Getting paid EMA backlog

Beenom · 4 Feb 2007 at 13:40

Have you tried calling EMA? Its a bit of a bummer because we'll be given our term bonus soon (Mid feb or something) of a £100 :cool:

EMA is very handy indeed so try to claim it asap and ask the EMA office about backdating.

sanaxe1 · 4 Feb 2007 at 14:12

last year i had the whole year backdated. I just told the teacher at 6th form and they went through my attendence for the whole year . ( although i think mine just gave me half of the years EMA ) but i wasnt complaining.. paid for the MOT and Tax on my car

Amoeba · 4 Feb 2007 at 15:32

If I had been eligable for EMA, then I would have claimed for it. Unfortunatly I didn't live in Liverpool (I live in Southport) and so wasn't aloud it. However I don't really see the need for it, why do kids need 30 pounds a week to go to college? It is an incentive to attend, my family earn below the average wage, and below the maximum wage for EMA, yet I still managed to go to college everyday, get good grades and get into uni, as well as all my class!

Don't get me wrong, if I could have got it I would, but still don't see the point in it..

PureAppleJuice · 4 Feb 2007 at 16:09

Well I had to use it to pay rent for a quite a while, without it I would have just had to go into full time employment which really wouldn't suit me, and I think education can be more important anyhow.

BennyC · 4 Feb 2007 at 16:16

It's an incentive to go to school, but also to pay for books, stationary, any class trips, and any transport u need to get there and back. Not just for turning upto morning and afternoon registration.

alexakasloth · 4 Feb 2007 at 16:32

andr3w said:
Sorry

but do you need the money? You seem to have been fine so far without even knowing you could have it!

So? Not like he's doing any harm, if he can (legally) get it then why not?

Tommy B · 4 Feb 2007 at 16:38

andy8271 said:
yeah cos all the people who cant afford to send there kids to college will vote for them in a flash...

Then why isn't EMA paid to the PARENTS?

£30 a week is ridiculous, especially when you consider the £100 bonuses they get. Most of it is spent on fags and CDs.

They should also ban EMA given to those at public schools who just happen to have found some stupid loophole because their parents are split.

Raikiri · 4 Feb 2007 at 16:43

Tommy B said:
Conservative Manifesto (next election)

Scrap EMA

Scrap Inheritance Tax

... They'll get voted in.

They are only good for people who earn over £30k a year and actually have more than £285,000 to inherit. Hardly the majority of people.

Trust me most people would much rather be earning loads and have thousands waiting for them, but guess what... they don't.

@ Naffa I think it is 6 weeks you can claim back, however they might cut you some slack if your attendance/grades are good.

Amoeba · 4 Feb 2007 at 16:57

Benny06 said:
It's an incentive to go to school, but also to pay for books, stationary, any class trips, and any transport u need to get there and back. Not just for turning upto morning and afternoon registration.

Yeh, 'cause you spend 30 quid a week on paper clips and pencils

Mirri · 4 Feb 2007 at 17:08

Amoeba said:
Yeh, 'cause you spend 30 quid a week on paper clips and pencils

I'm from a single parent family and got £30 a week, I paid for my own books and school trips with it. Would have been a more stressful time for my mum without it tbh.

ojo · 4 Feb 2007 at 17:55

Mmm.. from an other (teacher's) angle I reckon EMA is a good idea. Then again there is the issue of kids turning up just for their EMA and being a pain in the rear. Okay, we just make sure they don't get their forms signed unless they co-operate but that is not the point.

Still, if you are entitled for it then go for it and ignore the snivellers who knock it.

As for Mirri - yeah, I wish it was about when I was younger. Found meeting expenses very hard at the time

Mattus · 4 Feb 2007 at 18:19

In my experience, EMA was a good thing in that it encouraged many people who were otherwise planning to drop out of school to stay on for sixth-form.

However, half of them enrolled on Llama Grooming or some other course with no real-world value, coming to school two days a week purely in order to claim the money and blow it on fags and alcohol.

That's what's wrong with the government's 'get everyone to sixth-form and university' approach. If people aren't academically-minded, that's fine - but find them an apprenticeship or something instead of paying them to doss at school for a couple of years longer. We need good plasterers and carpenters a lot more than a billion Leisure and Tourism students.

Meatball · 4 Feb 2007 at 19:17

andr3w said:
bloody EMA, what a load of ****

PureAppleJuice · 4 Feb 2007 at 19:21

Just makes you sound a bit grumpy that you aren't getting it more than anything

Meatball · 4 Feb 2007 at 19:23

jidh007 said:
Just makes you sound a bit grumpy that you aren't getting it more than anything

I don't get it, of course I'm jealous and ****** off

It's just life really. I come from a 'comfortable' family so I suppose I don't really need it. The only thing I have against EMA is since when do you need £30 a week to pay for books and trips? In some circumstances I suppose it's needed, but for 90% of the people I know who receive it they spend it on clothes

I also think they need to change the way EMA is given. What would happen if you had a well off household but they had 7-8 kids to take care of?

Mirri · 4 Feb 2007 at 19:23

Mattus said:
That's what's wrong with the government's 'get everyone to sixth-form and university' approach. If people aren't academically-minded, that's fine - but find them an apprenticeship or something instead of paying them to doss at school for a couple of years longer. We need good plasterers and carpenters a lot more than a billion Leisure and Tourism students.

quoted for truth

Andelusion · 4 Feb 2007 at 19:24

Ahh, EMA, good times. *glazes over*

PureAppleJuice · 4 Feb 2007 at 19:24

Meatball said:
I don't get it, of course I'm jealous and ****** of It's just life really. I come from a 'comfortable' family so I suppose I don't really need it. The only thing I have against EMA is since when do you need £30 a week to pay for books and trips? In some circumstances I suppose it's needed, but for 90% of the people I know who receive it they spend it on clothes

Yeah true. I don't need it anymore, as my family moved away and now i'm living with a seriously rich guy and I dont have to pay any rent or anything. Basically spending the money on going out and saving up for uni, for which the government pays my fees for anyway. Hurrah

But I think it's fair, once i'm earning i'm happy to pay a high tax rate on my income.

BennyC · 4 Feb 2007 at 19:44

Amoeba said:
Yeh, 'cause you spend 30 quid a week on paper clips and pencils

maybe I buy paper clips in bulk

Things like history trips abroad for example. Its been a life saver for my product design projects buying materials and paints. I dont deny a lot of people waste it, and sometimes i dont need it, but if your liable why not?

If your stupid enough to have 8 kids, and not be able to support them thats your own fault, lol

Freeman · 4 Feb 2007 at 20:23

Loving EMA. £30 a week to help me with my driving lessons, and sometimes the odd luxury like a new 360. Yum.

Sorry to all the people who don't get it.

People who do get it, enjoy it while you can, and ignore anyone who gets in a stress with you because you receive it, i see it as a way of getting back my Mum and Dads tax that they gave the government for 50 years+

I was backlogged 8 weeks worth of EMA so if you apply (phone them up, it's easier to talk to someone than explain it in a letter) and explain your situation what they'll do is then (once your on EMA) is give you a form which you'll then take to your tutor, they'll sign it saying that you have had 100% attendance, and then just simply take it back to your EMA section in your college.