Sir - My daughter started a four-year pharmacy degree course at the University of Nottingham last month.

We had applied for her student loan in May 2004, but heard nothing. After repeated and expensive phone calls, she was finally told on September 16, by an automated voice, what sum she could expect, and that the first term's payment would be made into her bank account on September 20, the day after she arrived at university.

She checked her bank account on September 20 - no money! She rang me in tears. I rang the Student Loan Company and typed in her codes, only to be told that they could not give me information as I was not the student.

My daughter rang the company that evening on her mobile at the cheap rate time. The call cost more than £5.50 due to being held in a queue yet again. They told her that the paperwork had been sent to her home address and we should receive payment in a few days.

She checked her bank account every day the following week and still no money.

The university finance office told her that, due to high turnover, the company computer system had crashed and the university had had to re-enter all payments.

She finally received her money on October 12, three weeks after she first registered at the university.

My daughter had worked in the holidays and at weekends to save before she went to university. But how many young people, with no funds behind them or parents able to help out, has this happened to?

Is this a way the Government holds a few million in the coffers to gain extra interest?

Debbie Weston

Abbey Road

Witney