Emergency Maintenance Allowance : Contents
Additional criteria for sole parents aged 16 or 17 years
Parents are expected to support their children until they turn 18 years old.
Where a sole parent aged 16 or 17 years does not meet all the requirements for any other benefit, they may be eligible for an Emergency Maintenance Allowance. However, you will need to:
- confirm that the client is in exceptional circumstances
- consider why they are unable to earn a sufficient livelihood to support themselves (and any dependent family)
- confirm the client is in hardship and
- determine they are not eligible for any other benefit
Young person who is 16 or 17 must be in exceptional circumstances
You should only grant Emergency Maintenance Allowance to a young person who is aged 16 or 17 if the young person is in exceptional circumstances. For more information see:
Young person may be required to work with a Youth service provider
If it is decided to grant an Emergency Maintenance Allowance, you may consider it appropriate that as part of the condition of receiving the benefit that the young person must work with a Youth service provider.
For more information see:
