Do my daughters qualify for ‘home fees’ at UK universities?

We have twin little girls in their GCSE year who could hope to go to a UK college in a few years. We need to guarantee it tends to be shown we are "usually occupant in the UK" so they fit the bill for home expenses. In 2014 we were presented on India by my organization on a transient agreement of three years which has two times been expanded, once because of Coronavirus. Our little girls are at school in India. I have my own confidential restricted business in the UK and keep on paying UK charge on profit from the organization and from our UK house which is leased. The UK remains a lot of our home. How might we be certain we meet the usually inhabitant prerequisites?Jonathan Slope, a supervisor in the Sheffield office of Fragomen, a law office, with over 10 years of movement experience, expresses falling inside "home" charge status and staying away from the installment of worldwide educational expenses will be a huge thought while applying for advanced education concentrate on in the UK.

Jonathan Slope, a chief at Fragomen © Charles Sturge

Home expense status is surveyed and apportioned by the UK college by taking a gander at the candidate's movement status and concluding whether they are considered usually inhabitant. There is direction for colleges, yet this might be deciphered contrastingly relying upon the organization. Be that as it may, as a rule, following methodology is taken.

To start with, the understudy would for the most part should be considered "settled" in the UK on the main day of the scholastic term. To be viewed as such, the understudy should hold a migration status that doesn't force time limitations on their length of stay in the UK. This could be by holding a UK or Irish visa, having Endless leave to stay, right of house or settled status under the EU enlistment plot. Second, the understudy ought to likewise be thought of "normally occupant", To decide this the college will survey on the off chance that the understudy has dwelled in the UK for the beyond three years, and whether they would be inhabitant in the event that they were not seeking after study. In the event that the response to either is no, it's conceivable that they wouldn't be viewed as conventionally occupant, implying that it is far-fetched home charge status would be applied. A worldwide understudy with restricted leave to stay, with an expiry date joined to their UK migration status is probably not going to be qualified for home expense status.

A comparative way to deal with the above is likewise utilized by Understudy Money Britain, Understudy Money Ridges, and Understudy Grants Organization Scotland to survey whether the understudy is qualified for monetary assistance with their examinations in the UK. Could I at any point arrange a more pleasant separation settlement?

My significant other and I are separating. His dad is older and my significant other will get an impressive legacy when my father by marriage passes on. It is not exactly right that our monetary repayment will see me finance my significant other when in a little while he will be far richer. Is there anything I can do to get a more pleasant settlement? Emily Brand, accomplice at Boodle Hatfield, a law office, says the family courts progressively recognize "independent/non-marital" and "wedding resources" while deciding how resources ought to be split between a couple following a separation.

Emily Brand, partner at Boodle Hatfield

Matrimonial assets are considered to be those built up by the couple during the marriage, such as the increase in value of a family home or a joint business venture. The starting point for the division of matrimonial assets is equality. For example, each spouse should receive 50 per cent of the net value. “Separate assets” are those which one spouse might have owned before the marriage (such as shares in a public-listed company) and/or inherited and/or been gifted to them by a member of their family either before, during the marriage or shortly after the separation. As the name implies, these are likely to be kept separate (subject to what I say below) and will not be divided up as part of the matrimonial pot Beware though, separate assets can be converted into matrimonial assets if they have been mingled. For example, if you have used an inheritance to purchase a family home in your joint names, this asset might still be considered matrimonial even though it is derived from a separate asset In your case, your ex-husband’s expected inheritance (as and when it arrives) is likely to fall into the category of separate or non-matrimonial assets and by that principle would not be available for division. Added to that is the fact that it sounds as though a settlement will be reached before your father-in-law dies, making it potentially easier for a judge to disregard it.That said, if the inheritance is likely to be substantial, the court may consider it is as a resource which your husband is likely to receive in the foreseeable future and which as such could be taken into account. However, given that your father-in-law is still alive and considerable monies might need to be spent on his care in the latter stages of his life, a court might be reluctant to assume that your husband’s expectation will materialise in its entirety. There is also the risk that your father-in-law might fall out with his son and disinherit him, in which case it might be unfair for your husband to receive less than you from the matrimonial assets.

The most likely approach is that as a first step the court will look at whether an equal division of thematrimonial assets meets your needs assessed to reflect the standard of living enjoyed by you during your marriage. If such a division fails to meet these needs, there may be a departure from an equal division of the matrimonial asset. This indirectly takes into account your husband’s expected inheritance.It may seem unfair, however, the courts tend to be reluctant to divide up assets which have not been generated during the marriage except in the case of need.The opinions in this column are intended for general information purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional advice. The Financial Times Ltd and the authors are not responsible for any direct or indirect result arising from any reliance placed on replies, including any loss, and exclude liability to the full extent.Our next questionI have not had to touch my pensions savings so far during my retirement, and I am now considering whether I could simply pass the money in my pension directly to my grandchildren. Are there any catches in doing this, or better ways to do it to ensure they get as much of the pension pot as possible?Do you have a financial dilemma that you’d like FT Money’s team of professional experts to look into? Email your problem in confidence to money@ft.com