EMA to ADult leaning grant problems

tazmac25

Hi
Hope someone can advise me on here
My adopted step son returned for his 2nd year of a 2 year course last month at college.
He was getting £30 a week (term time) as EMA (education maintenance allowance) but since it's been scrapped and he is now 19 he should now be getting £20 a week adult learning grant.
So my query is the college is asking about my husbands DLA and have inferred that because my husband is on long term DLA our 'son' will not receive this!
Any comments or suggestions gratefully received
Thanks in advance
Taz
bTW our daughter at 17 is already receiving the new EMA as she is also on her 2 year course so can't see why the college are blocking his payments?

jules372

My son is in 6th Form and was receiving £30 last year. This year he receives £20. This was done automatically, EMA sent him a form with his entitlement and he had to sign it and take it to school for them to authorise it.
It might be a good idea for you to phone EMA directly, to see if your son still qualifies.

HTH
Jules

tazmac25

Thanks jules
I'm going into the college tomorrow to sort this as my daughter in the same situation but only 17 is getting the £20 and he isn't
We did call EMA when his form didn't arrive and they said the college would just sort it all out don't worry but a month in is pushing it!
Will post a response from the college tomorrow

jules372

Good Luck!

Oldernotwiser

Does your son fit the criteria for ALG; these are different from EMA.

tazmac25

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Does your son fit the criteria for ALG; these are different from EMA.

As far as we can tell yes he does - struggling to find any current links to alg and the criteria
Thanks

Oldernotwiser

tazmac25 wrote: »

As far as we can tell yes he does - struggling to find any current links to alg and the criteria
Thanks

Well, ALG doesn't exist any more and now comes under Discretionary Learner Support.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/DG_068343

Hope this helps.

tazmac25

Well after a visit to the college it appears to be sorted but they tried to use my husbands DLA payments to offset the grant but as I explained that money is for his care and nothing to do with the step son!
I know there are others on his course in the same situation so hopefully by next week they will be getting the funding they are entitled to!
Thanks for all the advice