The way EMA is payed out should be changed

[United-Clowgon]

It's great that we have EMA, those who can claim it of course. (:P) It helps a lot especially those who come from low-income family's.

But some people just waste it on the most ridiculous things. Alchol for example. You are probably thinking so what? "I have the right to spend my EMA on whatever i want"

Alcohol isn't going to get anyone or help get anyone, to get through their College years. The whole point of why the EMA system was introduced was because it's a gateway to help students.. mainly those who parents don't earn very much money to get them through College.

Many, who's parent(s) don't meet the scheme's requirements seem to feel it's unfair that they can't get it. I think it's fair in a way as I'm sure if your parent are earning 30K+ a year - they can afford help with travel fares, food ect, even if they have a mortgage, bills to pay. I think maybe they should review it and change it the the maximum of 40k per household but those who's have two parents and earning 20k+ each then i think they definitely don't deserve to be eligible to claim EMA as I'm sure they can easily afford to help out their kid(s) through their college years.

The system should be changed to like a card where you can use it to buy need like things like food, clothes, travelfare, equipment as that's what this is all about. My opinion is, it's not right people get the opportunity to blow whatever they get, on stupid things like Alcohol. You should get a job if you want to spend your money on things like that. The Gov spends a lot of money every year on EMA, people shouldn't take the mickey and go do the wrong stuff with it.

What do you think? Is the system ok or does it need reviewing?

[Robbie]

It's brilliant. £30 a week to spend. Fantastic.

:P

[Immenseman]

The college should keep it and put it towards education trips. Students should have to pay, keep proof of what they've paid for books/travel etc and at the end of the month they should get it back.

[Robbie]

Yeah, ours do that aswell as EMA if you want it.

[Immenseman]

would be a much better way imo! would be a lot more admin work though.

[Inseriousity.]

I think it should be more based on income/number of children. Those on 33,000 with 3 children won't be entitled to EMA whereas those with 20,000 with 1 child would. In this situation, I'd say the parents with 3 children deserve more than the parents with 1 child but that's just my opinion.

[Immenseman]

innit, i'm one of 5 but my parents earn 50-60k between them. i mean it's not LOADS, i know it's above average and all that but when you think i'm one of 5. 3 in college, one doing gcses and one at uni they have to pay loads for education but because they're seen as having a decent wage they get no help.

[Robbie]

my mum works 16hrs a week on 5p above minimum wage. thats it. not going into detail as to why my dad doesnt work or why my mum doesnt work more cos its quite personal.

we dont struggle really though. well, we did for about 5 years after something happened. was quite horrible lol

[dirrty]

every system is flawed and EMA is no exception. changes should be made, but aslong as i keep on receiving it until july i couldn't care less imo.

[United-Clowgon]

It's brilliant. £30 a week to spend. Fantastic.

:P

I can't wait for when i get mine! :D


The college should keep it and put it towards education trips. Students should have to pay, keep proof of what they've paid for books/travel etc and at the end of the month they should get it back.

LOOOOOOOOOL. Like MP expenses! :eusa_danc


I think it should be more based on income/number of children. Those on 33,000 with 3 children won't be entitled to EMA whereas those with 20,000 with 1 child would. In this situation, I'd say the parents with 3 children deserve more than the parents with 1 child but that's just my opinion.T

That's exactly what should be done.

[dbgtz]

The whole government (assuming it's a government paid scheme) should be revised. I mean we have a prime minister who wasn't even elected.

[Smits]

No matter what the boundaries are, those just inside will be happy, yet those just outside will be annoyed meaning it cant really be changed to benefit.

Its not meant to spend on books or anything. It's meant to encourage peopel to stay in education, and help them get through it.

[Black_Apalachi]

The college should keep it and put it towards education trips. Students should have to pay, keep proof of what they've paid for books/travel etc and at the end of the month they should get it back.

shushhh just cos you're rollin in it on your farm ;l :P

i liked it the way it was. i scribbled most of the signatures onto the card myself and got my 30 a week and i saved up most of it. i didn't even know there was bonuses until we got them. it was like christmas.

[iAdam]

I'm going to have to say your naive by saying that families who arn't eligible can cope, I won't be able to claim even the smallest amount of EMA, and it really isn't fair. For years I've had hobbies which required money to be put in by my parents, now i've gotten a bit older I'm starting to pay for it myself and pay my parents back, but when it gets to education i'm not stopping these hobbies and yet again my parents are going to have to help which makes me feel like i'm living off my parents again which isn't fair on them as they like to spend their money on what they like now aswell as I have begun paying for things myself. Yes i'll get a decent job then but it still annoys me that people are wasting their EMA on things like alcohol and not using it as it's meant to be. Whole system should be thought out again tbh.

[Immenseman]

the only thing i have paid for me rob is education type things and food!!

[Dan2nd]

One of my friends really did need EMA as his mum was a single parent who barely earned anything.. however there were those people who spent theirs on things they shouldn't have which annoys me because the money they are blowing could have been used to help people in more need.

I don't get annoyed because I didn't get it I get annoyed because I think my friend who needed EMA should have got more support as he had to get a satuday job on top of his EMA to help his mum out with the bills whilst those people went out at the weekend and spent theirs on consol games and booze

[dirrty]

One of my friends really did need EMA as his mum was a single parent who barely earned anything.. however there were those people who spent theirs on things they shouldn't have which annoys me because the money they are blowing could have been used to help people in more need.

I don't get annoyed because I didn't get it I get annoyed because I think my friend who needed EMA should have got more support as he had to get a satuday job on top of his EMA to help his mum out with the bills whilst those people out at the weekend spent theirs on consol games and booze
life is unfair, deal with it. what do you expect those who get ema and spend it on whatever to do? refuse it?

[Immenseman]

yeah i hate that my mates get it when they don't need it any more than i do but if i got it i wouldn't use it for college stuff either. sure i'd get my books etc but i'd use it to buy luxuries like booze, clothes and other things i don't really need but want to have

[Eoin]

EMA was the reason i went to school. personally i hated the place, but being paid £30 a week made it worth while :)

[Pix]

EMA was the reason i went to school. personally i hated the place, but being paid £30 a week made it worth while :)

which is exactly why they have it

[United-Clowgon]

I'm going to have to say your naive by saying that families who arn't eligible can cope, I won't be able to claim even the smallest amount of EMA, and it really isn't fair. For years I've had hobbies which required money to be put in by my parents, now i've gotten a bit older I'm starting to pay for it myself and pay my parents back, but when it gets to education i'm not stopping these hobbies and yet again my parents are going to have to help which makes me feel like i'm living off my parents again which isn't fair on them as they like to spend their money on what they like now aswell as I have begun paying for things myself. Yes i'll get a decent job then but it still annoys me that people are wasting their EMA on things like alcohol and not using it as it's meant to be. Whole system should be thought out again tbh.

Sorry you feel than way. I guess both of your parents are working? Good salaries between them? I don't know how to say this but they try to make the least amount of students lose out on this... in a way?

Imagine if ALL family's could claim, no matter how much ex amount of money they earned. Hundreds of millions/perhaps Billions each year if this was the case, it would cost to fund the scheme.

I'm sure if everyone wanted their son/daughters to be able to claim for EMA they would allow it but they will always find a way to cover the costs of allowing it - and that will be higher taxes... which i doubt anyone would want it to go any higher.

[Immenseman]

i don't think it's right people stay on just for their ema. it's encouraging them not to go into the work place when half the time, that's what is right for them. sure, there are some kids who should stay on and go into work and ema keeps them there but i'd say it was more people who chose to stay on for ema or just waste their ema. i'd like to see it scrapped and those who need the cash can apply, kinda like a student loan but it't not a loan and so complicated, so kinda not like a student loan at all :lol:

[Alkaz]

I get £30 a week, the majority of it is normally spent on school/education but it also allows me to have some kind of social life that my dad wouldnt otherwise be able to afford. Now when I read iAdams post I feel that I do really deserve it, if his parents can fork out for what seems like an expensice ''hobby'' then surely they can afford a little more for their sons education where as alot cant. I also think its wrong for people to stereotype and say people who get EMA only spend it on drink and dont bother with school, people who normally say that dont know that you only recieve EMA by the attendance each week which is checked weekly in school.

Without EMA, I wouldnt be able to afford 6th form, now I recieve it, it means that I will hopefully enjoy my chosen career and will enjoy a healthy, normal lifestyle in which the government can tax me on time and time again :)

[Black_Apalachi]

My mate got it just because his parents are separated and he lives with his mum even though his dad is MINTEDDDD and he sees him all the time.

[Alkaz]

My friend, happens to be indian and parents own about 8 houses, he said he lives in a house his sister rents from his parents, as a student the household income is less than £20,000. People like that do not deserve it at all.

[Immenseman]

people are going to cheat any system though, if they can do it and get away with it, why the hell not :lol:

[Alkaz]

If people think that, whats the problem if people who recieve ema dont spend it on school?

[Immenseman]

system should just be scrapped

[Alkaz]

But that would mean thousands would go without meaning there would people who dont need it can continue being smug that, they can afford it.

[Immenseman]

then they could implement the idea i posted a few posts above

[Alkaz]

If the thing about claiming money back or what ever, if they wanted to do anything like that the government would give the school adequate money for them to be able to pay for student trips etc.

[iAdam]

Sorry you feel than way. I guess both of your parents are working? Good salaries between them? I don't know how to say this but they try to make the least amount of students lose out on this... in a way?

Imagine if ALL family's could claim, no matter how much ex amount of money they earned. Hundreds of millions/perhaps Billions each year if this was the case, it would cost to fund the scheme.

I'm sure if everyone wanted their son/daughters to be able to claim for EMA they would allow it but they will always find a way to cover the costs of allowing it - and that will be higher taxes... which i doubt anyone would want it to go any higher.

They were, my dad lost his job in the recession and my mum is currently ill with half pay, but I still wont be able to claim it and I can't just quit the things I do. Glad you brought the taxes thing up, people don't pay it so you can waste your EMA, and it's not given to people for that.

[Hecktix]

EMA gives a lot of people the chance to go gain further qualifications they wouldn't have otherwise.

[-:Undertaker:-]

It should be scrapped, such a waste of money but it isn't bad getting £30 a week. :P I think the Conservatives are planning to scrap EMA so it'll be goodbye EMA sometime in 2010 I guess.

[Immenseman]

Only good thing they'll ever do.

[dbgtz]

I hope conservatives win, labour is sucking hard atm.

[Callum.]

don't even use my ema. goes into my bank account along with my work money and doesn't really get spent.

[GommeInc]

Just another poorly created system that needs to be totally scrapped and restarted. Giving students/young people money in hand is a terrible idea, they should only have transport costs and course materials given to them.

[Tash.]

Just another poorly created system that needs to be totally scrapped and restarted. Giving students/young people money in hand is a terrible idea, they should only have transport costs and course materials given to them.

The problem with that is, some people actually hand it over to their parents to help with day-to-day living costs, so handing them transport costs etc isn't going to help those families is it?

I know some people use their money on questionable things but honestly it allowed me to do things I wouldn't have been able to do without it.

[alexxxxx]

i know someone who cheats EMA so bad.

his dad earns £200k+ lives in a massive house etc. Because he's self employed and has no stable income or some bull he gets £30/week on top of the £50 he gets from his parents.

also know someone who's on EMA but somehow can afford a car. my parents give me £30/month and they think that's alot and they earn £100k between them.

[Robbie]

i know someone who cheats EMA so bad.

his dad earns £200k+ lives in a massive house etc. Because he's self employed and has no stable income or some bull he gets £30/week on top of the £50 he gets from his parents.

also know someone who's on EMA but somehow can afford a car. my parents give me £30/month and they think that's alot and they earn £100k between them.

You send them a copy of your earnings for that year when you apply though?

[alexxxxx]

You send them a copy of your earnings for that year when you apply though?

i haven't a clue how they fiddled the system but he gets it. his dad's an accountant or something so he knows what he's doing. he probably buys everything from his company for them and gives himself a stupidly low wage for tax reasons.

[Robbie]

meh, someone i know told them he lives with his 21 year old brother (he doesnt), so he gets 30quid a week

[Charlottay!]

I get the full £30 but i live with just my mum and she earns £15,000. we dont finanically struggle but i also dont get anythin on top of my £30. that money is goin onto drivin lessons once a week.

[Caution]

It's obviously totally flawed and there should be more conditions regarding whether you should get it or not, but I'll be a bit gutted if the Tories are in power by November 'cos I wont be able to get it lol.

[GommeInc]

The problem with that is, some people actually hand it over to their parents to help with day-to-day living costs, so handing them transport costs etc isn't going to help those families is it?

I know some people use their money on questionable things but honestly it allowed me to do things I wouldn't have been able to do without it.
Not being rude, but the EMA is not meant to be a sort of income, it's for transport, equipment and educational reasons, handing it to your parents is more reason the EMA system needs changing :/ Besides, the parents will get some sort of benefit anyway :/

[Alkaz]

Thats a pretty ignorant thing to say, do you think if that wasnt the case parents would actually take that money for food or what ever?

[-:Undertaker:-]

The problem with that is, some people actually hand it over to their parents to help with day-to-day living costs, so handing them transport costs etc isn't going to help those families is it?

I know some people use their money on questionable things but honestly it allowed me to do things I wouldn't have been able to do without it.

It is not the job of the government to fund peoples lives. If anything was fair like it should be, we'd have lower taxes and a simpler tax system which would take the poorest out of the tax system altogether. EMA, and other schemes this government has introduced is just socialism; spreading around the wealth despite the other half not earning or being deserving of it. I get EMA as my Dad is unemployed at the moment, but I accept its just a total waste of money and needs to be scrapped.

[GommeInc]

Ignorant in what way? It's the truth :/ The system is terribly flawed and doesn't work efficiently. It takes ages to get money to the students, when a newer system which gives the students transport passes or equipment would be less of a strain on a centralised system with a terrible statedgy. A localised system, like many universities follow, see that students in a certain area get their transport passes and equipment as soon as possible, while the current EMA system seems to rely on both the colleges and their main headquarters/distribution centre to do the work, when getting each college to have an EMA department OR, like the Open University does (not comparing the two in general, just distribution) where they have branches across the country to deal with the targetted areas. If they cut out giving money to students (a terrible system), and changed it to only focus on what the EMA is about (quoted from the EMA site):

"EMA could help you with the cost of books, travel, equipment or anything useful to continue learning."

Spending it on drink/alcohol, food, games, sex, DVDs, entertainment and gig tickets isn't useful for learning. Nor does giving it to your parents, who should be receiving a form of child benefit anyway which is more than enough to see that the child is fed and given a decent standard of living.

Hopefully if the tories get in, they will scrap the EMA system and think of a new strategy that assists with education that doesn't give "cash in your hands to help you carry on learning", as the EMA so put it, because money can be spent anywhere, so telling students to only spend it, or suggest to, on education will not work. Heck, it would be cheaper to give out transport passes and equipment, than chuck money at students, seeing as bus/train passes do not exceed the maximum income of what the EMA distributes e.g. £10 a week X 30 approx weeks = £300, and equipment can be bought for cheap anyway, seeing as you only need pens and paper for the majority of courses, with all colleges lending out specialised equipment for free such as SLR cameras (though it's useful if you have your own). So yeah, it's not a very well thought out system, with safe to say, a huge percentage of applicants abusing it :/

Not targetting anyone, just the flawed system ;)

[Alkaz]

Lol before anyone starts to 'try' and sort the EMA system out, they need to sort their own systems out first. Also I dont know where you live but where I do, weekly bus passes are more than £10.

[GommeInc]

Lol before anyone starts to 'try' and sort the EMA system out, they need to sort their own systems out first. Also I dont know where you live but where I do, weekly bus passes are more than £10.
I never said that, I said £300 a year is alot for transport and equipment. Further going on that, a term pass (usually only 2 or 3 passes a year) do not cost alot, provided the transport systems you've got in your area aren't awful, seeing as alot of companies charge waaay too much :P

[alexxxxx]

I never said that, I said £300 a year is alot for transport and equipment. Further going on that, a term pass (usually only 2 or 3 passes a year) do not cost alot, provided the transport systems you've got in your area aren't awful, seeing as alot of companies charge waaay too much :P

trust me, mine's a good system, but you can't get a pass for a year for £300. where do you live where it's so cheap!?

[United-Clowgon]

Dam the Torries! :P

Dam the Torries if they came into power! Dam the Torries if they scrap the system. I want my £30! I don't mind if scrap it after i leave College but NOT now for the love of god!

On a serious note, i don't think they'll ever scrap it tbh, one of the main reasons it's was introduce was because not many ppl bothered to go to College, they could sign on if they wanted to.

The young people of this Country are the FUTURE of the Country. Without them. We WILL be doooooooooooomed. :(

[Tash.]

Not being rude, but the EMA is not meant to be a sort of income, it's for transport, equipment and educational reasons, handing it to your parents is more reason the EMA system needs changing :/ Besides, the parents will get some sort of benefit anyway :/

Whether or not thats what it is intended for thats how some people use it, and if it helps families get by then I don't see whats so wrong with it. Not being funny, and nor am I aiming this at you GommeInc, but usually the people who don't like the EMA system are the ones who don't recieve the money. I accept as we can see below in Undertaker's case that's not always true but from the people I encountered at college myself when I got it, the ones who didn't were awfully bitter about it. What they didn't realise is that it kind of takes away the freedom you get at college because you have to go and you have to be on time or you don't get the money.


It is not the job of the government to fund peoples lives. If anything was fair like it should be, we'd have lower taxes and a simpler tax system which would take the poorest out of the tax system altogether. EMA, and other schemes this government has introduced is just socialism; spreading around the wealth despite the other half not earning or being deserving of it. I get EMA as my Dad is unemployed at the moment, but I accept its just a total waste of money and needs to be scrapped.

Why does it matter then? If you propose to take out the poorest families from the tax system altogether, meaning they have more money presumably, what does it matter if the government gives them part of the money they take away? It's pretty much the same concept. I don't know your personal circumstances, but having been unemployed myself and not having any dependents I know it was hard for me living on the money I recieved so it can't be easy for your family right now either. So it strikes me as a bit odd that you're 'biting the hand that feeds you' so to speak with this issue. I'd like to bet that if that £10/£20/£30 that you get each week was taken away right now you'd immediately notice a marked difference in what you're able to do.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Why does it matter then? If you propose to take out the poorest families from the tax system altogether, meaning they have more money presumably, what does it matter if the government gives them part of the money they take away? It's pretty much the same concept. I don't know your personal circumstances, but having been unemployed myself and not having any dependents I know it was hard for me living on the money I recieved so it can't be easy for your family right now either. So it strikes me as a bit odd that you're 'biting the hand that feeds you' so to speak with this issue. I'd like to bet that if that £10/£20/£30 that you get each week was taken away right now you'd immediately notice a marked difference in what you're able to do.

It would mean the tax system (which according to Nigel Farage is the second most complicated tax system in the world) could be simplified, saving money and also reducing the bureaucracy and the costs that entails. It also means that rather than a family relying on the government to provide money for them to live, they would not need that anymore as they would be basically tax free (this would only apply to those who are poorest).

On my issue, no I wouldn't notice it at all;- I saved my money over the years and will always do so, I don't even spend my EMA money because I know that if I spend my money, I won't have any left and not to mention the fact I hate spending money. My Dad also saved when he was working incase anything like this did happen. When I first got EMA I actually felt bad because i'm taking money that I don't even deserve in all honestly, but then again my Dad has paid high taxes all his life.

Biting the hand that feeds me, maybe - but putting beliefs before money - always.

[Seatherny]

innit, i'm one of 5 but my parents earn 50-60k between them. i mean it's not LOADS, i know it's above average and all that but when you think i'm one of 5. 3 in college, one doing gcses and one at uni they have to pay loads for education but because they're seen as having a decent wage they get no help.

They are only paying for the kid going to uni ... :S
Yeah they have to pay loads over time, but its not at once.

[Nli.]

I think it's a bad system, but I'm not complaining. Still money at the end of the day.

[JackBuddy]

I'm gonna make this post and this post only. Last time I posted in a topic similar to this people didn't listen and it got annoying. The system needs to be changed. Fair enough if people don't have money for books, travel etc. Why doesn't the government top up some sort of debit card which can only be used for transport services, whsmith for stationary, book etc? The way people who get EMA don't bother working and just spend that £30 + christmas bonus on alcohol is a joke. Even if my parents earn over the limit, it doesn't mean i'd receive any of the money. At uni, people receive grants worth thousands of pounds while im still paying £6000 a year for tuition and acommodation whilst finding extra money for food etc. In that case, i'm in the same situation as people who get EMA/grants but don't receieve the benefits.

Before anyone calls me jealous, I am... who wouldn't be? Even if I did get EMA or a huge grant i'd be intelligent enough to know the system is unfair.

Done.

[Bun]

the system is unfair. i only just creep into getting £10 a week catergory but even people who get 30 do spend it on clothes/games/nights out. i know people who don't get ema and get nothing off their parents, and people who get ema, and so much off their parents, they don't even need to get a part time job.

PS HI JACK

[adaym]

Yep, they should change the way it's paid out. Ie not at all.

I feel cheated and robbed that my money is going to children getting drunk on weekends. AND YES, the majority do spend in on unethical things.

[GommeInc]

Yep, they should change the way it's paid out. Ie not at all.

I feel cheated and robbed that my money is going to children getting drunk on weekends. AND YES, the majority do spend in on unethical things.
Finally, someone with a brain. Be forewarned, last time a discussion like this existed the EMA huffers only response was "you're jussss jealuz" - though it may be true, it doesn't account for the fact the system is lousy and in need of a change - if not scrapping at all! A complete overhaul is needed to account for people who definitely do not need it with the people who do, and a way so that it is only used on what the EMA say it should be used for e.g. transport and equipment. If you're not using it for that, you shouldn't be getting it at all :/

Besides, if the people who do use the EMA are worried, then they've got something to hide. Having a system where you don't get money handed to you, but a sort of "free bus/train passes or equipment" system, or even a debit system, would not effect people who use EMA correctly anyway.

I have had friends who are receive EMA, and they used it correctly most of the time, but everyone lacks self-control, so they will naturally be tempted to spend it on something else - they're only human and money is money, you cannot physically seperate money into different categories or uses, it is spent any way possible. It's the system who is at fault, not the people :/

[Immenseman]

i happily admit i'm jealous.

i'd say half my friends get it. only one of them uses it in a positive way, he gives some to his mum to help her pay the bills because she has a part time job in a shop and his dad left. everyone else spends it on what i spend my money on - travel/petrol/insurance/clothes/drink/luxuries. i get no money from my parents and these things aren't paid for me so yeah, it sucks.