4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Cinnamon]

I have actually found a group of people even more useless that those Tax Credits lot

 

My girl is starting college in September & we applied for an EMA grant a couple of months ago.

 

We are self employed & as our year end in June, & this clashes with the EMA application date, they told us they would base it on the 07/08 figures, which could be adjusted once the 08/09 figures are done.

 

Well, they are done & my girl is now entitled to more money than before, but they will not adjust the figures as they said.

 

This awful woman who took my call, a supervisor no less, accused me of trying to fraudulently claim more money that we are entitled to

 

Apparently, as my proof of income was an official letter from my accountant written at the start of June, even though he couldn't have done my 08/09 accounts by then as its BEFORE the year end, they say that the letter pertains to the 08/09 figures

 

Anyone else had problems with this shower???

[Old Speckled Hen]

Heavens I didn't realise kids could get money for staying on at school?

No seriously, they didn't have these when my daughter was that age 7 years ago.

If you're self employed your tax is based on the previous year even though you have to pay it in advance with a catch up payment or refund due Jan 31st if you have earned more or less than the previous year.

Clear? As mud

Surely once you have given them the completed up to date figures they should make an adjustment?

Seems very wrong if they don't.

Or will you have to wait till the end of the year for a catch-up payment .... like your tax.

Even HMRC will make interim refunds if the situation warrants.

[Cinnamon]

Oh I am sure I will get it sorted out DA, but my goodness, these people have no idea what they are on about from one department to another

[ubereglu]

You poor thing...I must look this up. I might even be entitled to about a tenner.

 

They sound like a bunch of cheeky and accusatory people, but not as silly as when my Dad tried to pay a cheque into his postal account-he'd picked up my brother's instead and said it was Adam's fault for losing his cheque, when Dad had accidentally taken it!

[Guest]

Oh I am sure I will get it sorted out DA, but my goodness, these people have no idea what they are on about from one department to another

 

 

I very much doubt you will! They seem to operate the same way as the tax credits people. And it goes on. The university loans assessment is much the same. Everything seems to be based on the year before, so even when DH was unemployed DD1 was assessed on his previous employment. Once he was back in work she got more money because he was out of work the year before. It is just plain STUPID!

 

Good luck with them!

[Cinnamon]

Don't even get me started on Uni funding - I come out in a cold sweat just thinking about this time in 2 years, when I will have Uni, plus EMA for the littlest daughter to sort.

 

They have now told me to re apply, so fingers crossed.

 

I am quite determined - its the difference of a large amount for Devon each year,double what she would have been getting, & will go a long way towards her lunches & text books.

 

I should add that she is only just entitled to the larger amount,but about £80 or so, which I think is one of the reasons the nasty lady was so, well, nasty!

 

But she is entitled to it,so I will fight on!

[abwsco]

Don't get me started on EMA. I think the whole system is unfair. There's people who claim to live with Grandparents so they can get it. Round here there's also lots of wealthy children who manage to get the full amount somehow It really hacks DD off as she doesn't get anything. On paper our income is above the amount but by the time we've paid insurances, mortgage, pensions etc we can struggle.

 

What really galls with DD are the bonuses anyone on EMA gets. She can't understand that she goes into college yet gets no reward.

 

Sorry Sarah for ranting on your thread and I hope you can manage to get it sorted out.

[Valkyrie]

DD gets it now, but they recently sent a letter to tell us they did it wrong and she is entitled to more. We weren't aware of the problem, but obviously DD is happy.

When my son applied for Job Seekers allowance (and I've seen his emails to places, so he is trying lots of places - just no interviews since that one a couple of months ago) they told him that as he had savings of something like £16,000 and so he wasn't entitled. OH said he would be happy if we had that amount of savings! He had nothing like that - plus when he has money in his pocket he never saves it. It's been sorted now, but good grief where did they get that figure from?

[Guest]

and they don't seem to take account of the rest of your commitments. I think I am right in saying that having 3 younger siblings had nothing to do with the uni assessment, nor did having a sibling at uni and two younger ones get included as relevant in the EMA claim. We had £75 p.a. too much apparently - if we could have lost that somewhere DD2 would have had £30 a week. The whole thing incenses me!

 

And another thing . . .! Why is it that people are counted as adults on reaching the age of 18, voting, marrying, working etc but if they go to university, parents still have to contribute. We're not allowed to know what the assessment is, only the student is, but our earnings are part of her assessment. It's not right!

[Cinnamon]

You are all right, its a difficult & unfair process,& as much down to luck as much as anything. I am typing this up in my room on my mobile after a big row with hubby about or all.

Is it worth all the hassle just to get what is yours by right? I sometimes wonder. ....

[Guest]

It's certainly not worth rowing about! Go and sort things out now. The stupid people are jolly annoying, but don't let them intrude into your home and family, especially not your relationship with your husband.

 

Mind you - if you split up it might be easier . . .

 

And did you know - if you marry your daughter off, the marriage fails immediately and she comes home to live with you again, she is no longer your responsibility and will be eligible for all payments. you will not have to contribute anything! Another ridiculous rule.

[Old Speckled Hen]

 

And did you know - if you marry your daughter off, the marriage fails immediately and she comes home to live with you again, she is no longer your responsibility and will be eligible for all payments. you will not have to contribute anything!

 

Really

[Guest]

yes - it's almost worth considering!

[Tiggy]

we have managed to pay ALL EDs uni fees for the last 2 years & she isnt able to claim a penny from anyone, she has 2 pt jobs to support herself, ES is in 6th form, same situation he now collects glasses on a Sat night at a local club - I dont mind them working after all we had too, but it does seem unfair that some get money for nothing & others don't get a penny. But if you are entiltled to it then there shouldn't be some difficult so & so making life aukward. I know EMA could make the difference to some kids continuing their education or dropping out of school so the idea is a good one. We've been to Cuba this year where all education is state funded right up to uni, if a little country like that can manage it it dosn't say much for us

[Old Speckled Hen]

I despair for graduates these days. No jobs and a huge debt.

I scrimped and went without to make sure my one and only child left Uni owing nothing. It was hard but worth it. Now she is putting herself through Drama School and you'd have thought that having taken neither a student loan nor anything from her local education authority she might be entitled to some help but no!! Nothing!!

She is living on her savings in a tiny flat cycling 20 miles a day to college.

Sorry rant over and sorry to have hijacked your thread.

[ubereglu]

It's worse with university loan forms and the like Sarah, so I really feel for you. I can remember my parents filling out the forms-why does it matter where they were born etc?

 

I must ask Dad if I'm entitled to it-I need any extra money I can get really. What's more annoying at the minute is that people still hark on about the higher up in education you get the higher your wages will be-that's a joke-you'd be lucky to go straight into a degree related job at the minute. (This was generally what our assemblies were about in Year 11, saying GCSEs go with you for the rest of your life...Hmm, that's not true in all sectors-with my sister it isn't at all!)

 

Anyway, Good luck with sorting out EMA Sarah, luckily for me I'm the last one in my family, so they've sorted the other 3 and they all have some sort of debt. I just think it's unfair that you have to get into that much debt for going on to do something that will improve your life and that you really, really want to do.

[Old Speckled Hen]

 

I just think it's unfair that you have to get into that much debt for going on to do something that will improve your life and that you really, really want to do.

Ah, there's the rub.

Should the taxpayer be paying for what what you want to do or for what you can give back to society?

If you want to get a degree in anthropology, say, and research the fraud of Piltdown Man should you get subsidized the same as somebody doing medicine or nursing?

Just playing devil's advocate here .............

[Cinnamon]

I think you should.

 

Takes all sorts to run the world, & as we all have our strengths & weaknesses, why should someone be penalised for being less academic & more cerebral,for example?

 

I now have a firm letter from my accountant to send to the EMA, who say I have to reapply from step 1 now.

 

Apparantly they won't mistakenly pay Devon twice, as we have already been awarded the first EMA, anyone want to place a bet that they do though???

[AJuff]

EMA is what?

[Lewis]

EMA. Basically, some people can get up to £30 a week for continuing their education on at 6th form or college, what you get depends on your household income.

 

I know some people who's parents have had really well paid jobs and now retired early, so their household income is low and they can get £30 a week, and others that are struggling and don't get anything!

 

I think its a good system when it works, if not a bit unfair on some people.

I go to school the same as others, but don't get money for it or get bonuses every term for 100% attendence, its my parents that have the income not me

 

*jumps down from box*

 

If you can get more money and she'd benefit, definately try and apply again

[Cinnamon]

Quick update.

 

Had a letter this morning confirming that Devons appilcation has been reassessed in our favour

 

 

 

When it comes to doing thi for the younger daughter in 2 years time I shall make sure they accept the right lot of accounts,despite what they 'advise' me to submit

 

Its her first day at college today, & she promised to text me & let me know how things were going,but I have heard not a word

[Happy chickens!]

Well done for sticking to your guns!

[ubereglu]

Well Done! That's definitely good to hear. I had my second day at college today and start proper lectures on Monday.

[sadietoo]

At the risk of many boo hisses

 

Sorry to be sceptical Sarah..but it sounds like your accountant may just have given the wrong information to the nice people at EMA in the first place, and now his subsequent letter has sorted it...

 

If your year end is not co-terminus with the year end for an EMA assessment obviously they were going to have to use the previous year's figures. What else could they use? However, what you seem to be saying is that they say that the accountant passed off 07.08 figures as 08.09......hence the confusion?.. It could happen....No I don't work for the civil service...I work in an accountant's office

 

One girl receiving EMA when my DD was at school had designer everything because her parents were divorced....Honestly she once paid £120 for a belt...it makes me seeth I am afraid. I wish so many people who could afford to do without it would take a moral stance..then there would be more for the people who really need it....

 

Following on from O.S.H's point...I agree...should the nation's taxes be funding "medja and film studies" personally I can't really see it improving the nation as a whole..... (climbs down off soap box and slinks off)......

[Cinnamon]

Hi Sadietoo,

 

Firstly,the EMA people asked me to send in the 07/08 accounts, with a covering letter saying why we could not at the time submit the 08/09 figures.

 

My accountant sent them a letter also saying that they were the 07/08 accounts, & I sent a covering letter too.

 

The EMA person I spoke to said at the time that if there was a big difference which put us into another band,there would be no problem with adjusting it,but this was proven to be wrong when there was a difference................they then said that my accountants first letter said that the figures he submitted were the 08/09 ones

 

Also the letter was dated at the beginning of June,& our year end is the end of June, so it couldn't pertain to accounts that were for a period we hadn't even worked yet

 

So, we submitted what they told us to, & it was their mistake not my accountants

 

The lady at the EMA I spoke to, a supervisor, was anything but nice too. She was totally & I now think deliberately misunderstanding the situation & she lied when she said that my accountants first letter said the figures sent were for 08/09 (I kept a photocopy!)

I think she had talked herself into a hole, & lied to stop her mistake making her look foolish

 

Just glad to have got it all sorted now.

The figure is now set for my daughters 2 years at college too, so I don't have the hassle of resubmitting again next year