Ema

karen_newcastle

bestpud wrote: »

I can see how seperated parents can easily play this system but I cannot see how married parents can declare say they are single and get away with it.

Tbh, I'd be reporting them if that really is the case! It's benefit fraud, so if you know them well enough to be sure they are telling the truth, why are you letting them get away with it?

It is effectively the same as posting a moan about your neighbour/friend/whatever claiming income while their partner is earning good money. Most on here would tell you to report them, so why is that not happening for this benefit I wonder?

Mmmmmm I agree, I SHOULD report them.

Gemmzie

Also, if you earn over £30k but under £60k surely you are still getting CTC for her?

Conor_3

karen_newcastle wrote: »

Not quite sure I understand your point of view here Conor.

No, I couldn't afford to give her another £20 per week. How is that so surprising to you? .

Because I'm on far less than that yet manage to put £25 a month into each of my 2 kids savings as well as giving them a fiver a week pocket money, paying guitar lessons for one and football lessons for the other as well as school trips, buying them the odd video game and taking them out bowling etc.

£20 is a few packets of fags or a couple of rounds of drinks. It's hardly an earth shattering amount.

doelani

Karen I understand your frustration, my daughter does not get EMA either as we are above the threshould but does not take into consideration things like the fact my hubby pays maintanance to his ex ( as he rightly should ) and we could not afford to pay my daugter this £30 per week as her dad has not been paying me his CSA, and we are DWD through IVA so do not have this money spare.

We were in same position of knowing of other kids who got EMA and where not entitled because somehow they were. I do give daughter her family allowance and she has had part time job since she was 14.

Everyones situation is different and some people have enough disposbale income to make this up to kids and some don't.

I have thought if reporting peopel for their kdis getting EMA when not entitled but who would suffer ? the kids. I explained to my daughter about benefit fraud to Karen and she is very sensible and understand that maybe others are getting it and should not be. Your daughter will aprreciate the money more if she has to work for it.

karen_newcastle

My partner pays for his daughter through the CSA too Doelani and I know what you mean about not having any money spare. We do manage put savings aside each month for both our childrens future and have even considered stopping this to give my daughter something towards £120 per month the EMA would give her. But we decided that saving for the future was more important as Uni aint going o be cheap!! Like Conor we also spend money on family trips and holidays - but we don't smoke or drink (well not regularly only on social occasions) so £20 a week IS difficult to find! So she's been out job hunting and hopefully some little Saturday job will come out soon.

Gemmzie - When I looked into EMA the cut off point was £30k. Just off to check again!

karen_newcastle

Sorry Gemmzie - you mean't CTC. Yes still getting that. That forms part of our savings for their future.

mitchaa

Karen, its the usual

The poorer classes get every benefit under the sun. The middle earning bunch get shafted left, right and centre.

The high earning bunch tax evade.

Its the middle hard working bunch that are punished every time. You should have just been a dosser in school, thats the message the UK benefits system gives out.

Another point....

Self respect

doelani

karen_newcastle wrote: »

So she's been out job hunting and hopefully some little Saturday job will come out soon.

If she does she will love having her own money she has earned karen, my daughter would not want to give up her part-time job as she loves not having to ask for money as she knows things have been tight for us, if we have extra I woudl get her clothes etc but could not commit to giving her £xx everyweek.

EMA sytem does seem unfair , if some kids get it all should, out of 20 in my daughters class their are only 2 who do not get it. Funny thing is if my stepchildren decided to stay on at school they would be entitled to it and they have more money per week then us in their house due number of benefits they recieve as their stepdad works for minimum wage.

Wish ehr good luck with the job hunting

KxMx

I appreciate it is frustrating, but there are vaild reasons for the income limit. You'd have to be getting far, far less for your daughter to qualify for the full £30.
Quite frankly, when you have that kind of household income, there surely is something you can cut back on, somehting that those on say £10,000 py simply can't (believe me, I know).

Oldernotwiser

mitchaa wrote: »

Karen, its the usual

The poorer classes get every benefit under the sun. The middle earning bunch get shafted left, right and centre.

The high earning bunch tax evade.

Its the middle hard working bunch that are punished every time. You should have just been a dosser in school, thats the message the UK benefits system gives out.

Another point....

Self respect

In general, the children of the upper and middle classes don't need a financial inducement to remain in education.