Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) Article Discussion

Former_MSE_Natasha

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Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) Article

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Gemmzie

The Bonus payments haven't actually be finalised yet for this year.

At least, that's what the letter I recieved this morning said

ewloe

Hi my son will be starting FE this september and is applying for an EMA which needs a bank account, I have searched all over this site and I can't find any information on which will be the best bank acout for a 16yo to open, plenty of advice for HE students and adults but what about teenages?

Gemmzie

All of the major banks do special account for 16/17 year olds, HSBC and Natwest have a Solo card with them.

Halifax use Electron, as do Barclays - Solo seems to be more widely accepted in shops in my experience.

ewloe

thank you for your reply won't be using HSBC though got a letter today from them they are closing my account in 30 days because of a returned DD so I need to find a new bank aswell

waddy80

if you are looking for a good account for 16/17's try Lloyds TSB (I am biased I do work for them) but we give a visa electron (accepted evrywhere with visa sign) card plus text alert balances, and access to internet banking.

Tiff_2

The Co-operative Bank do a visa electron card too (debit only) so good DFW tool. Plus their banks seem to clear cheques quicker & they are really friendly. If you open this Cashminder Account as it's called (complete with DD facilty) due to having bad credit, your account is reviewed by them for an upgrade after several months.
Suits me Sir!

bamboozled2

You can also open a building society account, we did for our daughter last year, a young saver account, with a good interest rate and a hole in the wall card.

emilyt

Does anyone know how many weeks that a student is paid EMA.Are they paid through the holidays or just term time only.Have looked at the EMA website but can't seem to find the answer. Thanks in advance.

bamboozled2

I would advise anybody who thinks that they are just over the limit to receive ema to have a go anyway, last year we looked at out p60's and decided we were just over, then my daughter came home from college and told us about other students who got it. Thinking to myself, 'They earn more than us.' I applied. We were just in, at the bottom and my daughter got £10 aweek + bonuses.:beer: They only pay from when the letter is processed, so the earlier you get it in the better. Unfortunately, this year they have decided we are over the limit, so won't get anything.
(What really irks me about this is, we know the people she told use about, self employed people, one with a big 4 bedrooomed house, 3 cars on the drive, exotic holidays and more designer clothes than you can imagine, - daughter gets £30 AWEEK. Other one, big house, cars, vans, motorbikes, holidays - I know the wife earns as much as me (same job) so he (successful plumber) supposedly earns less than ten grand a year as daughter gets £20 aweek.):mad:
Anyway, rant over.
When you get your ema application form, they want you to send in your p60's or your tax credit form. The only thing is, you need to send in your application form, before you get your final tax credit form. If you don't want to trust your p60 to the post, (as it's irreplaceable, if lost) Ring up the tax office, you can tell them all they need to know over the phone and will have your final tax credit form in the post in good time for you to send it off.
Good Luck

loopylass

emilyt wrote:

Does anyone know how many weeks that a student is paid EMA.Are they paid through the holidays or just term time only.Have looked at the EMA website but can't seem to find the answer. Thanks in advance.

My son got ema last year and will be getting it for his next college course(2 year)
you get it term time only
when you first go into college you have to take the letter ema gives you and someone sorts it out then it goes on the register if your there all week you get it if not you dont
my sons course finished early in june so he didnt get any because he wasnt there
plus the person who gets ema can earn any other money and your ema is not affected plus parents will still get child allowance and child tax until the child reach 19