New Bursary replacing EMA

davefrombristol

Carers Allowance amounts to £25 top up - reduced from £55 - Ok so my child gets DLA which is not treated as income as far as IS is concerned - I'm a single parent Dad and have been for 8 years - I don't get any maintenance as her mum is dead and for the whole 8 years I have had to manage on what money I can claim and the odd bit that I have earned through part time work. I live in rented property where I have for years had to make the difference of the shortfall of rent as HB wouldn't pay all the rent - and no I'm not one of those families living in some expensive suburb in london with an extortionate rent - £450 rising to £550 rent where HB would only pay about £380.

Ok so I must be living a life of riley on £200 a week - and with the nearest hospital 10+ miles away, I've had to foot endless trips to and from re my daughters illness ( this is what the DLA is for is it not ? ) but don't worry no doubt you could easily explain what circumstances a 16 yr old would be able to claim this bursary fund.

You'll be glad to know that I won't be bothering to claim the £3 a day travel expenses that they said I might be able to claim back £1 a trip for - because guess what its not worth the effort of filling in endless forms and waiting many months for a decision that will probably end up being no anyway.

Just keep paying all the 1st class travel expenses and £1000 tvs for your MPs as they obviosly need it far more than me.

spikeripley

Im on income support and my kids finish year eleven next year if they choose to stay on from what I understand I will still get the same money until they leave education at 19 they wont get ema but they can go anywhere for a £1 with there bus passes and I can apply to their school for extra to replace ema?

Oldernotwiser

Surely child related benefits, received when a child is in education, are intended to be spent on that child and his/her education, rather than contributing generally to the household expenses, like rent?

kathyb1tch

For your information sunnyone i spend every penny of any extra money into the house for my daughter on my daughter and her needs and more besides. The point we are making is that the government said that poorer families and those with disabilities would be helped with the new bursary, this has not happened.

And as to you oldernotwiser i actually have in writing from last year that my local council wanted my daughter to contribute to the rent with her DLA, i applied for DHP to top up the shortfall in the rent and they replied stating that she should use her DLA to help with the shortfall, so yes they DO expect us to use their money to help the household income.

Oldernotwiser

kathyb1tch wrote: »

For your information sunnyone i spend every penny of any extra money into the house for my daughter on my daughter and her needs and more besides. The point we are making is that the government said that poorer families and those with disabilities would be helped with the new bursary, this has not happened.

And as to you oldernotwiser i actually have in writing from last year that my local council wanted my daughter to contribute to the rent with her DLA, i applied for DHP to top up the shortfall in the rent and they replied stating that she should use her DLA to help with the shortfall, so yes they DO expect us to use their money to help the household income.

I wasn't commenting on DLA but the CB/CTC that parents receive when their child's still in full time education. I feel that this should be used to fund fares and educational expenses as well as paying for the student's food and share of utilities.

nannymiaow

The young person would be better off claiming ESA and the bursary and then paying towards their 'keep'. Why not give them the choice?

Or is it all about the child financially supporting the parent?

Sixer

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I wasn't commenting on DLA but the CB/CTC that parents receive when their child's still in full time education. I feel that this should be used to fund fares and educational expenses as well as paying for the student's food and share of utilities.

I have some sympathy with this view, but I think, ONW, you have to acknowledge that the costs associated with a post 16 child are greater than those associated with an under 16.

That is, the fares and educational expenses you mention. These are free for under 16s.

Rates of CB/CTC are supposedly calculated to provide at least a "minimum" standard of living under current rules/view of the government.

While those rates are clearly open to debate and opinion, it remains true that the "official" view is that they ensure the minimum acceptable standard of living.

So you can't really say that fares and educational expenses should come out of £X per week CB/CTC - when that £X is only providing a minimum acceptable standard when these things are free.

Oldernotwiser

Sixer wrote: »

I have some sympathy with this view, but I think, ONW, you have to acknowledge that the costs associated with a post 16 child are greater than those associated with an under 16.

That is, the fares and educational expenses you mention. These are free for under 16s.

Rates of CB/CTC are supposedly calculated to provide at least a "minimum" standard of living under current rules/view of the government.

While those rates are clearly open to debate and opinion, it remains true that the "official" view is that they ensure the minimum acceptable standard of living.

So you can't really say that fares and educational expenses should come out of £X per week CB/CTC - when that £X is only providing a minimum acceptable standard when these things are free.

Costs will vary on area and situation though, with many young people receiving help with fares (it depends on area) or not needing any because they live locally. I don't really see what extra educational expenses you have after 16 either, unless you're on a course with a great deal of expensive equipment. In addition, most young people are in a position to be able to work part time once they reach 16 and many families stop paying pocket money at this point.

People need to remember that EMA was designed as an incentive for young people to remain in education, rather than necessarily being used to cover additional expenses. Once it was announced that the age for remaining in education or training was being raised, it was always going to be the first thing to go.

Sixer

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Costs will vary on area and situation though, with many young people receiving help with fares (it depends on area) or not needing any because they live locally. I don't really see what extra educational expenses you have after 16 either, unless you're on a course with a great deal of expensive equipment. In addition, most young people are in a position to be able to work part time once they reach 16 and many families stop paying pocket money at this point.

People need to remember that EMA was designed as an incentive for young people to remain in education, rather than necessarily being used to cover additional expenses. Once it was announced that the age for remaining in education or training was being raised, it was always going to be the first thing to go.

As I say, I'm not unsympathetic to the view.

However, the fact remains that there is a glaring anomaly. Neither the administration nor individuals can on the one hand say that CB/CTB ensures a minimum standard of living, but on the other, introduce new costs for post-16s (and fares are significant, not by the by; some parents are paying four figures per year) and maintain these should be taken care of by CB/CTB.

For me, the solution is simple - transport, textbooks and stationery should be free for 16-18s under the same conditions as they are free for under 16s.

Having said that, I'm all for 16-18s getting part-time jobs. Both my sons (15 and 16) have them.

Our school's 6th form prospectus actually advises against getting them. Terrible advice, in my opinion, and based solely on getting their UCAS points average up. If they can get kids to do more courses, it suits them, not necessarily the child. Better for the school if they do 4 x AS levels, 3 x A2 levels and some Mickey Mouse enrichment course for another 10-30 points. Is this better for the child than just concentrating properly on 3 AS/A2s plus gaining some valuable experience in the world of work? I have my doubts.

sunnyone

davefrombristol wrote: »

Carers Allowance amounts to £25 top up - reduced from £55 - Ok so my child gets DLA which is not treated as income as far as IS is concerned - I'm a single parent Dad and have been for 8 years - I don't get any maintenance as her mum is dead and for the whole 8 years I have had to manage on what money I can claim and the odd bit that I have earned through part time work. I live in rented property where I have for years had to make the difference of the shortfall of rent as HB wouldn't pay all the rent - and no I'm not one of those families living in some expensive suburb in london with an extortionate rent - £450 rising to £550 rent where HB would only pay about £380.

Ok so I must be living a life of riley on £200 a week - and with the nearest hospital 10+ miles away, I've had to foot endless trips to and from re my daughters illness ( this is what the DLA is for is it not ? ) but don't worry no doubt you could easily explain what circumstances a 16 yr old would be able to claim this bursary fund.

You'll be glad to know that I won't be bothering to claim the £3 a day travel expenses that they said I might be able to claim back £1 a trip for - because guess what its not worth the effort of filling in endless forms and waiting many months for a decision that will probably end up being no anyway.

Just keep paying all the 1st class travel expenses and £1000 tvs for your MPs as they obviosly need it far more than me.

The £25 is the carers premium ontop of the IS which you wouldnt be entitled to unless your child got DLA, so thats £90 per week you get for IS, you then get other top ups because you get IS + £130 per week child related benefits, thats all tax and NI free so it is worth more in real terms so you are not as hard up as you claim in comparison to the £65 JSA you would get without your child getting DLA, you would get £75 less pw not including your daughter DLA (carers premium and disability element of child tax credits)

Getting to the hospital 10 miles even daily dosnt come close to touching the £75 extra and you get all travelling costs for appointments back because you get IS anyway so thats another red herring.