Scamming EMA!

Rowan9

Have missed this thread for a few days, so to catch up - yes, EMA works for low income families when it helps young people get into FE or HE, students who want to learn. I can see that it is a useful benefit where money is an issue. Where I see that it doesn't work is when students enrol on courses for the EMA but don't intend to learn, or try. This may be surprising for people to hear, but it happens. A voucher system might ensure that students come to college with at least a pen. Similarly, we had a student whose mother came in to complain about him being asked to leave college (didn't want to come in the first place) because her benefits would be cut and she would have to get a job. This was one angry mother. So it is sometimes difficult to see the 'good' side of EMA. Thanks for your input everyone.
w

savvy

katieowl wrote: »

When the chips are down, EMA has over the years paid for my kids essential text books, suitable sixth form clothes, course related school trips, an essential private music tutor (long boring story which hopefully will result in the required UNI grade this summer), and assisted with the provision of a dailuy packed lunch, as well as funding their phones and social life :rolleyes: which simply COULD NOT have come out of out the family finances.... I have been eternally grateful for it! It also meant that the kids didn't NEED a job as well so they were able to concentrate on their A levels.

When my son goes starts 6th form in September, it will be helping pay his train fare which will be £50 every half term!

You should find that there is a Learner Support Fund or the like available for Course related trips, any trips unrelated aren't covered and would have to be funded by yourselves. In our establishment the LSF is means tested. As for the train fare, there should also be a travel assistance payment, possibly around £60 per term, that your child can claim.

wmf - totally agree with you, I even had a protest within my tutor group with those that didn't get EMA :rolleyes: Makes it so difficult at times, especially when the ones receiving it are lazy or can't be bothered.

savvy

wmf wrote: »

A voucher system might ensure that students come to college with at least a pen. Similarly, we had a student whose mother came in to complain about him being asked to leave college (didn't want to come in the first place) because her benefits would be cut and she would have to get a job. This was one angry mother. So it is sometimes difficult to see the 'good' side of EMA. Thanks for your input everyone.
w

Oh god..............................a pen would be fantastic!! We stress it EVERY year, funny how they can remember to bring their new Nike trainers or MP'3........but never a pen or paper! :rolleyes:

We've had parents in too, the kid clearly doesn't want to be at college yet they are forced back because they'll lose benefits, then we have to spend valuable time trying to chase these kids up, try and keep them motivated and try and get them to produce something, then there's the never ending career talks for them as they aren't motivated, disciplinaries due to poor behaviour, endless papertrails on them, laptop loans, special concessions and the unattended counselling appointments :rolleyes: Whilst the motivated kids are left to get on with it because they are behaving, but they're the ones I want to spend time with and inspire

John38_2

Could I possibly point out where EMA has been a positive for me?

I live away from my parents, and receive just enough Housing Benefit to cover my rent. I don't pay Council Tax, but I do make a contribution to household bills, as I'm a Lodger.

The only money I receive on top of that is Income Support, which has a basic rate of £47.95 a week.

So basically, less than £50 a week has to cover all my part of the bills, all my food and snacks etc, all my clothes, shoes, trainers, and other items like toothpaste, soap, shampoo, hair products etc etc.

I vow anyone to spend several years living on less than £7 a day, feeding themselves breakfast, lunch and dinner, paying utility bills, paying for toiletries, and still having money left over for clothes and footwear.

Now, before EMA, on top of all that, I would have been expected to fund college AS WELL as all the above, from less than £50 a week. Nigh on impossible.

As I'm on income support, I'm entitled to £30 a week EMA. It means I have to turn up to lectures, and if I want to get the bonus' I have to work hard.

To be honest, £20/25 a week of my EMA goes on supplementing the £47.95 so I can have a reasonable standard of living.

The other £5/10 I use to buy stationary and textbooks etc.

I still can't afford to pay for all the visits and residentials that we have, and I get help from the Learner Support Fund for them, but thats becoming a hard task as my college doesn't like paying LSF grants to EMA students on the grounds we already have money to pay for stuff like that.

I then have to explain I'm not living in a house with my mum who earns £20,000 a year, plus CTC and CB etc etc, I'm living on my own surviving on what you probably spend on socialising every year.

EMA is a lifeline for me, I just wish they'd pay it all year round for independent learners, as its a struggle during the holidays sometimes.

I wish I could get a part time job, but it wouldn't be worth it. Any extra money I earn would be docked from my Income Support. If I earn over £50 a week, my Income Support stops, which means my EMA stops, and my free travel pass stops, and that means my Housing Benefit is reassessed with income support, so I'd have to pay for a certain amount of my own rent etc etc. Its ridiculous.

Estranged students should really be allowed to earn up to their IS (£48) without any money being docked, and anything after that knocked off their benefit £ for £.

Titch89

John38 wrote: »

I wish I could get a part time job, but it wouldn't be worth it. Any extra money I earn would be docked from my Income Support. If I earn over £50 a week, my Income Support stops, which means my EMA stops,

How does your EMA stop if your IS stops? The maximum income is around £30k per year.

John38_2

Titch89 wrote: »

How does your EMA stop if your IS stops? The maximum income is around £30k per year.

Become in order to treat you as an independent learner, the EMA ask for either proof of income support, marriage certificate etc.

Similar to University Loans, unless proven otherwise, your considered to be looked after by your parents.

On the application I just ticked I am recieving IS, which they do check up on.

It says if you are living alone, but not receiving IS, we MAY be able to help, so get in touch. But yet more hoops to jump through etc.

And why would a 16/17 year old recieving £30,000 a year from a part time job want EMA anyway?

savvy

John38 wrote: »

I still can't afford to pay for all the visits and residentials that we have, and I get help from the Learner Support Fund for them, but thats becoming a hard task as my college doesn't like paying LSF grants to EMA students on the grounds we already have money to pay for stuff like that.

I'm stunned, our college can't wait to give it to the EMA students

I can certainly see the benefits to EMA, my eldest was able to get £20 pw and that all went on his travel so it certainly saved me some money, but now my youngest won't be able to get it and I'm not sure I can afford to supplement him the same.

I think it works when the students are absolutely motivated to learn, however at least 50% of claimants can't be bothered where I work, they just do the minimum to get the money.

liquidlives

savvy wrote: »

You should find that there is a Learner Support Fund or the like available for Course related trips, any trips unrelated aren't covered and would have to be funded by yourselves. In our establishment the LSF is means tested. As for the train fare, there should also be a travel assistance payment, possibly around £60 per term, that your child can claim.

You know that reminds me, I'm supposed to get some money back for lodging and meals on a Geography trip to Wales and the Finance Office at school said they'd contact me after the trip to check I still qualified to reimburse me but they never did say anything...bizarre. I doubt I'll be able to claim it back now as the school year's ended, how annoying! They seem to be very good at sending out e-mails to the whole school to complain that people are overspent on their lunch cards but when they owe someone they don't mention it. My fault really I suppose, I should have gone to the office after the trip and enquired about it but I just forgot ):

scat

Anyone know how long they take to process your application? My son applied ages, well seems like ages!!, ago and have heard nothing. Am in a panic because if the form goes astray I'll have lost all my ruddy supporting evidence!!!

I wish EMA had existed when I went to college. I did Fashion Design. My parents couldn't afford to give me any money, I was one of 4. I earnt a little working in a hotel washing up until the early hours of the morning at weekends. It wasn't enough to fund what proved to be a very expensive course! I gave up after a year as I just couldn't afford to buy the materials I needed.

My own son isn't seeing EMA as easy money. He recognises how expensive college is. He's already said that he will use it to repay us the money that we have to fork out on his bus pass and books deposit. I'm glad it will mean he doesn't have to take a crap weekend job that pays lousy money. That relatively small amount of money will relieve a lot of the financial stress of college for us. He's spending his summer doing voluntary work for the fun of it!

Rowan9

scat - I'm not sure how long it takes but maybe you could ring to ask?
I'm glad that your son will be able to use his EMA.
re volunteering - I used to run a volunteer centre and am such a believer in volunteering! Not only is it a great chance to do things/ meet people etc but it will put him a step ahead with his CV.
I remember my first weekend job - 8 hours Sat, 8 hours Sun, cleaning and washing dishes at a hotel for 25p an hour. I was 14 and it gave me money for things I wanted rather than needed.

liquidlives- the school office will be open over the summer so it's worth asking.