EMA

Fraggr · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:10

My parents are divorced, I live with my mum, and my dad lives abroad. My mum earns under £20K (she's just started working again), and my dad earns £60K, of which he sends £1,800 over each month.

I'm just wondering if my dad's salary counts against me if I'm applying for EMA?

If it's just my mum's salary, I'll be getting £30/week, however if the money he sends over (which we do not have to pay tax on, which is why I'm curious) counts as part of my household income, I won't be getting a penny.

Scott Salisbury · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:13

As far as I know, EMA is only counted by your total household income from all members living in your home.

You should eaily get some EMA in your situation.

Best thing to do is just get a form and send it off. If you're not entitled they'll sharp tell you.

I sent off mine and I was entitled to... wait for it... a whole £10 per week. Impressive.

Dynix · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:15

The montly income is calculated for the people who live in your house and is listed on some tax form I seem to have forgotten the name of.

Scott Salisbury said:
I sent off mine and I was entitled to... wait for it... a whole £10 per week. Impressive.

Still better than getting nothing, no?

Fraggr · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:15

Scott Salisbury said:
As far as I know, EMA is only counted by your total household income from all members living in your home.

You should eaily get some EMA in your situation.

Does that include under 18s?

Dave · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:15

Scott Salisbury said:
I sent off mine and I was entitled to... wait for it... a whole £10 per week. Impressive.

Better than a kick in the teeth!

Psyk · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:16

Yep you qualify for free money despite not needing it.

I'm not a fan of the EMA system but I have nothing against people for getting it. After all who is going to turn down free money from the government? I know I wouldn't.

Fraggr · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:18

Psyk said:
Yep you qualify for free money despite not needing it.

I'm not a fan of the EMA system but I have nothing against people for getting it. After all who is going to turn down free money from the government? I know I wouldn't.

I will be needing it. He will be cutting down the amount he pays in September to £1,400, then £1,000 unless I go to further education (which I will).

georges · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:18

Psyk said:
Yep you qualify for free money despite not needing it.

I'm not a fan of the EMA system but I have nothing against people for getting it. After all who is going to turn down free money from the government? I know I wouldn't.

Yup.

My mates parents are divorced. His mum works in a charity shop since she gets so much money from his dad.

Both houses have pools. The dad has a maze also.

He gets full EMA.

It's not right.

georges · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:20

Fraggr said:
I will be needing it. He will be cutting down the amount he pays in September to £1,400, then £1,000 unless I go to further education (which I will).

That's still over 36K/year.

danielj315 · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:20

down to only 12k a year!

Fraggr · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:23

danielj315 said:
down to only 12k a year!

Still a large drop in standard of living! £400/month less, it's got to be regained somehow, no way is my mum's salary going to increase by that much that quickly.

Edit: do under 18s count towards the household income? e.g. I get a job at M&S stacking shelves or something like that.

Scott Salisbury · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:25

Fraggr said:
Does that include under 18s?

Most likely.

Dave said:
Better than a kick in the teeth!

Xtrm2Matt said:
Still better than getting nothing, no?

Aye it paid for my bus fairs. I just found it annoying that I didn't get any help off my dad anyway, and his income was only just marginy outside the bracket to get a bit more help for other things.

Not that I'm a lazy sob that just wants free money, I only needed the help while I was looking for a job. Didn't really want to sign on.

Raikiri · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:27

georges said:
Yup.

My mates parents are divorced. His mum works in a charity shop since she gets so much money from his dad.

Both houses have pools. The dad has a maze also.

He gets full EMA.

It's not right.

My parents made 31,200 last year, £400 over the max and my mum has had to quit work due to illness so it will drop to around £23k this year. Because they were just over the max amount last year I will get absolutely nothing at all even though there is less income.

What an absolutely brilliant system.

(And before anyone starts, Virii

, she has paid taxes for 42 years)

Fraggr · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:28

Scott Salisbury said:
Most likely.
Not that I'm a lazy sob that just wants free money, I only needed the help while I was looking for a job. Didn't really want to sign on.

Unless you're a millionnaire/billionnaire (excluding CEOs, who'll kill people over £1), it's not likely you're going to turn down free money with no catches, are you? Especially if it's from the government which rapes us taxwise.

Fraggr · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:30

Raikiri said:
My parents made 31,200 last year, £400 over the max and my mum has had to quit work due to illness so it will drop to around £23k this year. Because they were just over the max amount last year I will get absolutely nothing at all even though there is less income.

What an absolutely brilliant system.

(And before anyone starts, Virii , she has paid taxes for 42 years)

So if my mum gets > £20K once I start getting £30/week, I'll carry on getting £30/week, and not drop to £20?

Raikiri · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:32

Fraggr said:
So if my mum gets > £20K once I start getting £30/week, I'll carry on getting £30/week, and not drop to £20?

Yep, it won't change until next year. Should be done on a monthly basis imo.

Scott Salisbury · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:35

Fraggr said:
Unless you're a millionnaire/billionnaire (excluding CEOs, who'll kill people over £1), it's not likely you're going to turn down free money with no catches, are you? Especially if it's from the government which rapes us taxwise.

Yeah that's true

The EMA system is flawed though. Here was me actually needing a bit of extra tempoary cash for actual travel and such while all my mates were entitled to £30 a week, who didn't need it for travel and spent it all in the pub :\

I understand why it is the way it is, but it was still annoying.

Phil99 · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:37

Is the £30,810 household income threshold before or after tax?
Answer The £30,810 household income threshold is before tax.

Depends what their definition of household income is...personally I'd say that money should be included as it's certainly household income.

The helpline is 080 810 16219 to get a proper answer

It's also lame in that it doesn't take in to account how many brothers/sisters you have. Pretty sure this is taken in to account for student loans for Uni but not for EMA :confused:

Fraggr · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:45

I just went through their 12-page pdf. Looks like maintainence isn't included. And if you have a part time job, it doesn't count towards household income, only your parent(s) incomes count.

I'm going to be loaded if I get a part time job.

Phil99 · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:48

Fraggr said:
Looks like maintainence isn't included.

Wonder how they worked that one out :confused:

This system is so flawed it's untrue.

Still, it's free money so no reason not to claim it if you can.

EMA

Hitman