EMA help

siany711

we applied for ema for both our sons back in aug. we had to put both applications in the same envelope because we only had one tax credit award notice. we also put a note in the envelope telling them that there was two forms for two children enclosed.... we got mail from them saying we had not put a bank statement in the envelope and so we sent it all back off again..it was only addressed to one child and no mention of the other child at all (he has claimed before and didnt need to send in a bank statement)
we then called them and they said they didnt have either children on the system.. so we left it a while longer.. 3 wks ago we got a letter saying sorry for the wait Sam and your application will be dealt with soon..no mention of the second child again..so we called them..
they said we would have to re apply again for both children as they are not on the system..we said we couldnt as they havent sent us back the original tax credit form and we didnt have another.. we said how can they not be on the system when we have a letter from you addressed to one of the children..all she would say was that we had to re apply..she was rude to us and wouldnt tell us any other numbers we could call and she wouldnt give us the name of her boss saying he didnt have an office or number .

i then called them up again and ordered 2 more forms so i could reapply with a letter explaining why i couldnt send them a tax credit award notice... but the new forms never came!!!!!!!

as to date we have heard nothing and received nothing..we have now missed the deadline to apply and get back payment.. we keep calling them and now they dont even answer there phones..we have sent them e.mails and they have not sent us any back...is anyone else having these probs..what can we do..

they dont answer letters/e.mails ..they dont send out new forms.. they dont pick the phone up anymore.
its now nov 14th..

my children ask me every day and one son is getting hassle from college coz he has to use his ema to pay the college fees and to get his lunch..he goes without lunch every single day and hasnt payed the fees yet.

cw18

there is a huge backlog at the moment. They received my sons claim on 3rd September (I sent it by recorded mail so know it arrived), but we've still not had his contract back. I've been phoning every couple of weeks as we're getting desperate for the money (I'm currently having to find the money he needs for essentials like bus fares), but last week was told they still had a backlog and I should phone again next week and request a replacement if it still hasn't arrived,

In the meantime they still have my P60 (we didn't have a correct Tax Credit form to send in), and have said they can't send it back until 4 weeks after they send out his contract despite the fact I needed it for something else at the end of last month !!!!!!!!!!

space_rider

The tax credits had my p60 since the middle of July and I got it back 9th October. Still waiting for the payments to start. I`ve tried to phone and just get the recorded message that it will be backdated.

[Deleted User]

siany711 wrote: »

we applied for ema for both our sons back in aug. we had to put both applications in the same envelope because we only had one tax credit award notice. we also put a note in the envelope telling them that there was two forms for two children enclosed.... we got mail from them saying we had not put a bank statement in the envelope and so we sent it all back off again..it was only addressed to one child and no mention of the other child at all (he has claimed before and didnt need to send in a bank statement)
we then called them and they said they didnt have either children on the system.. so we left it a while longer.. 3 wks ago we got a letter saying sorry for the wait Sam and your application will be dealt with soon..no mention of the second child again..so we called them..
they said we would have to re apply again for both children as they are not on the system..we said we couldnt as they havent sent us back the original tax credit form and we didnt have another.. we said how can they not be on the system when we have a letter from you addressed to one of the children..all she would say was that we had to re apply..she was rude to us and wouldnt tell us any other numbers we could call and she wouldnt give us the name of her boss saying he didnt have an office or number .

i then called them up again and ordered 2 more forms so i could reapply with a letter explaining why i couldnt send them a tax credit award notice... but the new forms never came!!!!!!!

as to date we have heard nothing and received nothing..we have now missed the deadline to apply and get back payment.. we keep calling them and now they dont even answer there phones..we have sent them e.mails and they have not sent us any back...is anyone else having these probs..what can we do..

they dont answer letters/e.mails ..they dont send out new forms.. they dont pick the phone up anymore.
its now nov 14th..

my children ask me every day and one son is getting hassle from college coz he has to use his ema to pay the college fees and to get his lunch..he goes without lunch every single day and hasnt payed the fees yet.

I think you may have done all you can,the next step if i were you would be to see my mp asap
Its really beyond me how theyve managed to make such a mess of ema this year

cw18

the problems are down to the computer systems.....

from what I've been told, the firm who provided the software lost the contract, so they brought in new software to process this years applications. But when they tried using it for real it couldn't cope -- so they've had to bring it yet at another at the 11th hour


and as someone who works for a software company (well, until 26th anyway ) I find it totally unbelievable that they didn't properly 'stress test' the original replacement. Sounds/looks like they must be having problems with the latest software too :eek:

geordie_lass_2

The company who were given the EMA contract this year (Liberata) have made a right pigs ear out of everything. It has resulted in delays and confusion for thousands of students claiming EMA and ALG.
Thankfully the government has taken the contract off them and given it back to the company who was dealing with it previously, this has happened only in the last few days.
The best people to advise you will probably be the college EMA office, they should have the latest information.

If you have some sort of proof that your child's original application was sent before October 31st then there should be no problem getting back payments, even if Liberata then went on to lose the application.

cw18

My son's contract finally arrived this last Tuesday !!!

geordie_lass_2

cw18, :j I bet that felt like such a relief, I know it did in our household when DS got his after all the waiting and phonecalls.

siany711, you should be able to get EMA application forms from the college rather than waiting in vain for the company to send out replacements, the EMA/ALG office there will have them.

space_rider

cw18 wrote: »

My son's contract finally arrived this last Tuesday !!!

We`re still waiting. When did you get the letter to say they received the application?