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Money for 16yr olds in school & college

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  • we had another 30-00 go in today and were told we should have all the back payments by the end of the week
    this is the phone number of the company dealing with EMA now
    0870 9006800
    Fingers crossed for you its all sorted now.
  • Just a update on my daughters ema application.

    Still no sign of any notification so I called them again today and was told her application form was received on July 29, then pre accessed 15 October. I received all documentations back around the end of Oct and should have had the notification early November. Seeing as I was still waiting she advised me to re-apply saying it would only take 2-3 weeks from receiving the new application form to notification. Obviously I have to put in a covering letter explaining what has happened so far.

    So basically no ema payments for my daughter before Christmas. When I worked out how much they owe her it is now around £400 I wonder if she will ever receive it?

    So time so far from application 4 months and counting. :mad:
  • try calling the number i have posted they sorted my sons out within a week
    regular payments now and all his backpayments sorted
    might be worth a call
    remember it is nice to be important
    but more important to be nice ;)
  • try calling the number i have posted they sorted my sons out within a week
    regular payments now and all his backpayments sorted
    might be worth a call

    I cant believe it just seen your message and rang the number you quoted to be told they couldn't help me and gave me another number to call. Rang that number and guess what .......................? I still need to re apply so they are sending me another application form as I never received the one in December. It really is getting quite ridiculous at this rate she will have to re-apply for next year before getting this years money.

    I am off to go and walk off my :mad:
  • I cant believe it just seen your message and rang the number you quoted to be told they couldn't help me and gave me another number to call. Rang that number and guess what .......................? I still need to re apply so they are sending me another application form as I never received the one in December. It really is getting quite ridiculous at this rate she will have to re-apply for next year before getting this years money.

    I am off to go and walk off my :mad:

    I know exactly how you are feeling. I sent my sons EMA form in September, few months after i received a letter saying thankyou for applying, we are dealing with the request....December still heard nothing. My son rang the helpline and was told it was being dealt with and he would hear something soon, they were very apologetic...January, still nothing so he rang again today, only to be told that there must have been a problem and it isn't even on their computers yet and would he like another form sending out. How B****y ridiculous is it, after all this time it hasn't even been processed. If he hadn't have rung would they even have bothered sending another form out or contacting him to let him know there was a problem, what sort of a mess have they got it in....

    I think i will join you in your walk, but it would take a trip up Mount Everest to begin to clear the anger i feel at the moment :mad: :mad: :mad:
  • I work in a school in Leeds with year 11, 12 and 13.

    The phone number to get in touch with EMA is 0800 121 8989. They will require that the young person is present at the time of phone call but you can speak on their behalf.

    If your son or daughter is in a college or sixth form there should be a Connexions Personal Advisor/Careers Advisor there at least part time who can give them support with this as well.

    The EMA payments have been a mess this year. However the payments should be made within 6 weeks of application but if you make a mistake on the form or they request more documents this resets the clock and it is a six week wait again.

    I have had several young people who have come to me for help, some of whom have been told to resubmit applications as their original one is lost. The people on the phones at EMA are generally not very helpful; they seem to have very little information about what is happening with each application, which wasn't the case in previous year.
  • I would suggest speaking to student services in the school. There should be a Connexions PA in school who can help you sort this out. You can also call Connexions Direct on 080 800 13 2 19. They should be able to put you in touch with your local service.

    novelli wrote: »
    Well in our area, i have been told that i have to pay £126 per term towards travel expenses to school for my special needs son out of the EMA, which does not leave him with much. Well at the moment nothing as EMA has not even been sorted outyet, so he is not gettting it. We applied in August and still not sorted!!!

    So yet again the government want praise for setting up the EMA, BUT it is being taken away to go towards their travel bills!! So whats the point.

    I didnt think this was what EMA was meant for??? I am a single parent , disabled myself and rely totally on benefits. The education dept are insistant that this has to be paid termly and not weekly, even tho i have pointed out that once he does get EMA this will be paid weekly!!

    I intend speaking with my MP about this as i feel strongly that the policy was not thought out with any consideration for special needs pupils who clearly need to continue their education for as long as is possible.:mad:
  • Another thought: If this is causing a barrier to you son's attendance the Princes Trust might be able to help in the short term with some funding. I've heard about this happening in our area (Leeds).
  • Krissy306
    Krissy306 Posts: 419 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    i think its terrible that kids cant get ema if there parents earn so much money. its the kids that are getting it not their parents. its shocking something needs to bedone
  • pompeyrich
    pompeyrich Posts: 3,135 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    i think its terrible that kids cant get ema if there parents earn so much money. its the kids that are getting it not their parents. its shocking something needs to bedone

    Here here, probably not worth going to college as it seems you are better off working for minimum wage and topping it up with various benefits and tax credits, rather than trying to fend for yourself and getting no help whatsoever.
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