Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) who get this?

[Chinghehuang]

Posted this on Further Education, but may get some more replies on here, my DD is not entitled to this as the parental income is more than £30,810, a foreign student from Nigeria boarding at the same college is getting the EMA (£120,00 month), I am confused about this, I thought this was only a benefit given to UK students living here full time where their parents income is below £30,810. The Nigerian student parents live in Nigeria and pay the collgege for their childs education so how on earth can they claim this benefit?

I don't think they can, unless it is based on the parent's income. I didn't think you could claim anything as a foreign student.

scurryfunge, I was surprised myself that is why I came on here to ask questions, obviously they can as my DD has been told this from the Nigerian student.

I googled it when I saw your question and I thought that you couldn't claim.

Perhaps leave it that the student is entitled to it and accept that your own child isn't.

I don't know, maybe the student has a sponsor or lives alone and is entitled to the support.

According to dd, everyone at her school, except for her!!

There seems to be a lot of strange goings on with this- she tells of friends whose parents are lawyers, have own business and they are getting it. She thinks it is very unfair as we are in a good area and most of her friend's EMA goes to New Look and TopShop, obviously not the intent.

Sammac - same here. Dd's peers come from quite well heeled families, they all get ema, dd doesn't. I'm a lone parent with mediorcre single income.

I've said to dd the other parents have creative accountants.

Fwiw, I think it's going to be scrapped soon anyway.

scurryfunge, of course I have to accept that the NG student is entitled to it and my DD is not, but the rules read "based on parental income" I was lead to believe that this was UK based tax -paying parents. Obviously there are loopholes in the system.

Ching - I'll say.

i personally dont agree with EMA ........ please all dont rush to bite me

MY reasons are because there are so many flaws and loopholes in the system.

anyone can say that their child is living with someone who is on benefits adn then the child can claim it and yes reeive it even if the parent who earns more than the threshold still receives the child benefit.
i know it stinks

plus i work with so many young people who say to me 'i dont need to get a saturday job as i get my EMA and i only need to go into school for 12 hours per week.

My children have to work a part time job, they also resent not being given the same as their peers

kentmumtj,does this mean that many people are actually committing fraud when claiming this benefit?

You have to send proof of income..

I had to send my tax credit award so that my son can get EMA but we are still waiting to hear, I am a single parent not earning very much so I am hoping that he will get a bit of money and he is also looking for a part time job to help so fingers crossed as I will be struggling to help him out

people commit fraud all the time to get hand outs
thats not to say that some claims are genuine. Still though it is very unfair as i was not able to give my dd's £30 a week until they found a job, so compared to their peers they went without and could not keep up with the social life others had

Kent - It's not to do with benefits it's to do with income whether it is benefit or not.

i know its to do with your income i was merely responding to magimix

and i am saying that people especially self employed people can make their income much lower than employed people which can mean some children get EMA whereas others dont. I dont think its a very fair system i feel they could make positive changes to how it is given.

Income is a problematic thing in it self.

Im not sure if its true or not but i heard a few months ago that they were thinking of scrapping EMA again i dont know whether its true.

DS told me there seems to be a loophole that older / wealthy parents use by making very large pension contributions (almost all salary) bringing income down below 30K (or 20,800 if they want the £30 pw) - makes me fume!