EMA - ridiculous

[today]

You have no idea the amount of tax you pay for earning that much. Familys earning just over that 30k bracket are normally worse off then people earning less, due to tax and other things that people get from having a low wage, the mass benifits.

Then they shouldnt get high wage jobs, or face tax.

[Frodo13.]

You have no idea the amount of tax you pay for earning that much. Familys earning just over that 30k bracket are normally worse off then people earning less, due to tax and other things that people get from having a low wage, the mass benifits.

Thats one of the most stupid things Ive heard of in my life! My family earn 30,460 and I think the EMA cut off if about 30,810 (I only just get EMA) and my family isn't worst off then, for example, single parent familys who are more then likely to earn less then £30,810. Yes, so our family dont get the whole 30,460 because of tax, but familys earning much less are still getting tax taken off them, so it dont make much diffrence really.

[Dave,]

Reading peoples posts you all seem to be split on the topic.

A lot of people are saying "people who don't get EMA are just jealous so that is why they are complaining"

Even though this is slightly true, I mean I'd love to get £30 a week just for turning up to college.

But really I'm not fussed that I don't get it. I just believe that the £1500 spend on each student on £30 a week could be put back in to Universities so that in the end students don't get in to so much debt.

I haven't explained my personal circumstances in this situation. I don't recieve EMA because my dad earns roughly £45k+ a year. He works on commission so it is never guaranteed that he will earn this. But my parents are a little older than most and my dad is looking to retire in the next 5 years. He won't get a high pension from the state so for the last 10 years over half his wages go in to savings for retirement. Then when you take away taxes, bills including food, running of cars and personal luxuries such as new clothes then it doesn't leave us with that much more money. So in turn I'm not getting any extra. Now like I said my bus card for the year is £340 and my course are expensive. I do Photography so if I wanted to get about 30 images printed largely then it would cost me about £15 out of my own money, which when I'm doing coursework could be every week. I also have a part time job with full time college so I have to earn my own money.

But after all this I still don't want EMA. I would rather it be put in to Universities so that tuition fees can be lowered.

[Ostinato]

Everyone who doesn't get EMA and comes out with sob stories about how your parents don't spoil you, shut up.

Yeah ok, your parents go to work, get there money and have to pay for taxes, mortgages, food, bills and all that. Congratulations, join everyone else. The point is that your parents get more than someone elses, and it's highly likely that the difference is much more than £1000, which is about how much you'll get per year on EMA. Oh noez, they don't give you £30 a week, boo hoo. You're still better off than us, whether personally or not, and in times of need your families will be more able to help you financially.

Someone said their dad earns £100,000 a year, and yet complained that they didn't get EMA. You can call EMA a disgusting waste of money or whatever, but what's even more disgusting is that rich people complain because they want more. My mum earns something like £18,000 a year I think, less than a fifth of this guy's dad, and yet he complains about £1000PA.

Yeah I get £30 a week to spend as I will, but no I don't have all the other luxuries that richer families have. We have a nice house sure, and I'm proud of my mum for keeping it as she does with the money she has, and I'm grateful for every penny she spends on us and for every penny that I get from EMA which means I don't have to sponge off her, but we don't have the best cars, the premium foods, the newest gadgets, the big brand clothes and accessories. If you're richer than the EMA cut-off amount, then don't complain about £1000 difference that we get personally just because it's not you that has it.

Also Al, you usually come up with some decent arguments but you wrote such a load of hot ******* about parents not working and living off benefits. I don't know what people are like in Scotland but the only person I know whose parents live off benefits and/or isn't looking for work is someone whose mum can't because she has MS.

I wasn't planning on getting into this argument properly (as you may tell from my earlier post), but when people are so pig ignorant about reality it really does make me wonder what goes through peoples' minds other than themselves.

I have outlined pretty clearly throughout that the posts I have been making have indeed been very general and used very grouped terms and examples. I understand and respect the fact not all situations and people getting EMA are the same and I know that some people simply aren't as well off as others due to whatever circumstances.

I have already said that I feel such cases are acceptable and if someone is perhaps getting the money whos parents are doing all they can to make ends meet - then fair enough.

However, I must honestly say, that in Scotland we do have a high unemployment rate and a huge number of people in my area just sponge off the government and our parents. It really does anger me tbh because like I said before, they are the ones who are getting the income whilst being able to concentrate on school whilst I am having to jeaprodise my future and how well I do in exams as I am forced to go and get a job.

I just feel for those in that situation, the whole EMA policy is outrageous as it is simply conforming to help encourage them to live off others moreso as it is being demonstrated to them that they can from an early stage.

I feel the fact that it is education maintenance allowance it should be spent on either education related or upon helping yourself etc. in relation to relative financial needs. Not jist for new games or clothes because that defeats the whole purpose of it and to be honest makes a mockery of the system. However, that's why I feel the system is so flawed because the government takes no action to help advise on what to spend the money on etc. but simply throws away this cash radically and teenagers are going out blowing it on whatever they want.

It's well and good to say that because our parents are "richer" we get allowances or they will just help us whenever they need because they have the cash lying around. Well you may think I am naive or ignorant, but you are also if you think this is the case. I have a 4 month year old baby and let me tell you - it isn't Beverly Hills in here with cash. If I need money for something at the moment, I pay for it myself with my own pay check - which I go out and earn.

Also, when I go to university I will need to take out a student loan which I then have to pay back when I leave, so am ultimately getting into debt for having the ambition to carry my education on further. Why should I have to get in debt because of this, whilst other people get an EMA (a greater amount of money in Uni's) which prevents them from doing so? It's completely ironic as basically my parents are supporting you to go to uni by spending money through taxes on EMA whilst they can't afford to help me, but I get into debt over it? Sorry - but that isn't right.

At the end of the day I just feel you shouldn't be getting money for going and doing the exact same thing as I am.

I also know a lot of you are saying it's just the people who get it that moan. Well to be honest that is obviously going to be the norm as expected because it is seriously unjust towards us, however if I was capable of getting it I definitely know I would still hold the same views upon it as I personalyl feel the scheme as a whole is an unfair shambles.

[Dave,]

I feel I wasn't too clear in my opening post.

I know that EMA does help a lot of people etc and I guess to some this can seem like a thread where 'rich kids' are moaning.

But my only thought on EMA really is having money put in to University.

Its £9k just for a 3 year course and that doesn't include your accommodation and living expenses. If the money saved on EMA could be put back in to Uni then a lot more students would be helped. It would probably make the prospect of going to Uni appeal to more since they wouldn't fear getting in to debt.

I think a better system for less fortunate people would be for them to claim money back that they use for college. Say its £30 a month for a travel pass, give the receipt to an EMA type organization and claim the money back. The same with college supplies. This would help out those who need the money but cut out those who wrongly get EMA.

And then like I said put the money back in to Uni.

[Jazza]

Also, when I go to university I will need to take out a student loan which I then have to pay back when I leave, so am ultimately getting into debt for having the ambition to carry my education on further. Why should I have to get in debt because of this, whilst other people get an EMA (a greater amount of money in Uni's) which prevents them from doing so? It's completely ironic as basically my parents are supporting you to go to uni by spending money through taxes on EMA whilst they can't afford to help me, but I get into debt over it? Sorry - but that isn't right.

You aren't the only one who has to pay for Uni, EMA will only cover me until I'm 19 and if I take the 3 year course I have planned to I will only get it for the first term, which will nowhere near cover the £3,070 yearly tuition fees never mind living costs and accomodation. Nobody gets a free ride.

Oh by the way, you don't have to start paying back Student loans until you are earning over £25,000 per year so you won't have to pay it back as soon as you leave.

[Ostinato]

I know you don't have to start paying back your loan until then. However, whilst I am struggling on a low income on my first year or whatever at university upon a student loan - you have an extra £1000 or whatever from the bursary? Why should you just because my parents are qualified?

[Soka]

i think that EMA is ridiculous in some cases, and justified in others

each situation needs to be treated differently in my opinion

people who just go to college for the ema ****** me off, because i think they should go because they want a levels, not jsut for the money
i am not at all jealous of people who get 30 quid a week and EMA should be forced to spent on the right things i feel, rather than a packet of **** like most people who get it do (not all).

and i agree with dave in the tuition fees idea because they are ridiculously high, my brother's going to uni tomoz and hes doing a 4 years masters degree and as him or me have never got ema because my dad earns quite a bit more than the requirement + my mum's 20 k job makes it impossible for us to get it, so hes gona be in debt of about 30 k when he comes out cos of tuition fees, food, accomodation + socialising

[hobo]

i think either everyone should get it, or nobody should.

I also think it's insane that the amount of children in a family isn't taken into account. I have a brother and a sister, and my parents earn over the upper limit for EMA, but with three children and a house big enough to accommodate all of us to pay for, they can't afford to give me money.
My parents have never given me money, because they can't, and my christmas and birthday presents have always been pretty small compared to most. But still, I don't get EMAs and all my friends do, and they all seem to get a lot more money from their parents.
For example, one girl is an only child whose mother is a single parent. They live in a council house, so no mortgage to pay, and because there's only one child the mother can afford to give her money, but she still gets £30 a month.
I've worked since I was 14 because i had too, and i don't think it's fair that i don't get it.

It's the same with University loans. The amount you can take out depends on your parents income, which again i don't think is fair. Same goes for burserys etc.

does my head in!!!

[today]

It wont change for you, you dont get it, oh well.

The money is spent to give others a chance, tough luck if you dont get it, and if people spend it on what they want ratehr then their education, its their life they screw up.

But really, stop maoning the EMA is pointless, you wouldnt moan if you got it, and when you go "i dont want it" you really need to stop lieing.

But carry on moaning, i dont really give a care.

/Bye.