Readers’ forum: Mother’s helper

One of my clients has asked for some advice relating to her daughter. Towards the end of 2019 the daughter started a new job with a salary of £30 000. She had a student loan and this is being repaid through her wages.

Her mother tells me that the daughter has been furloughed recently by her employer and it seems likely that she will receive only 80% of her salary. Will this affect the student loan repayments and will this apply only for the months during which she is paid a lower amount or is there a cumulative effect over the year?

Also if the daughter helps out in her mother’s business during these furlough months either as an employee or on a self-employed basis how if at all would that income be taken into account in calculating any student...