Student Loans Company: Fail

Is it just me, or is asking me to complete a form I've already completed, and provide supporting evidence I've already provided - which they acknowledge I've already provided - a complete and utter waste of time?

The illogicality (is so a word) continues - not only do the Student Loans Company think, because HMRC has apparently updated them on my behalf, albeit erroneously, that I'm back in the UK and tax-resident in the UK, (so eligible for repayments again) but they informed me of this by sending a letter to my French address. The one that I presumably wouldn't be living at, if their belief regarding my residency status was remotely correct. To fix this mess, entirely of their own making, I need to send off more forms and more letters from Paul saying I earn no money, and it's all just so *stupid*.

You'd think I'd be inured to this after months living in France, wouldn't you? Apparently not.

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Bureaucracy - the easy bit!

Today has been a day of dealing with bureaucracy. Fortunately, it's been the English half, so it's at least been easy to communicate. I've got a form for the Student Loans Company, telling them I've moved and run away, so they should stop expecting any money from me. I've rung the very helpful Overseas Health Team at DWP in Newcastle and requested an E106, which means I can get healthcare in France as if I were French. (Wonderfully helpful, thank you DWP people who will never read this! Unless you're googling yourselves, in which case, hi!) I need to not get ill until that gets here, though, because I'm not actually sure I'm technically covered by anyone at the moment... Assuming work send me my last payslip, and I can find a fax machine, I should then be able - French bureaucracy permitting - to get healthcare up until the end of 2011. By which time, I really need to have found a job!

Tired now, going for a nap. It's exhausting, all this phoning people.

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