Ema

bestpud

aaranj wrote: »

how would you define too long? that would be hard for the government to do without angering ALOT of teenagers across the country. compensation should be available to anybody who is entitled to ema rather than just those (and i'm NOT naming names because this is to everyone so please don't reply with "i applied in june") who waited until late august onwards to send off applications.

As I understand it, there is no deadline for EMA applications?

Also, compensation is generally given as reparation for loss or hardship of some kind, and those who received their payments on time, or within a couple of weeks, hardly come into that category imo.

DD, for example, applied in June but she was given an old number by mistake (quite a few were) so the college had to wait for a new system number to be allocated.

Frustrating as it was, she was being paid within 3 weeks and it didn't cause her great problems. Personally, I think it would be wrong to make her think that requires compensating! Jeez, most wait that long for their first pay packet with new jobs and they may have families/mortgage/rent etc to pay!

Now, those who are still waiting (half way through the first term), through no fault of their own, are more worthy of any compensation if there were any. That's quite a delay and for some families, will be causing difficulties of the sort compensation usually covers. And this applies more so to those who applied in good time, obviously, but like I said, if there is no deadline...

aaranj

bestpud wrote: »

As I understand it, there is no deadline for EMA applications?

Also, compensation is generally given as reparation for loss or hardship of some kind, and those who received their payments on time, or within a couple of weeks, hardly come into that category imo.

DD, for example, applied in June but she was given an old number by mistake (quite a few were) so the college had to wait for a new system number to be allocated.

Frustrating as it was, she was being paid within 3 weeks and it didn't cause her great problems. Personally, I think it would be wrong to make her think that requires compensating! Jeez, most wait that long for their first pay packet with new jobs and they may have families/mortgage/rent etc to pay!

Now, those who are still waiting (half way through the first term), through no fault of their own, are more worthy of any compensation if there were any. That's quite a delay and for some families, will be causing difficulties of the sort compensation usually covers. And this applies more so to those who applied in good time, obviously, but like I said, if there is no deadline...

what i meant was people who waited until last minute (ie. late august onward) when it was inevitable that they wouldn't receive EMA as soon as they started term shouldn't be put up to receive shouldn't be put 1st for compensation (if there is to be any) before people who applied in advance and had not received anything. also i believe that all applicants have had problems with EMA and Liberata in some way and the least they deserve is an apology rather than Liberata getting a £2mil fine, of which students will probably never see.

MissPop

I sent in my application in mid-August, before the issues with the company became known. plus in my first year of college I applied at the beginning of September (as I didn't know about EMA until I started) and got my first payment a week later. To be honest, I didn't think about applying so soon as I didn't know they accepted applications in June. Anyway, I was rather preoccupied in June with revision and exams etc...

rev_henry

bestpud wrote: »

As I understand it, there is no deadline for EMA applications?

Also, compensation is generally given as reparation for loss or hardship of some kind, and those who received their payments on time, or within a couple of weeks, hardly come into that category imo.

DD, for example, applied in June but she was given an old number by mistake (quite a few were) so the college had to wait for a new system number to be allocated.

Frustrating as it was, she was being paid within 3 weeks and it didn't cause her great problems. Personally, I think it would be wrong to make her think that requires compensating! Jeez, most wait that long for their first pay packet with new jobs and they may have families/mortgage/rent etc to pay!

Now, those who are still waiting (half way through the first term), through no fault of their own, are more worthy of any compensation if there were any. That's quite a delay and for some families, will be causing difficulties of the sort compensation usually covers. And this applies more so to those who applied in good time, obviously, but like I said, if there is no deadline...

I'd hasten to agree with you there. Fair enough people applied rather late in the day and had to wait a bit, thats their own fault, they'll get backpaid anyway, but others, such as myself, who have been waiting since early August until now. And in my case my application was read the first time by some blind fool apparently who didn't notice the enclosed proof of my mother's self employed income, so it had to be sent in a second time and of course went to the bottom of the pile.

On another note...MY NOE ARRIVED THIS MORNING!!!! Yipeee. So it seems there is hope now, esp as I must have been waiting one of the longest as my second application was sent off on the 11th September!!!

aaranj

MissPop wrote: »

I sent in my application in mid-August, before the issues with the company became known. plus in my first year of college I applied at the beginning of September (as I didn't know about EMA until I started) and got my first payment a week later. To be honest, I didn't think about applying so soon as I didn't know they accepted applications in June. Anyway, I was rather preoccupied in June with revision and exams etc...

the issues were known back july just not reported in national media until august. also you applied in september and got paid the next week? that seems a bit quick

MissPop

aaranj wrote: »

the issues were known back july just not reported in national media until august. also you applied in september and got paid the next week? that seems a bit quick

This was two years ago - it took four days from me sending in my application to me receiving the Notice of Entitlement.

rev_henry

MissPop wrote: »

This was two years ago - it took four days from me sending in my application to me receiving the Notice of Entitlement.

That was before all this, when Capita administered it, and apparently did a half decent job!

boldaslove

aaranj wrote: »

what i meant was people who waited until last minute (ie. late august onward) when it was inevitable that they wouldn't receive EMA as soon as they started term shouldn't be put up to receive shouldn't be put 1st for compensation (if there is to be any) before people who applied in advance and had not received anything.

i know of a LOT of people (including myself) who requested application packs in june/july and never recieved anything despite numerous phone calls. i had to do it at enrolment (1st september) and only got my backpay at half term, and that was only because i spotted a classmate sorting out his forms, i never had information from the college or the ALG people about what i had to do once i'd recieved an entitlement letter. it's a bit unfair to pick out late applicants seeing as the company has obviously royally messed up.... everyone's suffering here!

also the comment about people with new jobs having to wait for wages in arrears, fair enough they probably have more costs/bills to pay, but it's still very stressful to be left in the lurch when you need money to travel to college. it's not a competition of who's worse off folks! :rolleyes:

anyhooo... came on for a mini rant as there's problems with my ALG... again! they owe me another 2 weeks and apparantly there's a problem with the payments system. is this just my college or are other people having the same problems? i'm getting quite irritated with having to run in and out of class to ask reception what's going on. why can't they do all this electronically? surely it would be easier for the tutors to log onto a computer system to confirm all students, rather than signing lots of bits of paper? it all seems a bit backwards to me!

bestpud

boldaslove wrote: »

i know of a LOT of people (including myself) who requested application packs in june/july and never recieved anything despite numerous phone calls. i had to do it at enrolment (1st september) and only got my backpay at half term, and that was only because i spotted a classmate sorting out his forms, i never had information from the college or the ALG people about what i had to do once i'd recieved an entitlement letter. it's a bit unfair to pick out late applicants seeing as the company has obviously royally messed up.... everyone's suffering here!

also the comment about people with new jobs having to wait for wages in arrears, fair enough they probably have more costs/bills to pay, but it's still very stressful to be left in the lurch when you need money to travel to college. it's not a competition of who's worse off folks! :rolleyes:

anyhooo... came on for a mini rant as there's problems with my ALG... again! they owe me another 2 weeks and apparantly there's a problem with the payments system. is this just my college or are other people having the same problems? i'm getting quite irritated with having to run in and out of class to ask reception what's going on. why can't they do all this electronically? surely it would be easier for the tutors to log onto a computer system to confirm all students, rather than signing lots of bits of paper? it all seems a bit backwards to me!

No, I agree, but it is a fact that we have to wait for things in life, and it would be wrong to expect compensation for a few weeks frustration!

It's annoying and needs sorting out but it's not really worthy of compensation imho.

s_baker_2

Basically, I hate to say it, but people seem to get rather worked up over EMA.
I received it last year, and was told I couldn't receive it this year because my parents earn too much - a bit annoying, but that is fair enough.

However - I probably spent less than 10% of it last year, and I get virtually nothing in terms of money from my parents, simply because I never really feel the need to buy anything (although obviously there are necessary costs).

Of course, I fully appreciate the fact that people have to pay transport and other costs, for which EMA is intended. However, I would think it is the minority who actually need all that money every week? If people are eligible for it then you will get it - and my guess is, it is very unlikely that students have had to go without food because of it. So I personally don't think there is any need to compensate people - compensate for what exactly?

Anyway, I don't want to roll on here and upset people, especially as it is only my 3rd post!

Regarding illness, I am assuming it differs depending on the college. But I know for me, you are allowed 3 full or 3 half days absence per term, anymore than that, and you don't receive payment for that week. Probably the fairest way of doing it. (just to say though, I didn't have a single day off ill in the previous 6 years - and 3 last year - for those who may be interested in my medical history!).