Ema

MissScarlett_3

This financial year 09/10 is the first time I have been entitled to wtc & ctc. My son is at 6th form until summer 2010. At what point in the year is EMA calculated from, does he now have to wait to claim from Sept 09 when he starts his 2nd year of the course or could he have been receiving it from April of this year. He finishes next month until Sept, is EMA paid for 52 weeks of the year or is it a term time payment only. My household income has reduced hugely and so my wtc & ctc is based on this years estimated and not based on last years earnings. Thanks.

Caseyface

MissScarlett wrote: »

This financial year 09/10 is the first time I have been entitled to wtc & ctc. My son is at 6th form until summer 2010. At what point in the year is EMA calculated from, does he now have to wait to claim from Sept 09 when he starts his 2nd year of the course or could he have been receiving it from April of this year.

From what i understand, EMA is calculated from when the application form is received at EMA and processed but they do have a time limit for backpay. For example if son started college Sep 08 and applied for EMA in Nov 08 then he would probably have got backpay right back to September when he started college. After the back pay limit EMA can still be applied for at any point in the college year but he would only receive the amounts from when he applied not backpay right from Sep...does this make sense? He could have been receiving it from April this year til he finishes next month, but the chances are that now by the time the forms are processed his course will have ended.

MissScarlett wrote: »

He finishes next month until Sept, is EMA paid for 52 weeks of the year or is it a term time payment only.

No, it is only paid term time, so when he re-enrols at college get him to pick an EMA pack up and send for the forms stright away, therefore in September it will all be ready to go.

MissScarlett wrote: »

My household income has reduced hugely and so my wtc & ctc is based on this years estimated and not based on last years earnings. Thanks.

Sorry to hear that you are having to make cutbacks, i hope you get everything sorted out.

MissScarlett_3

Thnak you for your kind words.

SusieWinwood

Hi MissScarlett

I work at an FE College and one of my job roles is the process the weekly EMA payments.

Please ask you son to call up n the Summer for an 2009/10 EMA application pack - tel no is 0800 121 8989, or alternatively go on line http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/14To19/MoneyToLearn/EMA/DG_066945 to order a pack.

He could have been claiming since April but he needs an 2008/9 contract for that. TBH I very much doubt this could be completed in time as he leabvs next month.

EMA is only paid for term time, ie not in half term Easter etc. They get a bonus paid in February and a completion bonus paid in July.

One thing I must stress that, if at the start on his new College term in September he has not received his contract please tell him to fill in a weekly timesheet and hand it on to his tutor. Once the contract
is received he needs to take it to his Personal tutor for their signature, it can be then handed into his EMA administrator. Where I work students who have handed in a timesheet every week will get back pay, if no timesheet is received then no backpay. It can add up to a nice little amount!

HTH

Susie