Helping the vulnerable or Benefits Britain?

lemonjelly

ninky wrote: »

lemonjelly you are the font of knowlege when it comes to the benefits system.

but isn't EMA quite a small amount and presumably the parents are putting a roof over their heads and feeding them (you woudl hope). couldn't the kids get weekend or evening jobs for extra funds? i certainly did this when i was doing 'a' levels.

It is £30 per week for most (there is actually a sliding scale, £10, £20 or £30). It is paid dependent upon attendance.

In theory yes.
However the principle of EMA is that it is for students to purchase necessary items for college. Books, stationary, bus passes, hairdressing kits etc etc.

In honesty, most students spend it on fags/weed/booze/in the canteen/.
Parents who's kids qualify for EMA will still be getting child benefit, tax credits and/or IS/JSA for them. So it is an extra income if you like.

The theory behind EMA was to promote the kids being less dependent on the parents, especially financially.

SingleSue

lemonjelly wrote: »

I also deal with a lot of kids who's parents take the EMA off them (leaving the kids with no funds to get into college for example).

If I had not had personal experience of this happening, I would not have believed you but in just the last couple of weeks, my eldest son has informed me that his closest friends mum is going to charge her daughter rent of exactly £30 a week (the amount her EMA will be) once she goes into 6th form.

I find that completely reprehensible, EMA is designed to allow students to fund their travel to college/6th form, pay for books etc...not to pay housekeeping.

lemonjelly

SingleSue wrote: »

If I had not had personal experience of this happening, I would not have believed you but in just the last couple of weeks, my eldest son has informed me that his closest friends mum is going to charge her daughter rent of exactly £30 a week (the amount her EMA will be) once she goes into 6th form.

I find that completely reprehensible, EMA is designed to allow students to fund their travel to college/6th form, pay for books etc...not to pay housekeeping.

The daughter could always advise her mum she needs to declare this as a form of income to the DWP;)

Board off lodgers is classed as income, & therefore should be deducted from IS/JSA (if the mother is in receipt of it).

Could be an interesting game of cat & mouse...

MissMoneypenny

ninky wrote: »

but isn't EMA quite a small amount and presumably the parents are putting a roof over their heads and feeding them (you woudl hope).

Parents should be keeping their children, until the children are able to keep themselves. Benefits Britain has seen a new breed of parent, who use their childs benefits (tax credits, child benefit, ESA) on themselves, instead of the child it was intended for. There were also those stories on the news about teachers putting food into childrens bags as they knew they weren't getting enough to eat at home.

If we really want to help children get off the povety line, the money should not be given to the parents. For ESA, bus passes should be given out instead and vouchers for any books needed. Child Benefit should be given in clothing vouchers, in the childs name. Tax Credits should be replaced with meals at schools for all ages. In the worst cases, the children should be provided with 3 meals a day at school, 7 days a week. It's no good sending food to the houses, as the parent will either eat it themselves or sell it. All of this won't bother the good parents, but it will really upset the bad parents.

SingleSue

lemonjelly wrote: »

The daughter could always advise her mum she needs to declare this as a form of income to the DWP;)

Board off lodgers is classed as income, & therefore should be deducted from IS/JSA (if the mother is in receipt of it).

Could be an interesting game of cat & mouse...

To be honest, not sure what the mum gets as she does work albeit very part time but that was actually one of the suggestions I gave to eldest to tell his friend!

Mind you, this was the mum who didn't want to go to the 6th form evenings, doesn't go to any school parents evenings and threatens to kick her daughter out virtually every day (she doesn't do anything to deserve it, the daughter could just ask for her mum to come to a parents evening for this reaction)....it drives me up the wall to be honest, this is her GCSE's year and she needs parental support not parental grief.

ninky_2

SingleSue wrote: »

If I had not had personal experience of this happening, I would not have believed you but in just the last couple of weeks, my eldest son has informed me that his closest friends mum is going to charge her daughter rent of exactly £30 a week (the amount her EMA will be) once she goes into 6th form.

I find that completely reprehensible, EMA is designed to allow students to fund their travel to college/6th form, pay for books etc...not to pay housekeeping.

i dont' know the family so can't judge but it is always possible that the mother doesn't trust the daughter not to spend the EMA on booze and fags and makeup etc so is charging her 'rent' but will in fact provide her with all money for college needs or buy the items herself?

paybacktime2008

ninky wrote: »

i dont' know the family so can't judge but it is always possible that the mother doesn't trust the daughter not to spend the EMA on booze and fags and makeup etc so is charging her 'rent' but will in fact provide her with all money for college needs or buy the items herself?

Yes it is possible, but highly unlikely. It's probably for mum's booze fags and make up.

SingleSue

Nope Ninky...daughter neither drinks or smokes and is (rather spookily) like me in her view of clothes and make up buying.

The mum however.......