Should EMA Stay?

[e5]

Yeah, its helpful maybe put it into voucher form to stop the partyers?

Voucher forms for everything except booze? That would be kinda pointless.

[eight]

its like pocket money

if your parents earn more they can give it to you

if they earn less the goverment will

spend it on what you want, who cares

[jackass]

No it should not stay, because it isn't fair.

Just because someones parents earn over a certain amount doesn't mean that they are going to pay for things like travel etc. because they won't. They must be pretty naive to think this.

[Barmi]

Of course?

If my mum and dad were rich they wouldnt give me a penny of it.

If they did id be just as spoilt as all the s**** out there with everything being brought for them anyway.

& Besides just because they are rich doesnt mean they should be treated any different, They could have a morgage to pay or they could have hospital bills or anything.

The government expects parental contributions towards education. It is understandable if these contributions do not come from someone with a low annual income, because it might be impossible. But even if contributions are small... and yet someone on a high income refused to pay contributions... I'd class these latter parents as greedy.

@Biohazard: If you are a lone child, and your parents are earning over £30,000 p/a, then take your complaints to ChildLine or someone who will pat you on the back for a sob-story. If you have a number of siblings on the other hand, then you will see why the means test does not work. The principle does not need to be abolished, because it helps those who are unable to make the expected contributions towards their child's education. The system for assessment, however, needs to be looked at.

Absolutely, after my mum pays the important stuff we hardly have enough money for the rest of the month, were bearly surviving, even though she gets child benefits and w/e. I ******* hate it when i see the rich taking the system for granted. I don't care if people want say to this is stupid but i think ppl who earning over £30,000 a year should pay for their kids to go to College.

If i do decide to go to Uni it will be a big struggle, with my Mum earning £12,000 a Year. I would probably have to rank myself up with debt in the thousands to get me through Uni.

While the rich kids manages through Uni......

It's just so unfair. Why do the Rich have to get away with Murder.

Don't sob-story, please. It's damn ugly to read. Many people have a hard time, and while kids flaunting their money on an internet forum is annoying to see, don't respond with sob-story.

It is not difficult to get through university from a low-income background. It is the middle-class families with lots of children who suffer. If you come from a low-income background, you'll be entitled to a greater maintenance grant (along with part of the loan), and more likely to receive bursaries/grants/scholarships from your university. Don't dispute this until you've been through it.

My family is relatively large with just one source of income. I was not entitled to a full EMA, and yet I worked through college, right up until university. I'm living away from home, and the debt I am incurring is not daunting in the slightest. You should feel comfortable in paying it off... it is the most manageable form of debt available. Besides, you will be able to claim more free money than I have been able to, so stop QQing.

[Dan2nd]

To the person that said "Why should these freeloaders get money because their parents earn hardly anything if they only wish to end up following their parents footsteps?" - Yeah, some people do do that but not everyone, it's not all just chavs (sorry, being sterotypical) that get the money, my mum used to have a decent job until the place got closed down, my dad has a decent job but we get absolutely nothing of it. It's not fair that the people that get it look as though they're all just chavs who are gonna end up on Jobseekers because they've been given 'easy' money, some people want to work hard and if there is extra help via money then why shouldn't they get it? Same to poster above, if your parents have been on jobseekers all their life or have a **** job because of their qualifications then I agree they should pull their fingers out their arses and help themselves, like I said just because my mum struggles to find work isn't her fault ;_; stupid frigging hospitals

.

That was me, I didn't want to imply that everyone who gets EMA are 'chav's' and behave that way. Infact one of my best mates got EMA and he worked extreamly hard and he was in major dept himself never mind his parents so needed it badly!

My opinion on EMA has changed recently before I was annoyed I didn't get it, now I've learned that people (such as my mate) actually need it and get it for a reason. What annoys me is people who don't care about college, don't care about their future and just want the money.

Like someone said before EMA is there to encourage people to go into further education.. I'm lucky enough to not need EMA but I know if I was bought up in a less priviledged family and I was entitled to EMA I'd make the most of college so I can grow up and provide for myself and my maybe future family so we won't have to rely on goverment money to survive.

[GommeInc]

That's absolutely preposterous!

I Guarantee that, if that was to happen loads of ppl wouldn't go. Most people who get their EMA waste it, so if that was to happen they would forget about going to college all together.

We need the young of this Country going to College so the Country can Prosper.

Bribing children into a life of handouts and benefits isn't a very good idea, especially when it "aids the country". SO wasting millions on children who probably won't learn much is a good idea? Make a country poor on children not interested other than by some money? Besides, the government force children into school now usually threatening the parents. So it's not prepostrous at all, and the students that don't go to college will be kicking themselves later in life. So it's their loss, not the countrys.

@GommeInc: If the £30 was a flat figure, I would agree with you. But it's £30/£20/£10... scaled accordingly. As I said previously, my main contention is the means testing is flawed.

I was going to mention the acceptance scheme for this. Only childs (if that's how it is pronounced) probably don't deserve it if their parents income is over £30,000 (as in, they don't get the £10, it would be pointless and won't go towards anything). If they gave £30 a week to "poor" children (income and how many is in the family taken into account) then it would be useful. For example, making a procedure of, lets say, £5,000 a year per child and £10,000 a year per adult. A family of 2 adults and one child that only make £25,000 (or less) a year deserve the EMA of £30 per week for that child (maybe less, so £20 or £10). So a family of 3 with any amount over don't get it.

It's a confusing subject though, because it doesn't take individual needs into account, and I'd hate to receive EMA looking like a charity case much like many others would hate to be, to eliminate wasted funds on children and teens who clearly don't deserve it.

[Jordy]

That's absolutely preposterous!

I Guarantee that, if that was to happen loads of ppl wouldn't go. Most people who get their EMA waste it, so if that was to happen they would forget about going to college all together.

We need the young of this Country going to College so the Country can Prosper.

If they're only there for the money then it's clear they're not there to get the best grades possible, they're more likely to cause disruption to the kids who want to learn. If the country really needed all these people to go to College they may as well make it compulsory (Although I do believe this is happening in a few years time?).

Once again, if the government really care that much about people getting a decent education and helping the country, why won't they pay for University? Working class gets EMA so surely working and middle class should get University fees paid for them as well, it's similar principals.

[Barmi]

Once again, if the government really care that much about people getting a decent education and helping the country, why won't they pay for University? Working class gets EMA so surely working and middle class should get University fees paid for them as well, it's similar principals.

Those on a lower income receive a greater maintenance grant. I do not support the "free university education for every person on every course" idea. It's not economically viable and its returns suck. I'm sure the government wouldn't have issue with paying for those doing an academic course, but it can't then be seen to have course snobbery. A number of MPs have admitted that not all university courses have enough economic returns.

Heck, those who are yet to go to university may have a shock if fees go up.

[JackBuddy]

I know everyone is just going to label me as jealous but I think it should go.

• My parents couldn't afford to give me £30 a week, I work for my money.
• EMA is effectively bribery so government higher education stats look good.
• EMA should not be cash, it should be vouchers exchangable for travel/ lunch costs and not new DVDs.

When I jet off to university I will finish in 3 years time with a debt of around 13 grand (hopefully). I am paying every penny of this yet just because some of my friend's parents are divorced they have some divine right to receive bursaries to subsidise the cost of their education. Not fair whatsoever. The government should give it to everyone or no-one. Some of my friends haven't bothered getting part time jobs because they know that they can survive the week with their EMA (and obsurd christmas bonus). Is that a good example to set? I really don't think it's fair how some get rewarded for attending their lessons every week when I have been doing that at college at received nothing.

That's my take on it anyway.

*wears flame proof jacket*

edit: aren't the tories commited to scrapping EMA?

[Barmi]

I know everyone is just going to label me as jealous but I think it should go.

• My parents couldn't afford to give me £30 a week, I work for my money.
• EMA is effectively bribery so government higher education stats look good.
• EMA should not be cash, it should be vouchers exchangable for travel/ lunch costs and not new DVDs.

When I jet off to university I will finish in 3 years time with a debt of around 13 grand (hopefully). I am paying every penny of this yet just because some of my friend's parents are divorced they have some divine right to receive bursaries to subsidise the cost of their education. Not fair whatsoever. The government should give it to everyone or no-one.

That's my take on it anyway.

*wears flame proof jacket*

Bwaha! *flames*

I have no objection to the vouchers idea. In just over two years time I'm likely to have £20,000 of debt. I'm not phased by that thought; it's a price I'm willing to pay for higher education.

"Everyone or no-one" simply doesn't work. EMA is supposed to be given to those that need it. In principle, there is nothing wrong with this. The system is flawed, but the principle is right. You are providing two extremes, neither of which are suitable alternatives to achieving a better middle ground.

Edit: I don't give a damn what the tories want to do. If they are elected and change happens, then it's worth worrying about. And in response to the bonuses, they should be halved. As it stands, they are too much.