EMA Question - Can I Claim - divorced parents?

V_Chic_Chick

I go to sixth form in september 08, and I want to know if I can claim EMA. I can't find anything on the website, so please help with my distinctly confusing set of circumstances.

- I go to a private school, funded by grandparents
- I live with my dad, who has an income over the threshold
- I spend a lot of time round with my mum, who has an income well below the threshold. My mum has to cough up for all school related things, like books, stationery, uniform (not relevant in 6th form) etc. I spend every other weekend with my mum, and about the same number of waking hours with my mum as I do with my dad.

Can I tell the gov. / school that I've moved back in with my mum so I can get EMA? And does having been sent to a private school change things?

bonnie_2

I would imagine it would go on who's salary the child benifit is claimed on. Same as tax credits.

shelovestobuystuff

I think it goes on the household income ,so if you were "on paper" living with your mum you should have a better chance of getting EMA.Do a web search for EMA though and check out the application conditions etc.

I have had a look at the web site http://ema.direct.gov.uk?ema.html
It looks like it does go on household income only so you may well be eligible.While you are at it why not apply for travelling expenses and college or school hardship funding too.They have very limited funds in hardship accounts which are meant for the most needy who would not be able to attend college without it.Since you are planning on lying to get EMA anyway you may as well go for it all.
You have obviously been taught the value of money but what about the value of honesty and social responsibility?

dmg24

Excellent reply SLTBS,

Why do you think you should be entitled to it, when your father and/ or grandparents can clearly afford to pay you the equivalent to EMA?

Money is available for those that GENUINELY could not afford to otherwise continue in education, not those who choose to play the system.

V_Chic_Chick

a) It's not like there is a limited number of people that they give EMA to, so me claiming it doesn't take it away from someone else.
b) We're not rich
c) And even if we were rich (grandparents might have plenty of money, but that doesn't mean they hand it over willy-nilly), what makes you think that I would be given £30 a week anyway?
d) With the amount of money that the government wastes as it is, it's not like another £30/week is going to make a lot of difference.
e) Why should other people get handouts & me not, when I do just the same work that they do?

morg_monster

a) OK you might not be taking it off a poor kid from a council estate, you are taking it off the NHS, charities, schools and other places that are funded by the government
b) Even if you aren't "rich" I'm sure you can afford to do the basics which is what EMA is meant to be there for (buy school supplies, pay the bus fare to school if relevant, pay rent to your parents if they can't afford to keep you once you are at earning age).
c) See b. I'm sure you are kept clothed and warm and not needing to go get a job at 16 to pay rent to your parents, even if you don't get handouts or money to buy whatever you want.
d) Nice attitude! I expect you'll use the same logic when you are claiming every benefit you can down the dole queue in a few years time. In fact, why bother with A-levels, why not just get down there right now with that selfish "why should I help myself" attitude
e) EMA is supposed to be for those who find it financially a strain to continue studying after it stops being compulsory. Even if you aren't rich, there's a big gap between that and struggling, and it sounds like you fall into that gap. I'm sure some people who get EMA don't need it, and spend it on rubbish they don't NEED, but equally many NEED it just to be able to not work. And I'm sure many DO work part time as well for more cash.

Have you considered getting a part time job? Its not just the money, but getting out "in the real world" that bit earlier can be a real benefit in the future.
I just think going from private school to claiming EMA at a state school is always going to look like something dodgy is going on, you can argue til you're blue in the face, its never going to look good.

Finally I'm a little confused - you aren't going to 6th form til next year - are you struggling for "pocket money" now, and just can't wait til you're old enough to get EMA? Will you still be at the same private school for 6th form? Is whatever pocket money / allowance you get now, going to stop when you leave school? I'm just wondering why you are worrying about that £30 a week next year, when you don't "need" it now?

dmg24

V_Chic_Chick wrote: »

a) It's not like there is a limited number of people that they give EMA to, so me claiming it doesn't take it away from someone else.
b) We're not rich
c) And even if we were rich (grandparents might have plenty of money, but that doesn't mean they hand it over willy-nilly), what makes you think that I would be given £30 a week anyway?
d) With the amount of money that the government wastes as it is, it's not like another £30/week is going to make a lot of difference.
e) Why should other people get handouts & me not, when I do just the same work that they do?

What a disgusting attitude. You are acting like a silly little child. Grow up.

morg_monster

I usually hate this trick but... was looking through your other posts -

First - sorry, you do already have a job and a voluntary one at that. So ignore my suggestion to have a job.

Second - I found this on this thread
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=5910858#post5910858

If you have the means to support yourself whilst you're not working, such as through maternity pay (i.e. not living off benefits) then IMHO it's your decision. I just have problems with people who scrounge off the state so that they can look after their little darlings.

So it is wrong for people to "scrounge off the state" to look after their kids (which by the way is impossible anyway - you don't get any special benefits after the first 6 months of SMP unless you are actively looking for a job and getting JSA etc)
BUT you think its OK for you to [fraudulently] scrounge £30 a week off the state so you can have some extra money?!

In your other posts its obvious you have your head screwed on right. You must know in your heart of hearts whether its fair for you to get this money. If you really think you need it, then I'm sure you can say you are living with your mum and get it (although I'd watch out for any 'enemies' who might know the truth!). If you don't really need it, I'd just put it out of your mind. I'm sure some people do waste this money and perhaps don't "deserve" it - but the attitude "if they can have it why can't I" is just ridiculous. Someone who defrauds the state and claims benefit when they shouldn't - yeah we'd like to have that money and maybe we could do the same thing, but that doesn't mean we should. (I did notice some comments about shopping (or not!) benefit cheats on one of your posts too... you said you'd only shop someone you hated - if you do decide to lie to get EMA you should beware of that!)

shelovestobuystuff

V_Chic_Chick wrote: »

a) It's not like there is a limited number of people that they give EMA to, so me claiming it doesn't take it away from someone else.
b) We're not rich
c) And even if we were rich (grandparents might have plenty of money, but that doesn't mean they hand it over willy-nilly), what makes you think that I would be given £30 a week anyway?
d) With the amount of money that the government wastes as it is, it's not like another £30/week is going to make a lot of difference.
e) Why should other people get handouts & me not, when I do just the same work that they do?

I agree with you on point e).I do think that the EMA system is fundamentally unfair.The idea behind it is reasonable enough,to encourage young people to continue in higher education by offering incentives.It does succeed in this.
The way the EMA is organised giving financial rewards for attendance, effort and bonuses for achievement does undermine somewhat the efforts of other people like yourself who do that anyway but don,t get rewarded for it because the family isn,t poor enough to qualify.
I do think your sense of it being unfair is understandable enough.But please don,t lower your standards to the grabby,mine,mine,mine mentality which seems to be sweeping the nation like a virus.
If you don,t like it,change it,campaign for it,but don,t lie and cheat for it;) .

kelloggs36

V_Chic_Chick wrote: »

a) It's not like there is a limited number of people that they give EMA to, so me claiming it doesn't take it away from someone else. But if the household income is above the threshold you are not entitled so even if the rest of the population are entitled and get it, you aren't so you can't have it - understand?
b) We're not rich Neither are most of the population but there is a cut off point and your household is above it so you aren't entitled.
c) And even if we were rich (grandparents might have plenty of money, but that doesn't mean they hand it over willy-nilly), what makes you think that I would be given £30 a week anyway? So, this point isn't relevant. Get a Saturday job for some extra cash. It is based on the household income, so you aren't entitled - I'm sure that if you have to pay for bus fares etc then they do actually pay for you?
d) With the amount of money that the government wastes as it is, it's not like another £30/week is going to make a lot of difference. But there are rules and regulations in respect of receiving benefits etc from the Government and you don't meet the criteria, so you aren't entitled.
e) Why should other people get handouts & me not, when I do just the same work that they do?

Because after considering the facts your household income is above the threshold, so you aren't entitled.

You aren't entitled to the money, get over it.

kelloggs36

This society is going down the pan so fast it frightens me! My rights, my entitlements but there is just NO sense of responsibilitiy any more! It's all me, me, me and that is just so sad. When you don't get the grades at school, will it be the teacher's fault that you failed, or your own?