New Bursary replacing EMA

Oldernotwiser

alluring29 wrote: »

Because it is going to be a struggle, I get £75 a week and £30 of that now has to go to her travelling costs. Add on top of that food, clothes and her mobile phone contract and as you can see, it isn't adding up.

Why do you see a mobile phone contract as more of a priority than her educational costs? Surely, if money's tight, then this should be the first thing to go?

Personally, I wouldn't spend money on clothes for a 19 year old either; at that age that should be her responsibility.

sock-knitter

my 16 year old is in supported housing, he gets £93 per week dla, and i get ctc for him, which obviously i give to him along with his dla to pay his bills and feed himself, clothe himself, and pay for 4 buses a day to get to college and back. He isnt entitled to a penny from the bursary, because he isnt claiming IS. he cant claim IS as he is not estranged from his parent.
if i stopped all contact with son, then the government would help him out financially, this governments attitude stinks

Oldernotwiser

sock-knitter wrote: »

my 16 year old is in supported housing, he gets £93 per week dla, and i get ctc for him, which obviously i give to him along with his dla to pay his bills and feed himself, clothe himself, and pay for 4 buses a day to get to college and back. He isnt entitled to a penny from the bursary, because he isnt claiming IS. he cant claim IS as he is not estranged from his parent.
if i stopped all contact with son, then the government would help him out financially, this governments attitude stinks

I find it difficult to see how any system that pays large sums of rent for a 16 year old, plus £93 pw DLA and £80 (?) CTC/CB can be said to "stink". It seems exceptionally generous to me!

sock-knitter

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I find it difficult to see how any system that pays large sums of rent for a 16 year old, plus £93 pw DLA and £80 (?) CTC/CB can be said to "stink". It seems exceptionally generous to me!

maybe, but son has care needs hrc lrm, as well as paying all the bills that come with living alone, and travelling to college etc.
what i meant is the governments attitude towards young people becoming estranged from their parents to be better off financially stinks.
if he was to claim IS he would also be entitled to the full £1200 bursary, so because son keeps in contact with family he is poorer than others who dont bother

DaisyFlower

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Why do you see a mobile phone contract as more of a priority than her educational costs? Surely, if money's tight, then this should be the first thing to go?

Personally, I wouldn't spend money on clothes for a 19 year old either; at that age that should be her responsibility.

I agree, shes an adult so if she wants a phone and clothes she should be buying her own.

If she needs to re-sit exams, then perhaps it wasnt meant to be for her in the subjects she picked. If her failing is causing the family hardship (however it seems like she is still eligble for child benefits) then she could work and study in the evening if need be.

I dont think people think through the financial implications of having children and think the state will provide instead of them but we cant keep doing that as a country and people need to be responsible for any that they have.

Oldernotwiser

sock-knitter wrote: »

maybe, but son has care needs hrc lrm, as well as paying all the bills that come with living alone, and travelling to college etc.

But I thought your son was in supported accommodation which covered his care needs? Apart from buying his own food, what other bills come with living alone in his situation?

missfirefly

i approached the sixth form college that my 16 year old daughter is attending with regards to the bursary and i was rightly told she wasnt entitled due to the fact i work p/time and claim tax credits.However i was advised to fill out a form to apply for her bus pass £168 per term and to provide evidence of income.I nearly never did this because i automatically thought i would not be entitled to this help.Two days later i recieved a cheque for the full amount,i then got reinbursed £50 for her enrollment fees and she was also awarded meal vouchers with a value of £3 per day.Please dont make the mistake i made and assume that you wont get any support.Phone your local college and ask about the learner support fund.

alluring29

sunnyone wrote: »

If you get full CTC and CB its £80 per week and that leaves you £50 per week for everything else on the less than short amount of time she has to be in school to resit her exams, its her failing thats caused your problems so I would be making her life more difficult by £30 pw and she might do better this time, thats the problem with generous welfare payments for children they dont have do anything to earn it.

I get £55 a week CTC and 20 a week CB which equals £75 - she has to do the whole school year. How do I take £30 off a daughter who isn't even working despite applying for 100s of jobs?

alluring29

missfirefly wrote: »

i approached the sixth form college that my 16 year old daughter is attending with regards to the bursary and i was rightly told she wasnt entitled due to the fact i work p/time and claim tax credits.However i was advised to fill out a form to apply for her bus pass £168 per term and to provide evidence of income.I nearly never did this because i automatically thought i would not be entitled to this help.Two days later i recieved a cheque for the full amount,i then got reinbursed £50 for her enrollment fees and she was also awarded meal vouchers with a value of £3 per day.Please dont make the mistake i made and assume that you wont get any support.Phone your local college and ask about the learner support fund.

Thanks very much that is very helpful.:T

alluring29

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Why do you see a mobile phone contract as more of a priority than her educational costs? Surely, if money's tight, then this should be the first thing to go?

Personally, I wouldn't spend money on clothes for a 19 year old either; at that age that should be her responsibility.

For her personal safety she needs a mobile phone, we live in London and it is not a great area. They are both equally important - education and her personal safety.

Would you have your daughter walk around in rags then if they couldn't find a part-time job despite applying for 100s?