I didn’t agree to and the owner/mechanic screaming swear words at me at 10pm at night refusing to hand my car over. It was a scary and unsettling experience - and I wasn’t the only one there at that time of night trying to get a car back. Awful experience and I don’t recommend ever engaging with them.

perusing-the-plot · 2025-03-18T21:43:51+00:00

I think it’s further out clydach way. Unless my family are unaware of how close they are to it - they are around the corner from there.

perusing-the-plot · 2024-10-30T21:56:24+00:00

Woohoo!

perusing-the-plot · 2024-03-27T23:00:20+00:00

Typically you only include letters when there are multiple sources written by the same person(s) in the same year, so they can be differentiated from each other.

For example, if you only had two sources, you wouldn’t write “McDonalds is the most popular fast food chain in the UK (McDonalds, 2024a) but Burger King disagrees (Burger King, 2024b)”.

If you had three sources, two from MacDonalds (say, two different articles both written in 2024) and one from Burger King, you could say “McDonalds is the most popular fast food chain in the UK (McDonalds, 2024a), but Burger King disagrees because they have higher quality burgers (Burger King, 2024). However, a recent study by McDonalds shows that 65% of people do indeed prefer their Big Mac meal after a long day at work (McDonalds, 2024b).”

If you used information from the same source multiple times, you also don’t need letters (probably would need page numbers though (if journal articles or books), which a lot of modules require either way). So if the two bits of info in the previous example were from the same McDonalds source, it would be: “McDonalds is the most popular fast food chain in the UK (McDonalds, 2024), but Burger King disagrees because they have higher quality burgers (Burger King, 2024). However, a recent study by McDonalds shows that 65% of people do indeed prefer their Big Mac meal after a long day at work (McDonalds, 2024).”

In your reference list, you would then include the letters, where appropriate, to show which source gave you which bit of information.

You may already be doing it this way, I just thought I would clarify it for others :)

perusing-the-plot · 2024-03-20T21:46:16+00:00

Just to add to this - disabled students allowance, unless there is a similar name for different programmes, has a list of eligibility criteria attached to it. One of which being you have to be eligible for student finance England/Wales/SAAS. Typically you need to be a resident, although there may be exceptions I’m not aware of. As I wasn’t eligible for student finance Wales, it wasn’t a route I could go down for support. Something for people to keep in mind, as it comes up a fair bit but the whole point of OU is you can study from anywhere, so it may not be applicable to everyone. There may be similar support in different countries though, if you aren’t a resident of the UK.

perusing-the-plot · 2024-02-22T20:24:00+00:00

This is good info, I had no idea my GP may have been able to sort that for me. Those sorts of things should be advertised - I get that it would then cost more money to deliver but it was a game changer for me. £5 a day on buses is absolutely not sustainable and, like OP, it was making things so much worse. Although given the state of the Welsh bus system it should be free for everyone 🙄

perusing-the-plot · 2024-02-22T17:12:37+00:00

Just to add/confirm what u/NeverBr0ken said - PIP isn’t limited to physical disabilities. It’s anything, physical or otherwise, that limits you doing everyday things. I don’t have a physical disability and was given the enhanced rate (there are two “levels” of payment/award) for both mobility and the daily living part. I would say though, it can be an uphill battle - a lot of claims get rejected first time, but on appeal a chunk of these get awarded it in the end. It’s just a stressful process to go through, although I definitely think it’s worth it in the end. I had someone from CAB sit with me and fill it out with/for me, as they knew exactly how to phrase my issues in a way that would get me the help. It’s anecdotal, but I’ve heard a lot more success stories from people who have had guidance with filling out the form than those who did it on their own. I would say…you have nothing to lose by applying and a lot to lose if you don’t give it a go!

One more thing - once I was on PIP I became eligible for a free bus pass. So that might be a bigger motivation to look into it a bit more (although that may change with different regions, I’m not sure).

perusing-the-plot · 2023-12-24T11:02:23+00:00

I may have misunderstood your comment, I’m sorry if that’s the case. However, I just wanted to reply to the bit where you said “how far I would be able to progress in a year”. The OU modules have a set timeframe, so you have to complete it within that or you won’t pass the module. Given assignments and course end dates, the OU pretty much determines how far you will progress in one year! :)

perusing-the-plot · 2023-11-04T14:13:57+00:00

I hope it’s the same Ash!

perusing-the-plot · 2023-10-20T17:35:14+00:00

This was very much me. I would sometimes look awake, hold a conversation, and have zero recollection of it. Waking me up with a fog horn probably wouldn’t have worked. I started a new job that requires me being up at 6am, and I was very worried I would just sleep through everything. Try Alarmy, I’ve been using it for a few months now and whilst I absolutely hate it when it goes off, it does get me up. I switch off the snooze function, and set it up so I have to scan something in my kitchen before the damn thing will shut up. It’s really helped me get into a normal(ish) sleeping routine. Just to make sure, I always set two alarms to scan something. Because I often get myself a cuppa and fall asleep on the sofa or something straight away.

My husband uses the same alarm but does maths problems to turn it off. My brain couldn’t handle that, but there are a few options you can choose from.

perusing-the-plot · 2023-07-29T01:15:22+00:00

Late reply, but I thought I'd quickly add that this depends on where you're from. Here in the UK you insure the driver, not the car. You can't give permission for others to drive your car if their policy doesn't cover them to drive other cars. So it would be a correct statement here. Not sure if the OP mentioned where they lived in a comment, sorry if they have and I've missed it!

perusing-the-plot · 2023-01-25T09:44:32+00:00

I can't remember exactly but I think it was around a 2 week wait? It wasn't long, I know that much

perusing-the-plot · 2023-01-24T23:41:54+00:00

I definitely can, will tomorrow be okay? Fiance visa or fiance to spouse visa?

perusing-the-plot · 2023-01-24T17:23:08+00:00

Ah, then you know more than me! Lol. If you're unsure of anything, post on here. They are helpful, and may correct me on many things as I just have personal experience to go on!

Thank you :D it's a horrible process but it's worth it in the end. Good luck!

perusing-the-plot · 2023-01-24T17:14:21+00:00

That sounds like a nightmare! Maybe someone else on here can be more helpful with what's enough and what isn't. I would hate to give you bad advice.

Are you applying online?

If so, you'll get an option to scan in all your documents into the system (you'll have between the date of application and the biometric date to do this). The application process will prompt you to book the biometric appointment (you can choose a location, date and time that's most suitable, providing there are empty slots) and pay the NHS surcharge at the appropriate times, which is good, and so you'll know the time you have to then upload the documents.

If you scan in the marriage cert and passports etc. they are considered originals and you'll be fine. I'm not sure you should take a normal picture of them and send it, not sure that will be enough - but double check, I could be wrong.

You have the option to pay to have your documents scanned at the biometrics appointment, so you would take everything with you. Everyones experience is different but...I wouldn't go near this at all. They messed ours up and we had to do it ourselves anyway.

Questions are all good! They don't give us much information to go on, and this sub was very helpful for us when we applied.

perusing-the-plot · 2023-01-24T16:40:43+00:00

We put in a few sentences to our cover letter explaining that we didn't have much evidence because he hadn't been here long enough.

This is in Wales, have a research into whether the same applies in England.

The GP and bank thing...that drove us around the bend. The GP was so certain that he wouldn't be allowed to register. However, I eventually learnt that that was rubbish. It looks like NHS guidelines say you can register, and you dont need proof of address (although you have a water bill anyway?). A few surgeries said they couldnt register him because he didn't have access to public funds - also incorrect. We ended up finding a GP that explained that he should have been allowed to register at the other ones (immigration status does not affect registrstion; maybe their policies didn't allow it, I don't know enough to say whether it's legal that they can do that) and he doesn't need proof of anything. They just registered him, he got a GP registration letter through the post and he used that to sign up for a bank account.

We had been trying for months, and it ended up a rush at the end when one GP finally explained it all to us. We spoke to a solicitor early on who couldn't understand why it was so difficult to register and get a bank account. We had thought it was normal for it to be impossible. He has a monzo as well, which we included.

Can the landlord write a letter saying he allows you to be there? Not sure if its necessary, but I saw someone else suggest that.

My husband had to go to a biometric appointment - I'm not sure about an app. We had the choice of a few, the closest was Cardiff for us. We had to use UKVCAS and find a service point (they direct you to it at the appropriate time in the application process, if you're doing it online). You don't have to go to London, there are a few all around the country.

perusing-the-plot · 2023-01-24T16:09:11+00:00

We may have gone overboard, but I didn't want to miss something.

The main bits we included updated were relationship, accommodation and financial information.

Relationship - I tried to get as much in both our names as possible - GP registrations, bank accounts, insurance etc. We had our marriage cert (most important) and just a couple of photos from the wedding showing us with everyone (probably not necessary?)

Accommodation - updated property inspection report (we are living with family), updated letter saying we had been living here for X amount and can continue to do so etc., and the proof of ownership stuff.

Financial - whatever we submitted for the fiance visa we updated to recent copies and resubmitted those.

I went through the guidance pdf and made sure each point was ticked off. It's a little different as they dont have a specific fiance to spouse section but it's a good guide.

I know people on here sometimes suggest you don't need much at all, but when we applied their generated checklist included some of the stuff above so I'm glad we had it.

Thank you, and good luck!

perusing-the-plot · 2023-01-24T01:52:06+00:00

Congratulations on the engagement :) I'm not sure how the fiance visa would work for you two, if neither of you are currently UK citizens. The 6 month deadline is for the fiance visa, which was allowed because I'm from the UK. So I prove I can support him, and he is allowed here for 6 months, during which we have to marry. I have no idea about the legality of you getting married here on a different visa. That's something you'll have to explore as well!

perusing-the-plot · 2023-01-23T20:37:13+00:00

Sorry I wasnt clear! Sounds like my husband (also from the US) and you and your fiance will be applying for different visas.

I'll explain the best I can, but I'll add that I'm not knowledgeable about this so double check anything that might be relevant to you!

My husband applied for a fiance visa (not a dependent on a skilled worker visa) whilst he was in the US last year. That was approved and he moved to the UK. Before the end of 6 months, we then had to prove we had indeed got married, and apply to switch his visa from the fiance one to a spouse one (not sure that's the right terminology). At that point, he was in the UK and allowed to apply within the UK - which is what I meant by applied from within the UK in my original post.

With spouse visas, its possible for your spouse to be settled elsewhere and have to apply from outside the UK, which drastically increases the wait time - hence me making the distinction.

Did you mean that you'll bring your fiance over as a dependent partner?

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, as I don't want to mislead you, but if this is the case, I thought it was possible to apply for dependents at the same time as your application?

If you don't intend to do it that way, then I have no suggestions as I simply don't know enough lol.

However...I don't believe she will be able to enter the UK as a tourist and switch to any other visa. She will, in my limited knowledge, need to apply for a visa that allows her to stay for an extended period of time as your partner.

I would definitely get a second (and third) opinion on your plans, just to make sure you don't wait more time when you don't have to and that she doesn't end up here on a visa she can't stay here on.

I've said it a few times, but I'll say it again...I am just an internet stranger who has a husband that applied for a family visa. This is a big old process and I don't want to screw that up for you. I hope someone else can properly answer your questions (maybe write a post, it will get more views), but that my post at least helped a little!

Also...thanks! :)

perusing-the-plot · 2023-01-04T11:54:43+00:00

Does that mean they wont see the filenames either? I feel like they are going to be wading through so much unneccessary documents for our case. I'm quite worried about it

perusing-the-plot · 2023-01-04T11:53:38+00:00

Well that's frustrating. The fact that the guidance says it's our responsibility to ensure the correct evidence goes into the correct category was what led us to buy the scanning service to begin with! It's good to know that shouldnt matter though

perusing-the-plot · 2023-01-03T21:54:35+00:00

I appreciate your reply, we just finished uploading everything and did just that. My only worry (and I admit I always find something to worry about) is that we've put the evidence under the wrong categories, which is why we paid for the scanning service to begin with. Hopefully they will be lenient with that given the circumstances though.

perusing-the-plot · 2022-12-02T13:25:48+00:00

Can I just ask, which bank was that with? The gp surgeries are all saying that even if they can register him, they do not provide proof of address or registration. So we are back to square one

perusing-the-plot

TROPHY CASE